SoccerWise - Kei Kamara (LAFC)

Episode Date: November 8, 2024

As we get ready for a huge weekend of knockout soccer across NWSL & MLS Soccerwise has a treat for you. A sit-down interview with 2nd all-time leading scorer in MLS history Kei Kamara. Kei talks to Tom & David about what LAFC is capable of this year, his journey from NCAA D2 to where he is now, and how Sierra Leone has fueled his career. Soccerwise Live 2pm ET Every Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on Youtube/Twitch/Twitter

Hey everybody, welcome in here to SoccerWise Friday edition. What a week we have had of coverage here at SoccerWise as we head into the NWSL and MLS playoffs once again on the MLS side. If you haven't listened already, go back and listen. Myself and Tom have been breaking down the MLS side all week. We did a special segment yesterday, quite a long segment, with Luchi Gonzalez, former head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, which he left this summer, and FC Dallas. Three playoff appearances across his five years with those two clubs, as well as considered one of the best youth academy directors and coaches in the country.

And he joined us to sort of give us the coach's perspective on some big topics like benching star players, preparing for shootouts, sort of what goes on down on the field in between the end of the game and a shootout. Home atmosphere is how it affects the game and then broke down some of the matchups for us as well. So you can go there, the Thursday episode to listen to that. Jordan Angeli, of course, on Wednesday. We walked through every single matchup this weekend coming up in the NWSL playoffs starting tonight with the Orlando game and then rolling through with the Kansas City game on Saturday and then the two matches on Sunday, the doubleheader, Washington hosting Bay and Gotham hosting Christine Sinclair and the Portland Thorns. So you can go back to the Wednesday show to listen to all of that. We've got a special episode here for you today as well.

We've been talking to some fascinating people across the soccer world, NWSL, USL, MLS, EPL as well. And now we've got Kai Kamara with us. You know him very well. The second all-time scorer in MLS history at 40 years old, still getting it done for LAFC. He won the Open Cup this year and he's hoping to make it MLS Cup as well. And of course course the matchup tonight against the Vancouver Whitecaps is a huge one for LAFC in a win or go home game three in this first round so we talked about a range of topics myself and Tom joined him so enjoy that right now all right we got Kai Kamara here LAFC forward MLS legend second all-time leading goal scorer and uh I think most importantly all-around good dude but you might put those in a different order, Kai. Kai, thank you so much for joining the show.

Your smile lights up this virtual room. Is it my smile? Yeah, it is. It's the sun in Los Angeles, guys. The first influencer light. Honestly, I'm going to confess, I've been watching for a little while. I was wishing when you guys don't get me on the show but when my agent reached out i was like wait really they want me on it's about time

kai we've just been waiting for you to decide that it's time for you to go into the podcasting world and then we're launching the kai kamara podcast that's what we're waiting for you to decide that it's time for you to go into the podcasting world. And then we're launching the Kai Kamara podcast. That's what we're waiting for. You know, my boy, my left foot boy in New York, Red Bull. I'm not going to say his name. When I see him, this kid's everywhere, man. Man, I love that kid. Yeah, so, first season

LAFC. This has been, looks like a fun one from the outside, I'd say, with the Open Cup trophy. Everything else you guys done, the League's Cup Final, now you're in the playoffs. What has the season been like for you? What has, like, LAFC, this, you know, one year

so far, what has that done for you uh it's been i'm 40 years old guys okay not a i'm not the first time i'm not a rookie but i feel like a rookie i feel no i'm this is honest truth like there's this bubble you know butterflies that i feel inside of me to be back in L.A. and really to play for this club because for the past, you know, years, I've been trying to text and call John Thornton. I'm like, come on, John, like, bring me home. L.A.'s my home.

Like, come on, please, man. And one time I ran into him in manhattan beach i was with my kids and my wife and he was there uh this was uh maybe two or three years ago i was like john c's like we're here every year like oh like please so when i you know like kevin my agent called me when i was in sierra leone and said lafc wants you to come on trial i was like yeah okay sure even though i'm kai i don't feel like i should go on trial anyway yeah but then i was like it's lafc yeah i'll take it you know so it's been this it was awesome from the first day i walked in here i don't know if they will tell you but i had this smile on my face this happiness, just happy to be here, be home.

