KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sporting Kansas City Manager and Technical Director Peter Vermes returned to training Tuesday, four days after confirming that he’d suffered a breakthrough COVID-19 infection.
Vermes, who missed SKC’s last two games after testing positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, said he enjoyed “getting back into my old routine” during a press conference Wednesday.
“Yesterday was great to be on the field with training for the guys ...,” Vermes said. “It’s been great to be back.”
From a health perspective, Vermes said he feels fine.
“I feel great,” Vermes said. “I’m not joking. I did all kinds of tests [Tuesday] just as a precautionary measure. ... I can’t prove it myself — because I didn’t get COVID before I was vaccinated, I got it after I was vaccinated — but I’ve read a lot about being vaccinated and getting it lessens the symptoms.
“For me, I’ll be honest with you, I had two days where I had what you might call a minor cold. Really, that was about the extent of it.”
Vermes even resumed his 6 a.m. workouts already.
“I’m just glad to be back and up and running again,” Vermes said.
He said the process of working through communication while he was away from the team was a valuable learning experience.
Every Sporting KC player and the team’s entire technical staff have been vaccinated, but that hasn’t stopped COVID-19 from remaining a challenge.
“The guys are doing everything they can to be smart out in the public environment,” Vermes said. “It’s hard. We’ve talked about this for a long time, but this is kind of the invisible enemy you’re dealing with all the time.”
SKC drew 1-1 against the San Jose Earthquakes and beat the Seattle Sounders FC in Vermes’ absence.
Sporting KC, which romped 3-1 on Sunday in a top-of-the-table showdown at Seattle, sits in second place in the MLS Western Conference.
SKC (9-3-3) has 30 points from 15 games, while the Sounders (9-2-5) have 32 points from 16 games.
Vermes’ squad hosts FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Children’s Mercy Park.
