Three burning questions as Sporting KC returns for preseason

Sporting KC players reported to Compass Minerals National Performance Center for the start of their 2023 preseason campaign.

The team was set to depart for a preseason slate in Arizona Monday, eager to get the sour taste of the 2022 campaign out of its mouth.

Here, manager Peter Vermes, captain Johnny Russell and Sporting’s most recent signing, Nemanja Radoja, address three critical questions entering the 2023 preseason:

How soon can Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda contribute?

Ultimately, this is the most pressing question.

Setting the Ronaldo rumors aside, Sporting’s actual roster moves made during the offseason tell you the club is counting on both to play a significant role. And take it from Vermes’ mouth, they anticipate Kinda and Pulido will.

“There’s a good chance that one or both could be available for the first game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I will put them in the team,” Vermes said.

In 2022, Sporting didn’t have anyone it truly trusted as the striker or attacking midfielder until acquiring Willy Agada and Erik Thommy. By then, it was too late to salvage the season.

With Thommy and Agada expected to play a large role again in 2023, their presence, as long as they stay healthy, will give Vermes the ability not to have to rely on Pulido or Kinda earlier than the team would like to.

“I know those guys are gonna play a lot this year, but I’m not in a big rush,” Vermes said. “I want to make sure that there’s more to it than just getting them on the field.”

Vermes compared their rehab to four quarters, with surgery being the first quarter and getting on the field as the fourth quarter.

“They’ve made a lot of great progress in that third quarter, and now we’re in that fourth quarter, trying to get them to be on the field, and this is the next step,” Vermes said.

That’s the most optimistic tone Vermes has struck about Kinda or Pulido in more than a year.

Will the long offseason have a positive effect on Sporting KC?

Sporting KC last played a game on October 9. A shortened season to account for the winterized 2022 World Cup — and poor performances during that season — means Sporting will have gone nearly 20 weeks without playing a match. That’s a long, long time.

With an extended offseason, players had enough time to separate themselves from a disappointing year.

“I think we needed that after the year that we had,” captain Johnny Russell said. “But then after a while, you just want to get back in there. (I’ve) sort of had that for a little while.”

That itch to get back and set things right is real. While the ending run to 2022 was nice, it still wasn’t enough to rid the sour taste of Sporting’s first 24 matches. When asked what he’s most looking forward to, Russell said: “Getting back to winning.”

One way to get back there? An away match to start the year at Portland, the site of their embarrassing 7-2 drubbing in the summer. It seems Russell has that match circled.

“It’s probably a good start for us being at Portland away after what happened last year,” Russell said. “We’ve got the next six weeks or so to get us in the best possible position physically, technically, to go into that game and get a result.”

“This year’s completely about turning that around and showing everyone again who we actually are.”

What’s left to do with the roster?

Ronaldo didn’t land in Kansas City, and the only public account of any attempts to sign a player not named Ronaldo was when Sporting locked down Nemanja Radoja. While most certainly viewed as a number six, Vermes did inform reporters that Radoja could play at center back.

Radoja’s preferred position is in the midfield, even as a double pivot (two midfielders positioned in a more defensive role who can cover for each other as one goes forward), which he clarified through Sporting’s director of scouting and player recruitment, Sead Karaselimovic. Vermes is not necessarily known for employing such a tactic.

Now, Sporting only has one senior roster spot available at the moment. Draft picks Stephen Afrifa and Chris Rindov, if signed, would likely fill one of the three supplemental roster spots Sporting KC has open.

Vermes said that they have one more acquisition in the pipeline but wouldn’t talk about that position.

“We probably have some other announcements that’ll come down the pike here, some other players that are close to being done,” Vermes said.

In terms of positional needs, center back has to be at the highest priority for Sporting. The team only has three on the roster, and traditionally it carries a minimum of four.

Sporting was expected to release its full preseason roster, along with its preseason match schedule, on Monday, as the team departs for Arizona. The season begins Feb. 25, with Sporting traveling to Portland to take on the Timbers.

This story was originally published January 6, 2023 at 6:15 PM with the headline "Three burning questions as Sporting KC returns for preseason."