I was staying at my mom's house and can drive from mom's house to train. And just, you know, I'm driving more without using GPS. And I go, yeah, I'm home. Yeah. So you talk about air quote trial or the conversations to bring you in. I have it on good authority that Sasha Kleshin was trying to recruit you for his U.S. Open Cup run with the Des Moines Menace at the same time. And I remember talking to him, and he was like, dude, I thought we had Kai.

And then he stopped answering me, and I was like, what the hell? And then, like, I think I reported, whatever it was. He's like, dude, then I saw you tweet. I was like, oh, that's why Kai's not answering. It was the same. I was, like, literally, then I saw you tweet. I was like, oh, that's why Kai's not answering. It was the same. I was like, literally just got on the flight from Sierra Leone

because they told me, I think it was like a Friday night on the Sierra Leone and the agent called and it's like, and you need to get on flight on Sunday because they want you to train

on Tuesday and you could travel. I was like, whoa, and then Sasha sent me this message. Oh, Sasha, I really don't want to jinx it because I'm actually going on trial.

And if I don't make it to trial, what am I going to say? And so, and then at the same time, we have Mike McGee and Sneaky Fox trying to get me to go play the tournament. We're sending these messages and I'm like, oh man, I don't know who to say yes and no to. So I just kept holding them there i was like on into text because usually i'm like prompt when you text me i'll text you back and then finally i was like yes it looks like i'm gonna play another year did you feel

like you made the right call or do you look back on a sneaky fox and think you messed up you know i could have know, I could have played for the U.S. Open Cup to participate or win it, so which one is it? And hang on, this is also

funny in retrospect, I'm sure, very frustrating for you in the moment, talking about trials and no offers. You've got just in MLS play, three goals, nine assists in a thousand a thousand minutes it's like it's not like you're just there right like you're making a huge difference like ah it's it's so good though but honestly like being here in la at this club from the outside you guys who say the same it doesn't matter what club you support but you see why lafc is different you know the fan base the the culture the the early championship and and just the i don't know just the way this club carries itself is just different from most of the expansion teams and

as a player from the outside i saw that i follow them on instagram and and admire admire the family photos every when you see all the kids. And those are the things you wish for when you play in this game. So I've already seen all that. So to be part of it, that's why I say I'm not a rookie, but I feel like a rookie. It's like a dream. You know, I'm like, wow, you know, I've admired this and I'm actually here now. I get to be part of this.

So to be here, participate in the games that I've been, to score the goals. It's not many goals, which is fine, but they're important ones. To play with Hugo Lloris and the Boangas and Girouds and Bogus, I can name the whole squad. It's been good. You mentioned your role, though. You locked in the starting role and helped win a ton of big games and then Giroud comes and it's Olivia Giroud big signing what's the conversation for you

at this stage of your career when you sign a contract to be like what's my role how do I fit in and how do I play my way into or out of minutes I wish there was one but it wasn't I know I wish there was hey you know what we't. I know. I wish there was. Hey, you know what? We're going to sign you, but we're signing Drew. But it wasn't. I think it was only between me and my agent coming in. Because at the time, while I'm coming from Sierra Leone,

at the same time, there was rumors that Drew was coming. And I was like, Rumors. Tommy scoops over here. That's me and Kai. So I come in. I say, I do the do the trial and i'm not gonna ask no questions i want to be part of a team i'm a free agent i have no pools right now so i just want to be here and obviously i'm there but when i'm looking at it and i look back at the championship here i was like this team was stacked yeah that's how that happens. I say, well, if that's the case, I'm super excited about this.

Obviously, we had a thin roster in the beginning of the year. And as we kept going and it kept growing, and you can see exactly where we're at and how we're going. But now Olivia comes in. I'm like, hey, man. Well, one, the first thing, I'm a fanboy. I was like, hey, look at this picture in george city arsenal blah blah blah you know i like in him he's like yeah who are you like whatever yeah well guess what i've scored more than 100 goals in mls so you better catch up

um but we have this we have this relationship that's seriously really fun. I love the man, big man. I'm 40. He's close to that, but he's so fit, dude. Like his muscles are, yeah, I'm talking about Olivier Giroud's muscles. He's so much like defined than I am, but takes care of his body. And to see that the success that he's had in the world, I mean, it shows. Yeah.

