Olivier Renard has had a few good shots, but hiring Kei Kamara for under $100,000 this winter is one of his best.

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The 37-year-old striker has contributed in many ways to the team's successes since the start of the season.

He has three goals and three assists in 13 games, including only five starts. This means that he embraces his role as a reservist and that he gives everything, no matter what, when Wilfried Nancy calls on him.

"I'm always ready, whether I start or come off the bench. I want to contribute. »

Good time

Kamara has never hidden it, he has long dreamed of playing for the Impact/CF Montreal. When his good friend Dominic Oduro played with the Bleu-blanc-noir, we saw him on social networks proudly wearing his friend's blue jersey.

He will have had to wait until the end of his career to show up in Quebec, but he thinks it's perfect like that.

"There are many times I could have been here, but I think I came at the right time and I'm having a blast. »

And the desire was mutual, many Montreal fans wanted him to come. He is spectacular, endearing and charismatic.

Experience

Apart from parentheses in England (Norwich City, Middlesborough) in 2013-2014 and in Finland (Helsinki) in 2020, Kamara has played his entire 17-season career in MLS and that can serve a young team.

"I can contribute, and when summer comes around, I've spent enough time in this league to tell guys how to handle five-game streaks for example. »

He brings that experience to bear in all aspects of the game. Forget the one-dimensional striker who only thinks about scoring. His defensive involvement is notable.

“Talk to EA Sports about my defensive game. My rating is very low in FIFA game. But I like defending.

"As a striker I want to score goals, but at the same time when we're defending I love being in the box and clearing the ball because I know how the opposing players like to see the ball in the back of our goal and I don't want that to happen. It's an aspect of the game that I love. »

Generous mentor

Kamara likes the idea of ​​being a mentor and he demonstrates it to his young teammates.

In the Canadian Championship game against Hamilton, he passed to Sunusi Ibrahim who scored his second goal when he could have put the ball in the net himself.

“I should have scored. I'll tell him to give me back my purpose. »

He did what a big brother does best, which is to put his younger brother in good spirits.

“I must be Sunusi's big brother. I am very proud that my level and what I have achieved during my career serve as an example.

"I don't tell people to be like me, but I want to be an example and be able to teach and help others improve as I have been able to learn from players like Dwayne De Rosario, for example, when I was the age of these young players. »