The saga surrounding forward Kei Kamara may not be over, but the 38-year-old veteran spoke out on Tuesday — and it wasn’t through his social media.
After training at the Olympic Stadium, Kamara spoke to the media for nearly 21 minutes to clarify a situation that has taken on gigantic proportions in recent weeks.
Between his exchange request posted on Twitter at the beginning of January, his enigmatic and sometimes controversial photos as well as a video on Instagram in which he gives an update on his contractual status, negotiations are still at a standstill between Kamara and CF Montreal.
The Bleu-Blanc-Noir, however, took advantage of the option on the contract of the Sierra Leonean international in November, and the latter intends to honor him for the 2023 season until there are developments. , if that is the case. He also hopes to travel to Florida with the team for the second leg of camp.
“If the terms remain the same, I will, of course, honor my contract. I’m still here with the team and I’m 100 per cent there. I will continue to contribute to the achievement of the objectives that we have set ourselves, as we did last year”, mentioned Kamara.
Despite his advanced age for a professional athlete, Kamara has been very useful for CF Montreal in 2022, the team’s record season. He had nine goals and seven assists, he was an MLS finalist for the comeback of the year and he helped improve the culture of the Montreal team. All for less than US$100,000, before bonuses.
When speaking to reporters a few weeks ago, Olivier Renard, the vice-president and chief sports officer of CF Montreal, indicated that the team had presented a two-year contract offer to Kamara as well as an opportunity to join the coaching staff to develop young players. Through his agent, the attacker presented a counter-offer, but without success.
In her recent Instagram video, Kamara claimed the organization told her the offer was take it or leave it and there would be no negotiation. That’s what led to his trade request.
Renard seemed open to trading Kamara, however, but it was he and his representative who were expected to come back with a fair deal.
In the same video, Kamara spoke of “a love affair” between him and the city of Montreal and claimed that he did not join the Montreal troupe for the money. However, there still seems to be a gap between him and Renard.
How much is this love worth and how much separates the two parties? We still don’t know.
New option
What we do know, however, is that Kamara and his agent are actively looking for a new option so that he can finish his career elsewhere and reunite with his family, who have remained in the United States. last year.
“I’m looking at other options to see if there’s something better for me and my family. I don’t have many years left to play and I want to know that the place where I play is the last. Last year, I was working with the under 16s and I wanted to get my coaching license. I was too comfortable, because that’s what I see myself doing later. I want to see myself in a place where I don’t want to pack anymore,” Kamara said.
Since joining MLS in 2006, Kamara has played for nine teams and you’d think he was in trouble. He was, however, keen to insist that he was never a distraction for these formations. And it does not intend to be one for CF Montreal if things do not move.
“Things have happened before, and I didn’t have the right advice to handle certain situations well. But if you look at my roadmap, everywhere I went, the teams were good and the young people around me improved. I’m a positive person and I don’t want to bring negativity. I’m going to give everything I have because I don’t want to take anything away from my teammates, and if I feel like I’m a distraction for the players then I’m going to ask to be let out.” he let know.
Kamara spoke to head coach Hernán Losada late in training, and he reiterated that his head was entirely with the team. But until when ?
Meanwhile, young defender George Campbell injured his right leg during training when he was tackled by Mason Toye. Campbell received treatments on the ground before retiring with difficulty on the bench with the help of the trainers. He was seen sporting ice packs on his knee and ankle. No details are known at this time regarding the severity of his injury.