KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Peter Vermes has had plenty of chances to move away from Kansas City since his playing days with the then-Wizards ended. He keeps staying, for one reason:
“I'm exactly where I want to be.”
It's where Vermes – now the dean of active MLS coaches at seven seasons – plans to be for at least the next three years, too, after Tuesday's announcement that his contract as Sporting Kansas City's manager and technical director had been extended through the 2019 season.
“There were moves that I had to make as a player, because they were out of my control,” Vermes told reporters after the morning news conference announcing the signing. “I believe that every one of them, I've always made the best out of them that I could. I didn't go with a bad attitude to any of those places. But I'm in a different position in my profession today, and I can make decisions based on what I truly think – and so, I know that I'm in a great place.
“I share in the vision. I love the culture and I love the people that I work with, and the city has been tremendous. We have an incredible membership here in our club. And so, if you can say all of these things, thinking about all of these other opportunities or ideas out there sometimes [is] almost wasted energy. Sometimes, you're just in a great place, and you've got to just admit to it.”
Vermes first came to Kansas City as a well-traveled player in 2000, anchoring the then-Wizards' defense as they won a Supporters' Shield-MLS Cup double that year and staying on for two more seasons before retiring in late 2002.
He made the city his base, even while serving as an assistant coach for the United States Under-20 national team, and got into youth soccer administration before joining the Wizards' staff in 2006 as technical director. He became the head coach in 2009 and has led the rebranded Wizards to an MLS Cup title in 2013 and Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championships in 2012.
Vermes isn't just getting an extension based on his past accomplishments, said Sporting President Jake Reid.
“The appreciation that he has for the big picture, I don't think you see in coaches and technical directors a lot,” Reid told MLSsoccer.com. “Sometimes those guys, and rightfully so, get so tunnel-visioned on, 'As long as we win, we're good.' And that's his main focus, make no mistake.
“But I think his ability to tie in the youth structure, and bringing those guys up – and now with (USL side Swope Park) Rangers in place, I think that's so important to the future development of our club.”
Vermes has had chances to develop other clubs over the years, but has turned them down.
“A lot of people don't know this,” he said, “But in 2004, when San Jose got moved to Houston, Dominic Kinnear called and asked me to be his assistant. Unfortunately, I couldn't come to an agreement at the time, and it was over a very minor thing. I say 'minor' on their part. Very important to me, and it was not money at all. They couldn't make that commitment to me, and I chose not to go.”
The Dynamo weren't the only club to come calling, either.
“I can't remember what year it was now – '08 or '09 – I was offered to go to LA,” he said. “It was a pretty special opportunity at the time, for a club that was considered to be the superclub of MLS. And the reason why I stayed here – and it's no disrespect to LA or anybody else in this league, because I think they're all working to be the best – but I truly believed in the ownership group.
“I truly believed in the vision that was here, and I loved the fact that I could start out with a blank canvas and help build the technical side. That was really a special opportunity.”