So, go, go, guys. I'm watching the starting five right now, and LeBron opens up the first episode by talking about his trainer that he's been with forever, to be able to do it at 40. They're obsessed about him and being 40 and playing. You have mentioned it a couple times because you said a Jerusalem shape. On this show, we talked about how dominant you were in transition this year, like covering ground, dropping deep, laying it off, and then flying.

You want to know who my trainer is. Yes. And what are you doing? I don't know. I love soccer. I love soccer. I got blessed to escape a civil war, to be in America, the land of opportunities, and be able to play soccer in high school, in college, PDL. We had the best PDL team, me, Sasha. That's where we started, obviously, and to play professionally.

But I don't know what break is. I think that's what it is. I haven't really had like an off-season trainer, but I don't know what break is. I was so happy I decided to go back to Sierra Leone in 2006 because ever since my off seasons, I go back to Sierra Leone and I'm continuously training. I don't have a break. I'm out there. I'm a cross country runner. I love to run. So that's my fitness in my off seasons. Even during season, sometimes I go out running. But I love my body. You know, just I love my body, you know. I love my body. I love how I feel.

I think I eat well. But I just don't give myself too much of a break. But I've also been blessed to be able to, like, go away from injuries for as long as I've played. So that's the only thing. But I'm constantly going. So when I go to Sierra Leone in the off-se November, December, that's the, that's the raining. I mean, that's the dry season over there. So it's really hot.

So I'm always like doing the crazy fitness, you know, running over there all the time and staying fit. So I think that's, what's really got me going. And I love coming into seasons and pre-seasons and competing with the people next to me and feeling like I'm fitter than them. And that's just been the cheat sheet. Well, we can say it from the outside because you're too nice.

And I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't put anything bad in my body because that's the only way I believe my body can keep going. Tom, we have no shot. We have no chance. Everything Kai just said, we do the opposite. He started with I don't know or you know i'm blessed i just love running run every day and i eat perfectly um so so i'm like a more

serious so kai like people who follow you on social media or people who have you know i've gotten lucky to interview several times and like the first time you were in sierra leone because it was the off season when i remember when i was talking to you um so the people who follow you on social media might know that that you kind of go over your and your connection to to your home country right like you're what does that mean to you so for people who don't know like how can you describe like what being able to go back every single year is like how does that reset your mind your body your freshness and everything that word you just said that that's what it is reset you know um the reset that it gives you it's it's the best thing ever because we go on on and on here every day every day i have

this beautiful feel and grass that i just showed you guys but when you're able to go back like i go back to a third world country that people don't have anything it just didn't just reset like my body but just my mind because i'm seeing everybody else oh most people that i grew up with and not having anything but they're still going so when i come back to this part i'm like i can't i can't be down you know because there's so many people that want to be where you're at so for me to be able to go back and even when i do go back, the little works that I do with charities and all these things, I feel like it's what really helps me grow as a person. Look, so again, you talk about when you get to be there and everything that that means to you mentally as well as obviously

physically and emotionally. I'm just going to ask you directly, do you want to continue playing in 2025 or is that something that you're going to reflect on after the season when you go to Sierra Leone? What's your plans? What's your mind up? I mean, what have you seen on TV? You see me like someone that's slowing down?

