Sporting KC: No need to keep Ike Opara happy
Ike Opara has reportedly asked Sporting KC to listen to any trade offers, even though his preference is to stay. But for SKC, there is no need to keep the centre-half happy.
Keeping players happy is an important role of any manager. Happy players play better. It is the same in any industry. Happy workers produce better work, and footballers are no different.
It is why some of the brightest coaches are not necessarily the best managers. There is an element of man management, individual motivation and personal relationship that they miss, even if they boast an extensive and detailed understanding of the game.
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But sometimes, there is a pandering to the players that is a little overbearing and unproductive. Sometimes, especially in the modern game, it is the players who hold all the power, and that is rarely a good thing for any organisation.
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In the midst of this struggle between happiness, control and power is Ike Opara and his club, Sporting Kansas City. The striding centre-half has been at the very heart of the recent success under Peter Vermes. A defensive team built on the stability of its central defenders, Opara has been utterly integral to Sporting KC’s fate.
He was awarded for his efforts prior to the 2018 season, handed a new contract that will see him stay at in Missouri until at least 2019, with the club having an option to extend through 2020. But now Opara wants more. According to a report in ESPN, Opara has asked Vermes if he will listen to any potential trade offers this offseason, with the 2017 MLS Defender of the Year reportedly seeking out a higher wage. Vermes later confirmed these rumours.
Vermes also stated that Opara wants to stay in Kansas City and that he has little interest in trading away any of his best assets, of which Opara is a shining star. And with two seasons under contract, assuming KC exercise the year option that is available to them, there is little need for KC to sell so imminently.
Opara is already 29. In two years time, at 31, it is fair to ask what state his body will be in. It is also fair to ask whether SKC want to invest so heavily in another centre-back. Matt Besler, Opara’s partner, is also crucial to the heart of the KC defence. Opara is no better than his partner per se and KC are in no rush to sell so quickly.
And thus we come to the happiness of the player. Should Vermes reject any trade offers for Opara and decide to keep his starring defender, he runs the risk of the level of performance deteriorating thanks to an unsettled, unhappy mind. Yet, pandering to Opara in this instance shows great weakness, especially when there is no need to. There are no contractual pressures, no time pressures, no age pressures. KC can hold onto Opara with little regard for the consequences.
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Players do need to be kept happy. Vermes, as an elite manager of people, understands this. But sometimes, that happiness is overvalued and oddly prioritised. Bowing to Opara’s would be one of those times. Opara has done nothing wrong. He simply wants to be paid more for his services. But that does not mean that Sporting KC should bow to his wishes either.