KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There's been a familiar face around Kansas City this past week. Former KC defender Nick Garcia is back training with the club, and the 32-year-old summed up his last six, soccer-free months in three words:
“Good. Busy. Unemployed.”
Since parting ways with Toronto FC in January, the veteran has returned to the city where he experienced the most success in hopes of a making a return to MLS. During Wednesday’s workout, Garcia looked fit, capable and ready in the midday heat despite his absence from the game.
“It feels the same,” Garcia said. “Since my contract wasn’t renewed in January I’ve been back here in KC working out and hitting the gym four or five days a week and doing my part to stay fit.”
It’s a good thing, too, since former Kansas City teammate Peter Vermes — now the team's head coach — was just a phone call away.
“Peter randomly called me in the past week and said, 'Are you ready to go?'" Garcia said. "So here I am. We’ll see what happens.”
Whether the workouts will result in another run with Kansas City remains to be seen, but Garcia is not taking the experience for granted.
“This call was a fortuitous one for me," Garcia said. "This is day three and it’s just been good to get back in the saddle. Now I definitely have a more appreciative outlook on what I’ve been doing for the last 11 years.”