No, no, I don't. That's what it is. I'm not slowing down. I'm not slowing down. I'm enjoying it. It's amazing. It's amazing to really feel like like that every day i train to me it's a training i'm here every day training every day not needing a day off or to

reset the body or to do this and i feel like again the things that i've done along the way to come to this time my yoga my fitness and all these things has really helped my body at this moment so yes definitely I look to continue this journey in the league and being an MLSer and being longer than Dex McCarty hold it down let's go the other thing you could do though is you could also catch Wando but you've talked about this specifically you obviously are well connected to Wando, but you've talked about this specifically. You obviously are well-connected to Wando throughout your life. You talked about him when you talked about Open Cup. You've talked about him when you have broken records

with your goals. Why is it that you feel so strongly about your two journeys? Yes, me and Wando. It's beautiful, really. This is the American dream, guys is this is the American dream guys this is the American dream this is two two uh soccer players that you know we didn't grow with the whole perspective of like the big soccer clubs when you grow up with and playing or playing for the

biggest you know colleges in america and and everything or coming into the league with the highest salaries and being with the top prospects you know chris wandolowski went to chico state university here in california and i went to cal state dominguez hills this is two division two schools and so when we had that connection right away, I knew about Wando coming into the league, that he was another player that did it. I wanted to come out of a Division II school to just show some of the other guys that you can.

And man, it's crazy. I pushed so hard for that to happen. But then when you come out from a Division II school and then there's another guy, and then finally I went to Houston and getting to play with Wanda Lowski. And I was actually playing more games on the first team that Wanda was playing. Wanda was playing the reserve league and he's scoring goals in the reserve league every week, winning golden boot.

And we had connection and saying, Hey man, let's keep representing for d2 you know let's keep making a mark for d2 and obviously he moved on but every game every time whether it's on the phone we're talking or texting it's always saying i'm proud of you bro i'm proud of you bro and so when he is number one it was as a celebration for me you can call my wife my wife knows that and then i just wanted to be next to him. I said, I want to be right next to you. So just imagine that when I say it's an American dream for two of those guys to be one and two. That's fine.

That's enough. It's incredible. Do you think that record is ever going to be broken? I mean, not ever, but like one time. Oh, yeah. Records are meant to be broken. So you're joining now. one time. Oh, yeah. Records are meant to be broken. They're enjoying it now. One more on that, dude.

So, like, were you recruited to Cal State Dominguez Hills? Or, like, did you show up on campus and this coach was like, oh, my God, I'm the greatest coach ever. Like, I'm the best recruiter ever. Trial, trial, trial. No, I've been knocking on doors, man. This journey has been the movie. I've been knocking on doors, man. This journey has been the movie. I've been knocking on doors.

I played at high school down the street, Lunsinger High School, who obviously could be famous because Russell Westbrook went to school with us. I was older than Russell. The one before Russell was Dura Wright, who played at Miami and won champion. So I was at Lunsinger. Again, now my mom works so much. You know, my mom didn't watch my games and I don't have like, you know, and my dad was in here. So now I have to do it on my own.

So I start writing letters to different schools, to Northridge, LMU. I remember West Point. I remember sending letters all the way to the Yukons, the East Coast, and like, please, this is my schedule. Man, I'm getting goosebumps, oh my God. Wow. I'm like, please, this is my schedule, can you come watch me play? Woo! Wow.

Wow. Wow. And I didn't get replies, man. And my club coach that I played for, he introduced me to Joe Flanagan, who's the coach at Dominguez. And Joe lived in Palos Verdes. And they were like, yeah, come see Dominguez. Come see over here. So I went to Dominguez just to visit.

And then I saw, obviously, and he's like, oh, the Galaxy are building. My voice is cracking. What the fuck? He's like, the Galaxy are building their stadium here. Look here look at this like you can come here and right away i just told him yeah i'm coming and i didn't even it wasn't even in my mind to think it's division two and i just said yeah i'm coming and uh i committed to the school i didn't have sat scores so i had to red shirt one year and the Galaxy building their stadium and I apply at the Galaxy Stadium to work. I work for them. And also when I'm working, I'm seeing Ziggy Schmidt and I'm like, hey, you know, I go to school here.

I used to play against your son. He knew who I was like, oh, yeah, you play against my kids in high school. And I just kept knocking on all these guys' doors. And that's just how it happened, man. Sorry. No, man. It inspires us, I think, to hear your story and to hear your excitement around it. What do you say to young players? Like you are obviously the veteran in the group, whether it's pros or academy kids or kids that are passionate about the game. Like what do you say to young players about what they want to do?

