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January 18, 2018 |
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VANCOUVER, B.C - Whitecaps FC's top offseason acquisition, Kei Kamara arrived in Vancouver earlier this week, and held court with the media on Wednesday. Kamara couldn't be more excited to be on the west coast with Whitecaps FC. He's coming to an organization that's in search of a consistent goal-scoring threat. The departure of leading scorer Fredy Montero, creates a challenge of how the Caps will find goals in 2018.
Kamara wants to acclimate himself to Vancouver. He's arrived a week before training camp officially begins on Monday, January 22. Kamara wants to get settled into his new surroundings so he can quickly prepare himself for his new adventure with the Caps.
"I'm really excited to be here, and excited to be part of this club," Kamara revealed. "I'm just looking forward to meeting everyone and looking forward to work. I know that the club were in the playoffs, but just getting into the playoffs is not enough. I've been in the playoffs, I've been in the final, but that's never enough. What's enough is bigger than that, which is winning a championship. That's what we play for."
The Caps new threat is being counted on to produce goals, and wherever he has played, he has delivered. Kamara is coming off of back to back 12 goal seasons. His best campaign game in 2015 when he rippled the net for 22 goals with Columbus. In 286 MLS regular season matches, Kamara has 98 goals, and 38 assists. He has also scored 5 playoff goals in 12 matches. He has a knack for scoring, and that's what he's come here to do.
The former New England Revolution, Columbus Crew, and Sporting Kansas City product wants to prove that he still has a lot to offer. Kamara has excelled when put in an environment where he is engaged and the focale point of the offence. A veteran of the league, he wants to show that his tank is not running on empty.
"Lots, lots is left," Kamara said, when asked what was left in the tank. "I don't look at the numbers, I look at the goal numbers, not the age. I'm enjoying it. I (want to) play every minute of every game, that I'm called up to play. I feel good, I still feel like I can produce a lot, and I don't really focus on that much."
His age, well that would be 33 years-old. Ideally not when professional athletes hit their peak playing level. As he previously called Gillette Stadium home, Kamara only has to look at New England Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady as someone who defies age.
"I'm thirty-three, I can't change that, but I don't play like a thirty-three year old," Kamara said.
Vancouver is often known for being a fickle, and bandwagon sports town. Supporters want a winner, and they want one right away. Whitecaps FC have undergone a lot of offseason changes. Plenty of players have come and gone. Kei Kamara is going to have a lot of responsibilities and pressure to carry an occasionally goal-starved Caps team.
"Bring on the pressure, I love playing under pressure," Kamara said, confidently. "Playing against the Whitecaps here, and getting booed in that stadium, that's pressure. I think I scored a couple of goals, which I'm fine with. Now they get to be on my side, having the Southsiders, and the Curva Collective, and all the supporters group. I can't wait to just be in front of everyone."
Kamara joins Whitecaps FC after what has been an on and off pursuit in the summer of 2016. Persistent transfer rumours suggested Kamara would be moved to Vancouver after being on the outs with Columbus. New England ended up winning the Kamara sweepstakes with a significant offer to acquire him.
"Yeah, there's always going to be rumours," Kamara admitted. "Everybody's going to say, what they're saying. I never got a phone call from anyone, obviously I didn't come over in 2016. Everything happens for a reason, and this I think is the right time for me to come over. I'm just happy that the club have that trust in me. If they were inquiring about me in 2016, that's really great to know that. It shows that they have some trust in you."
In the small close-knit world that is Major League Soccer, players are bound to see familiar faces when entering in new locker room. Kamara and Tony Tchani were teammates in Columbus, and Marcel de Jong and Kamara played together for a brief time at Sporting Kansas City. Coach Carl Robinson played against Kamara.
Kei Kamara is an exciting, energetic, and enthusiastic footballer who loves to score goals. When he is on, he makes his team significantly better. Vancouver Whitecaps FC fans will be hoping he still has a lot of goals left in his boots this coming season.
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