VANCOUVER, B.C. – After four years at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Kendall Waston’s time with the club appears to be coming to an end.
The 'Caps captain has been very vocal in the past week about his desire to leave after the season despite being under contract for 2019, and that was reiterated at the Whitecaps’ final media availability of 2018 on Tuesday.
Now, it appears, it's on team president Bob Lenarduzzi and vice president of soccer operations Greg Anderson to find the right deal.
“My agent and Greg and Bobby are going to sort it out,” Waston stated. “Like anything in life, no one is sure what is going to happen. The only thing secure is death.
“It’s more the personal side where that sensation is, because I want to win. I want to get better in different areas in my life, so it’s simple. I’ve said it before and I want to continue in the same mindset and everybody knows that.”
Lenarduzzi confirmed that he’d had four recent meetings with Waston about his future, and although the club understands that the Costa Rican international wants to move on to bigger and better things, the Whitecaps message to their captain is a clear one.
“I asked him if it’s something that the club has done that is making you want to leave, and he said absolutely not,” Lenarduzzi revealed. “He said he’s enjoyed his time here and we’ve enjoyed having him. What I’ve emphatically said to Kendall, and confirmed today with Kendall, was that in spite of the fact that he wants to leave, he won’t be leaving for anything less than what the market is.”
Lenarduzzi believes that there will be a strong market for Waston due to his appearance at this year’s World Cup and his recent international form.
“It’s not going to be a fire sale,” Lenarduzzi added. “Just because he wants to leave doesn’t mean that we’ll do anything other than we would do with any other player who perhaps hadn’t made their statement public. There’ll be a process that takes place, but I heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, there are no issues with the club.”
Waston was vocal about his unhappiness with the firing of former head coach Carl Robinson, although on Tuesday there were other issues that had bothered him. He declined to get into details, however.
“I wasn’t happy, but as I said before, coaches go and players go,” Waston said of Robinson’s departure. “This is a business. It didn’t make me happy but what I don’t like is two-faced people. I was really angry at some things, certain things, so if I don’t trust, I better walk away. If you are in the house and you don’t feel safe in your house, what are you going to do? I’m not going to give any names, but that is it.”
As far as Lenarduzzi was concerned, Waston's frustration was not directed at him.
“I asked Kendall about the two-faced comment and I said are you referring to me, to Greg Anderson, to our club, and he said ‘no, absolutely not’,” Lenarduzzi added. “So if anyone is suggesting that’s he’s referring to the club, then he is not.”
It's a lot for all parties to sort out, but one thing seems certain: Waston is unlikely to be back with the Whitecaps for 2019.
“I’m not a liar,” Waston said. “I’m honest, transparent. So if I say today I want to leave, I’m not going to change my mind. Since I came here, I gave my one hundred percent. I’m an honest guy.”