Yeah, no, it's cliché. People say believe in yourself, believe in yourself, but believe in yourself. But, you know, dreams are only dreams until you wake up and go get it, you know. We can think about it so much, but you got to work for it. You got to be hungrier than what the norm is you know it's okay to feel uh like you're working too hard it's okay because i i think personally myself too i wish i knew it was okay to feel that way because i didn't want people around me to feel bad that why why is he always just going to run why is is he always just working out? Like, I'm like, no, I just want to hang out with the, with the,

with the guys because I didn't want them to feel bad, but it's okay to feel that way. If you really want something like, you know, you have to really make a lot of sacrifices to, to achieve that. But hopefully for younger people, I hope, and that you have one or two people around you that really encourage, you know, what your dreams are, because it's really all about that. If people you find the right people to encourage your dreams and really, you know, shows you that it is possible, then, you know, you can do it. When you look back, is there one moment that pops in your head of whether it was a moment where you felt like you made it or it was what you were grinding for? You talked about Norwich. You've obviously played for Sierra Leone.

All these things, do you have one big moment? I think after you mentioned Sierra Leone, because before I was shaking my head saying no, no, no. But when you mentioned Sierra Leone, I represent Sierra Leone for 15 years. And I scored the penalty to the Afcon. And I didn't know what that meant when I came back into the country, and the whole country was in this jubilee celebration. And I said, yes, I've suffered.

The word suffer is really suffer when you're playing in Africa. For 15 years for this national team, and I can't believe it had to be me to kick that ball in the back of the net to send my country to the African Cup of Nations that was a moment that I felt like everything was worth the sacrifice in this league in MLS or in England that's what I've been doing I don't think it's it hasn't settled I'm still just like I said this year I feel like a rookie I'm so excited to be in LA I don't think it's settled in yet because I'm still enjoying. When you're asking, do I want to play next year?

Yes, because I feel so great and I'm enjoying every day. So I haven't felt that one yet. Dude, so you bring that up and getting your career with Sierra Leone and we touched on it, everything it means to you, but like you escaped a civil war, right?

And to be able to come back to the country, like was any of that going through your mind when you're putting that ball down for the penalties? Any of that come to you? The weight of my whole life, everything that has led me from this country to America and now back here right now, did that come to your mind?

Or was it just like, ball down, I'm putting this in a corner, bro? It was crazy. It was crazy because there's COVID. This is one time we're playing the game. It's not in Sierra Leone. We had to move the game to Guinea. I'm getting the ball.

There was a little fight before the penalty, but I remember putting the ball down and just seeing behind the goal, there was no one. You know, it's an empty stadium. And it was literally, when you say you don't hear anything, it was like that. I didn't hear anything. I didn't see anyone.

There's nothing there. It was just like me and this keeper. It was like that. I didn't hear anything. I didn't see anyone. There's nothing there. It was just like me and this keeper. And I got lucky. They kicked it in. And when I started celebration, again, our country has suffered. They've gone through civil war and all this. When we went back home and a drive that would take 45 minutes that took us, you know, six to seven hours because everybody was outside. I would just I wasn't happy to myself.

I was happy to see people happy, and that was beautiful. I'll send you guys a video. I'll send you one or two. Yes, please. I would love to see that. The hope is LAFC finishes the year with a trophy. I don't think it'll be the same type of celebration. We've been around some of the best teams in the – Are you celebrating out here?

What do you mean it won't be the same? We got the whole Los Angeles that's going to have a parade. We are not an L.A. Galaxy podcast, so we don't have anything to say about that if we don't care. And we would love to be there for that party. Did he just say he doesn't care? What's going on here? I'm just saying I would be stoked about it.

But let me ask you this. Does this team have what it takes and what is it? What is the secret sauce? What's the secret formula for teams that get through this grind in MLS? Have a plan. Have a plan. Stick to the plan. You know, I've been around the league for many, many, many clubs.

