(Fort Lauderdale, Florida) – CF Montreal finally finds itself under the warm rays of the Florida sun to continue its training camp.
The winter has not been easy for the Montreal club in many ways. The departure of the coach and several key players leaves supporters a little worried.
The team also experienced a major crisis when hiring Sandro Grande. In addition, the confirmation that the new 2023 jersey will not be ready for the start of the season has not improved matters.
Kei Kamara’s record is therefore one more bad story in this turbulent off-season.
Facts
Kei Kamara has signed, in good and due form, a one-year contract, plus a one-year option. Normally, in this type of situation, when a player sees his option being triggered, he runs out the year without any additional addition to his salary. The terms having already been determined in advance.
But in 2022, with his 9 goals and 7 assists, Kamara turned out to be the bargain of the century due to his annual salary of $94,000. That said, it is said that with the bonuses he would have doubled his salary…
Still, by MLS standards, and for a player of his notoriety, it’s still very little money.
In good faith, and recognizing that Kamara deserved more, the club made him two offers, which included salary increases. A one-year offer with more money and a two-year offer, for a little less. Depending on what you understand, it was take it or leave it.
According to him, Kamara refused these proposals, returning a counter-offer to the club in the fall which would not have been accepted. There have been no further exchanges since.
The player then requested a transaction, indicating that the amounts offered were insufficient for him to move his family to Montreal. Kamara spent last season away from family members. He claimed he didn’t want to go through that again.
Hats off to the club, who did the right thing by reopening negotiations, something they weren’t obliged to do.
It should be noted that take-it-or-leave-it offers are rarely popular with players.
Rudy Camacho and Victor Wanyama have signed new deals with the club, also receiving firm offers. They signed them, but we felt that this type of tactic was not very appreciated.
Embarrassment
With all the tiles that fell on the club’s head, let’s just say the team didn’t need that other story involving Kamara.
Kamara has embarrassed the team a few times since the start of the year, telling his side of the story via social media. Knowing Olivier Renard’s way of working, this approach was probably not well received.
But you also have to think about what Kamara gave the team in 2022, an extraordinary season on the pitch, immeasurable help with young people and a great power of attraction for other players. His run for the all-time record for goals scored in MLS is generating interest. When he scores, all of North America takes notice.
Admittedly, Kei Kamara is 38 years old. But, some players continue to perform even after 40 years. We can take the example of the Brazilian Romario. What matters is performance on the pitch. And in 2022, Kamara proved he still had gas in the tank.
Despite his age, he is a safe bet. Apart from Romell Quioto at CF Montreal, who is guaranteed to put the ball in the back of the net with regularity?
They say scoring goals is the hardest thing to do in sport, so when a player proves they can, it should be recognized.
A matter of common sense
Kei Kamara, an MLS icon must look around the dressing room and ask himself the following question: how players who don’t have a fraction of his impact on the team can earn three, four or five times his salary ? Faintness.
When his compensation was finally revealed by the players’ association in the spring of 2022, Kamara was questioned by the media on the subject. He was clearly uncomfortable knowing that everyone knew he was pocketing such a meager salary.
He must now hope for the return of the pendulum, knowing all the same that he does not have the big end of the stick in this story.
The difference between what the club is offering and what the player is asking for is probably between $150,000 and $250,000.
Is that a big enough gap to warrant this sort of Cold War? Does the club really need this? Even at $400,000 a season, Kei Kamara would be a bargain if he produced at last year’s rate.
If the two clans want to be creative, they could even add a clause, where for example, his option would be automatically triggered for 2024, if he reached, say, 7 goals.
The club would therefore make sure to keep the player motivated and the athlete would continue to have every interest in performing.
