All's well that ends well for the Seattle Sounders when it comes to the celebrated Homegrown player signing of Jordan Morris.
The promising 21-year-old forward, who already has collected seven USMNT caps before ever turning pro, joined his hometown club after passing on a contract offer from German Bundesliga club Werder Bremen following a 10-day trial which was accompanied by high recommendations from former Werder player and USMNT assistant coach Andreas Herzog.
But in his introductory press conference on Thursday Morris dismissed any notion that his decision to join the Sounders has created any friction with Herzog or USMNT boss Jurgen Klinsmann.
“Jurgen has been great,” Morris said. “He’s obviously given me some amazing opportunities that I never dreamed about happening, especially at this age. We have very open and honest talks as well, and it’s easy to talk with him. He’s been a great mentor for me as well, and I need to thank him for everything he’s done for me. I definitely wouldn’t be in the position I’m in today without him.”
Klinsmann has since come out in support of Morris starting his professional career in MLS: “I’m thrilled that Jordan decided to go pro,” Klinsmann told ESPNFC.com. “This is the really important decision. And I’m thrilled with the Sounders, that he goes into an environment that he knows, that he feels comfortable with, and that he feels now that, ‘At this specific point in time, this is the best move for me.’”
But since being hired in 2011 as the USMNT boss, Klinsmann has also at times suggested that certain players might develop better at a European club instead of MLS. And back in 2014, Seattle Sounders co-owner Adrian Hanauer even told ESPNFC.com that Klinsmann had encouraged Sounders academy players “to explore options overseas."
"My personal opinion is that Jurgen doesn't know any better than any of us what is best for the development of a player," Hanauer said at Thursday’s press conference. "He may know, in terms of rational data, what a better league is, but that doesn’t guarantee development."
But Hanauer also tamped down any perceived antagonism between the federation and the league in recent months.
“I’m not sure there’s a lot of animosity," he said. "Could there be better communication between US Soccer and Major League Soccer? Probably.”
Ultimately, the Sounders got their man and for the four-time US Open Cup champions and 2014 Supporters’ Shield winners, the move for Morris also helped reinforce their aspiration to be "one of the greatest soccer clubs in the world."
“Too many people in this country don’t believe in our league,” said Sounders GM and president of soccer, Garth Lagerwey. “We don’t believe in ourselves. And until we respect ourselves and until we respect our league, we’re not going to achieve what is possible for us for the league. Americans aren’t really good at being second best at anything. I don’t accept, and we shouldn’t accept, that we’re going to be second best at this forever.
“Maybe there are some advantages in Europe right now. But again, if we sign players as talented as Jordan, and Jordan shows us the hard work and mentality he’s shown at every other level and he earns it, we’re going to get better and better and better.”
