MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER MEDIA CONFERENCE

December 10, 2020

Jordan Morris

Press Conference

JORDAN MORRIS: It's exciting to be here. We worked hard all season, and obviously we're going to try to bring another championship home, so it should be a really good game.

Q. Wonder if you had a favorite story about Raúl that showed how special and he effective he is as a player and how you guys interact on and off the field.

JORDAN MORRIS: Man, let me think. No, not like -- no storey in particular. He's just a super happy, bubbly guy, always playing music in the locker room, always dancing. Just loves to play soccer. I mean, he is -- you guys see in the games obviously, but in training we get to see up close, he's probably the best finisher I've ever played with. It's pretty amazing how lethal he is.

You see his record in the playoffs is super special and his ability to just get one chance and finish it is pretty special. We were watching -- Brad Smith and I were watching the shooting drill the other day and we were both just like, he's not -- he doesn't miss. He's a pretty special finisher.

Q. First, can you expand a little bit on the shooting drill, and then second, is outside of soccer, what helped you I guess develop a relationship with Raúl?

JORDAN MORRIS: Yeah, I mean, we just do some shooting drills after -- after training and you know, he's just taking shots from the top of the box. He doesn't miss a lot, so it's just -- like I said, he's just a special, special finer. I think you see that in games, as well. I mean, he's just a great guy. I think all -- we're lucky here in Seattle. We have a great locker room. There's no egos. It's all about the team and you know, and especially when your big players are like that, as well, it helps the general group. It's just a special one. That's a big reason why we're here, as well, is just the camaraderie that this team has, and that includes Raúl.

Q. Just wondering if you can talk a little bit about the influence that Sigi had on you and your experience with him and the role that he played in bringing you to the Sounders.

JORDAN MORRIS: Yeah, of course. I mean, I can't really say enough about -- about Sigi and his impact in my career and my life. He always believed in me. He saw me when we were in the academy. Obviously he had a relationship with my dad who is the team Doctor, so they were friends. They would go to dinner sometimes, and when I was growing up. Sigi always believed in me, recognized me when I was in the academy. Wanted to sign me before heading off to college, and I ultimately made that decision to go to college. He helped me get in with the U-20 national team when I was with the academy.

It was kind of towards the end the U20 World Cup cycle and he talked to Ted Ramos and helped me get into a camp there, sew helped start that national team process because that was my first ever camp, my first-ever national team camp and with the Sounders, he just always believed in me like I said, when I was in the academy, and then when I first signed, I was obviously the coach and believed in me and wanted me to be there. Thought I had a big role to play, and he was a big reason, of course, a lot of reasons, about why I was really excited to come play in Seattle. I remember my first year, this is a story I always tell about Sigi.

But my first year with the team, the first six games or whatever, obviously coming in with a lot of pressure in the first six games, I had not scored and he could tell it was weighing on me. He pulled me off to the side in training one day and said, "Looks like you're not having any fun out there." He's like, "This is our job, this is our career, you've got to take it seriously, of course, and work hard every day, but you've got to enjoy it, too, because soccer is something you love to do."

He helped me find that right balance between having fun and being a good pro because -- and I think that mentality has helped shape my career. I owe so much to Sigi and I know we all miss him.

Q. With the crazy year that this has been, just can you talk about what it's like to make it to the finals again with COVID and all of the craziness that is 2020?

JORDAN MORRIS: Yeah, thank you. It's been a crazy year. We were talking as a team and Nico as the captain was like, look, let's cap off this crazy year with one more good performance. With so much stress and so much anxiety this year that everyone has felt, it's just been a tough year for everyone. And so I think for us to be here is super special to give us kind of a bright moment in a year that's been so hard, and we all hope to try to cap it off in the right way on Saturday. But we know how tough of an opponent -- of an opponent we have.

Q. Does anything about this finals trip feel at all similar to any of the other three, or is it because this year has been so crazy, it's sort of in a way totally foreign? And the other night to come back, how long did it take you to sort of come off the buzz of that finish and pulling out that victory?

JORDAN MORRIS: Yeah, to answer the first question, I think it feels -- I mean, it feels a little bit different. Obviously the last win we had at home, the last finals, so there wasn't as much kind of going on. I think the first couple games in Toronto, obviously without COVID, there was a lot more people around, a lot more media around, a bigger buzz, it just seemed like, in and around the hotel. So obviously that part is a little different.

But the game is the same and the circumstances are the same and the goal for us is the exact same, too, so in that way it's the same. But definitely some differences.

Yeah, the comeback was pretty incredible I think. That's one thing about this team is we never give up. We're always fighting and even when went down 2-0, I felt like we had a good chance coming back. Credit to all the guys that came in, changed the game completely. Will, Brad, Kelvin, all the guys came in did their part, and it was a pretty special night I think a lot of us won't forget. It took awhile to come down but now the focus is we don't want that all to be for nothing. So the focus has completely shifted now.

Q. Thanks for doing this. You had an opportunity when you first turned pro to sign with a club and you decided not to. Things have turned out pretty well. Two MLS Cups, All-Star appearances, best 11 selection, maybe a third MLS Cup this weekend, but I wonder listing all those accomplishments, 24 goals and 17 assists over the last two seasons, have you started thinking about the possibility of going to Europe and testing yourself and seeing what other levels you might be able to get to by making a change like that?

JORDAN MORRIS: Yeah, I think for me, and I always say this, I know there was a lot of talk around when I first signed that I am completely happy with my decision. I think I made the right decision. I feel like I've grown so much as a player here and these accomplishments and winning MLS can you please justifies that that decision even more for me because it's been such a special experience, and this weekend will be no exception get to go play another game like this.

So I really feel like my development as a player has been really, really good here. But yeah, I think that I definitely have goals and aspirations, and if the right European team came or situation came, it would definitely be something that I would have to take a close look at because, you know, obviously things have gone great here and I feel like I could continue developing here, of course.

I think the league has grown so much, the quality of play here has improved, and like I said, my development I think has continued to get better and I'm very happy with how things have gone. But yeah, I definitely have a thought in my head for sure, and you know, the whole focus is on this game this weekend and after that, we'll see. But if the right -- if the right opportunity came it would definitely be something that I would take a close look at.

Q. The concept of you being a dynasty -- there's sometimes superstition among players about words like that, but are you guys at that level? Is that something that fuels you or your teammates?

JORDAN MORRIS: To be honest, I don't think we really talk about it too much. It's an honor to be talked about in those terms and using that word, but I think it's just a testament to how good this team has been over the last -- the last few years, winning a couple MLS can you please, potentially winning another one, it's a testament to this club, this city, to be put in that category.

To be honest, I don't think the players don't think about it too much. It's not something we've talked about a ton. Our whole focus is not what we've done in the past but what we are going to do this week because none of that matters. It's all about stepping out on the field and trying to win this game, and then after the game, you can -- you can discuss that or week discuss that as players if we want. But that's not really the focus right now, but again, it's obviously always an hand or to be part of those conversations.