New York Red Bulls capture Khano Smith stressed there were 'no hard feelings' between him and Seattle Sounders despite being traded by the MLS new-boys before playing a competitive match for them.

Smith brought an end to days of speculation surrounding his uncertain Sounders future by signing for Red Bulls yesterday ¿ and then admitted he was relieved to be returning to the east coast to be nearer Bermuda.

"This is the ideal move for me and I'm delighted. Red Bulls are a great organisation," the former New England Revolution player told The Royal Gazette. "Boston was close to Bermuda but New York is even closer."

Despite being off-loaded before the start of the season the experienced winger said the split had been amicable and tipped Sounders to become a major MLS force.

"I knew New York Red Bulls had been interested in me for a while but it fizzled out and I was prepared to stay in Seattle," said Smith. "But earlier this week I spoke to technical director Chris Henderson at our hotel in LA and he told me Red Bulls were back in for me and that I was to be traded.

"They sat me down and explained to me the situation. There are a lot of factors behind the trade and I guess Sounders felt they could strengthen the team in a different position by letting me go.

"There are certainly no hard feelings and Sounders are definitely going to be a top class MLS organisation."

Red Bulls' esteemed coach Juan Carlos Osorio is no stranger to Bermudian talent having worked as a conditioning coach for Manchester City while Shaun Goater was terrorising Premier League defences.

And encouragingly for Smith it seems the Columbian coach is a firm admirer having pursued the ex-Dandy Town man while he was at Gillette Stadium.

"Red Bulls are a team I've always done well against and I think my previous performances have stuck in their minds," he said. "I know the coach already and I gather he was interested in me even when I was at New England Revolution.

"He did a coaching course with Kenny Thompson and was the fitness coach at Manchester City when Shaun Goater was there and they both have tremendous things to say about him."

Although Red Bulls travel to Sounders for their season curtain raiser there will be no immediate return to the northwest for Smith who will miss the match through suspension. Instead he could make his debut against his ex-Revolution team-mates in Red Bulls' following game.

"It would have been nice to have come up against Sounders in my first game but it's still pretty ironic I could make my debut against Revolution at Giants Stadium."

Bermuda Hogges co-owner Paul Scope, who is largely credited with facilitating Smith's move to Revolution in 2005, believes he will hit the ground running at his new club.

"I think it's a great move for Khano and I know he's very pleased about it," said the former Bermuda assistant coach. "I was chatting to Revolution's coach Steve Nicol and their goalkeeper coach Gwynne Williams recently and I know they wanted to keep him at Revolution, it's just the club couldn't agree terms with Khano.

"Steve said Khano's last five games for the club were as good as anyone in the MLS and that should him a lot of confidence as he starts his Red Bulls career."