Kei Kamara has the lead in Montreal. It is “100% positive”. He has a contract and he will honor it. At least, “until something happens”.
Tuesday was a big day at Olympic Stadium. Kei Kamara finally met the media to explain more in detail about his situation. The 38-year-old forward showed up with his usual smile for a 21-minute long post-training scrum. From the outset, he took the lead in order to deliver substantially the same speech – in more succinct – than the one he had held in his video published Friday on Instagram.
It all started at the beginning of October, before the playoffs. Kamara let CFM leaders know that he wanted to retire in Montreal. They then made him a two-year offer which, according to the player, “was not enough” to allow him to move to Quebec with his family. So he responded with a counter-offer.
The organization then informed him that there was no room for negotiations; the initial offer was “take it or leave it”. Since then, discussions have stalled. In December, Kamara’s agent sent emails to the executives, without this leading to any new developments.
“That’s where I made my post where I said I would leave Montreal. But I am here. I’m still here today because I have a contract and I’m going to honor it until something happens. Besides that, nothing else has changed,” the striker dropped.
So there we are.
Kamara insists despite everything: last year, he did not join the Montreal team “for the money”, but rather “for the love” of the Quebec metropolis. “If you look at the numbers in MLS and the numbers I had last year, you would be shocked. I think this is the biggest pay cut in MLS history,” he reiterated, not wanting to give details on either the exact salary he earned in the past year or the CFM offer.
I love this city. If I went in front of the leaders and told them that I would like to retire as a Montreal player, that means that I want to be here. At the same time, I can’t force something that won’t happen for my family and me.
Kei Kamara
Not a distraction
The question arises as to whether this whole story, which does not seem about to be settled, can become a distraction for the team. As recently as Monday morning, head coach Hernan Losada said no. Kamara agrees.
“I am not a distraction, 100%, he launched without the slightest hesitation. If I am a distraction, I will definitely ask to be left out. »
Anyway, things are such that Kamara has a contract with the CFM. He must honor it and he will honor it, he repeated again and again. This, even if the terms of his contract remain as they are.
We’re actively looking for something else, but at the same time, I’m here 100%. If I take days off, don’t train and don’t play, it’s going to affect me, whether I play the season here or on another team.
Kei Kamara
“I just had a conversation with the coach on the edge of the field to find out how I feel, he said. He asked me if I was with the team and I said: coach, you know that I am with you. I’m still here until something happens. »
In 17 seasons in MLS, Kamara has represented nine different teams. In the past, he “didn’t have advisers to approach these things,” he said. Today, he is surrounded by advisers whom he trusts and who guide him.
“What I can do is get ready in the morning, come here, train with the team and be ready for what the coach asks. »
Ultimately, even if the current circumstances leave many doubts, the Sierra Leonean still has hope of concluding his career in Montreal.
Only the future will tell us the outcome of the Kamara soap opera.