But have a plan. Stick to it. And that's really what we do have here. Yes, a lot of people around the league might say, oh clubs um but have a plan stick to it and that's really what we what we do have here yes we a lot of people around the league might say oh you do have the roster you have the names and all these things but again i'm not going to name the clubs but there are clubs that have names and they haven't performed uh but there is a plan and for us now is to stick to the plan here we go with you know this big game that we have to, we, we have to, you know, get past Vancouver. It's not, it's not easy. So, but we have a plan and we have to stick to it,

but it's going to ask for extra from everyone. And hopefully I don't want to look too far because yes, I've gotten all the way to the MLS cup and not win it. So it's have a plan, stick to it, take care of this game in front of us and uh for sure we do have what it takes one of the things we've been talking about a lot on this show and part of it was spurred by one of your teammates aaron long his comments after the first game and we've heard it from a lot of different people questions about the new format in mls this being a three game series then you go into the single game uh you've been around the league. You've seen different formats. What do you make of the way it's set up now and what your ideal would be? It's fun.

It's fun. It's more games for the fans, you know. It's more games to watch. We love soccer. Like, yes, we're all, obviously, yes, let's get paid more to play more games. That's all everybody wants. But it's, again you what do you want we won one knockout but our system here in the u.s is different and we just have to stick to

our culture um it's the same as i'm not gonna go too far but it's the open cup when they're saying oh we don't want them to let's cut i'm an ex-club participate cup but it's our system it's what we've we've known and that's our. We have to stick to our culture. So if this is our format and what we're saying it's going to be, then it's fun. It's more soccer on TV for people to watch, so let people watch it, let people enjoy it. And, yes, you have to perform.

You want to be the best teams? Now you have to perform because it can be one game, and you can be unlucky that one game, one ball off the post, one handball, one decision, and then it changes. But here you have the amount of games to actually be in the position to take the lead. Sounds like Kai Kamara wants best of seven series now. I think that's what we're taking away from it.

That might not be bad. All right. Look, man, we've hit some deep stuff. We've hit some awesome stuff. I want to laugh before we let you go. What is your favorite way the league has changed over the last 15, 20 years? Is it better food, better hotels? Is it not playing in July at 2 p.m. in Texas?

Is it better service from better teammates so it's easier to score goals? What is, like, your favorite, like, looking back, like, dude, I can't believe that. Can I not choose one? Can I say all the above? Because all the above, the one thing I was saying with someone, I go, but I miss when we fly and we stay there a little bit longer because I get to see friends and family that I haven't seen for a while. So we're spoiled now to have the chartered flight since the COVID

and then we fly out. But I miss having my connections with friends and family that we had before uh but the league the league what i'll say the stadiums the stadiums and the fan bases have grown you know you get more sellout games in different cities and brand new stadiums training facilities like this i'm'm jealous, man. That's why I can't leave yet. I've got to play a little bit longer. You know, coming in, like, that's one thing that I really, really love. But, yeah, the charter flights, it really spoils us.

We'll send you back through the academy. You could do the whole career again nowadays. You know, yeah, they say you can have older players playing for the MLS next, so I might just have to go break a record down there, too. Let's do it. Yes! That's perfect. Alright, Kyle, you've been awesome with your time.

You're always a delight. We appreciate you. You're a legend. Don't take my job whenever you end up hanging up the cleats. I need you to play forever. Keep the job, i take the jacket all right thank you so much to kai kamara thank you to all of you for listening this week did not get a chance to get to the mailbag so i'm stacking all these questions for a massive episode next week where i'm going to dig into all of the topics. You guys brought up some great topics in the Discord that I want more time to dig into so that I can get really good answers on how US

soccer and MLS and USL and the Canadian Federation would work in a schedule move situation. Some good roster questions as well. Some good questions about Coach O's opening, all of that. So I'm going to stack all of that together and bring you a big mailbag next week. Thank you all for listening. I'll be back on Monday with the weekend recap, eight elimination games, win or go home games this weekend across NWSL and MLS. That is exactly what we want. So I'll have that for you on Monday. Then we're going to have all your coverage, of course, all week as there is a US MNT game and window coming up. So a break in the MLS playoffs. We will bring you some, I think, some fun episodes

as well, some more interviews and talk about the US as well as what's going on in MLS. And of course, we'll have our NWSL coverage for you as well with Jordan Angeli as we head into, at that point, will be the semifinals for the NWSL champions. Thank you once again to all of you for listening. And we'll talk to you again very, very soon. We'll see you next time.