Jordan Morris worked out as a Seattle Sounder for the first time on Monday in Arizona, and the celebrated Homegrown Player and Mercer Island native said he’s fit and ready to play if he gets the call this week.
Morris joined the club in Tucson on Saturday, less than 24 hours after logging the longest shift of his burgeoning international career with the U.S. national team. Morris started and logged 87 minutes in the team’s 1-0 win over Canada on Friday night, and said he could contribute for his new club team as early as Tuesday, when the Sounders play Mexican side Celaya FC in their third game of the preseason.
“I haven’t talked to [head coach Sigi Schmid] too much,” Morris said, “but if they need me to go, I’m ready to go.”
A live stream of the Sounders' game against Celaya will be available on SoundersFC.com (6 p.m. PT).
Morris signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Sounders last month with pomp and circumstance befitting the nation’s top college player, but few have actually seen him play with the Sounders’ first team. A day after signing his deal he was with the USMNT in California, where he added the eighth and ninth international caps of his career.
Morris has trained with the club in the past as a member of the Sounders FC Academy, but he admitted that with his roster spot affirmed – regardless of where he lines up in Schmid’s proposed new 4-3-3 formation – he’s feeling more comfortable with the group.
“It’s been a long time coming for this decision,” Morris said. “And to be in a comfortable environment and know that this is my team and this is where I’m going to be is awesome.”
Morris enjoyed an off day on Sunday and watched the Super Bowl with a number of teammates before reporting to camp on Monday. Schmid said he used the training session on Monday to help Morris get acclimated to his new team and recover from the Friday night game against Canada.
He said Morris will be available for Tuesday night’s game against Celaya, but admitted that “I’m not sure how much we’re going to play him.”
Schmid also once again downplayed the idea that the 21-year-old Morris will play something of an instant savior for the Sounders, despite his celebrated signing and growing status with the USMNT.
“There’s no saviors out there,” Schmid said. “It’s a sport that requires 11 players…he’s part of a team concept, he’s a good team player, he works hard for the group and he’s shown ability to do special things.”
Morris said he still hasn’t had any conversations with Schmid about where he’ll fit in the team’s formation – Schmid used Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Nelson Valdez up top in the Sounders’ preseason opener last week – but he has already learned a thing or two about where to sit in the team van.
Shortly after Morris’ arrival on Sunday, Sounders captain Brad Evans tweeted out a photo of his new teammate sitting comfortably in the front seat of the team van, an apparent no-no for young players in their first preseason.
But Morris said Monday the rookie pranks have been kept to a minimum this far, outside of Evans intentionally telling the young Morris to sit in the wrong spot for the benefit of some fun on social media.
“He told me to sit in the front seat,” Morris said with a laugh. “And then he snaps that picture. I think he was trying to set me up.”
