"Clint Dempsey said Tuesday that there will always be room on the Sounders FC roster for a talented player like Jordan Morris, but the trick will be finding a way to get everyone on the field.
Werder Bremen revealed on Tuesday that Morris has declined an offer from the German Bundesliga club and intends to pursue his career in the United States. The Sounders offered Morris the most lucrative Homegrown Player contract in league history last year, although there’s been no confirmation from either side that he will join the club.
Dempsey praised Morris during the league’s annual media and marketing tour in Los Angeles and added that if Morris signs with the Sounders, it could pose a welcome challenge for head coach Sigi Schmid.
“There’s always room for quality players in a team,” Dempsey said. “The trick as a manager is to figure out how to bring the best out of your team.”
Dempsey told ESPNFC.com that he's had only positive experiences with Morris while the two overlapped with the U.S. national team.
"My experiences with [Morris] were always good," Dempsey said Tuesday. "He did really well with Stanford, winning the championship there. With the national team, any time he's come into camp, or the games he's been involved in, he's someone who has made a difference. He has a bright future and anytime you can bring quality into your team, you're always excited about that, so we'll wait and see."
Sounders GM and President Garth Lagerwey said during the MLS SuperDraft last week that he could envision the Sounders switching from their traditional 4-4-2 formation to a 4-3-3 formation to put Dempsey, Morris and reigning team MVP Obafemi Martins on the field at the same time.
“I think Jordan’s going to play a ton,” Lagerwey said. “I think there’s going to be an opportunity for him literally from the first week coming out of national team camp.”
Dempsey also commented Tuesday about his future with the U.S. national team, which opened its January camp last week at StubHub Center in nearby Carson. Dempsey was not included on the roster and was left out of the team’s World Cup Qualifiers in November as head coach Jurgen Klinsmann opted to vet younger players, including Morris.
Dempsey said that Klinsmann guaged his interest about joining the January camp, but he declined to focus on his health ahead of the 2016 season.
"He sent me a text asking if it was something I wanted to do, or did I need a little more rest," Dempsey said during an interview with ESPNFC.com. "I told him I wanted to build a little bit slower going into the season especially with the injuries i had last year. I want to make sure I have a good foundation and you hit the ground running there."
Dempsey is expected to be in attendance when the Sounders open preseason training at the Starfire Sports complex in suburban Tukwila on Friday.
