His debut in Valour FC colours will have to wait a bit, but the giant smile on Kianz Froese's face during his training session with his new club Wednesday afternoon told so much.
Yes, it's good to be home again.
Valour FC officially announced the signing of Froese on Wednesday, bringing back to Winnipeg one of the top players the city has ever proruced. Now 29, the attacking midfielder/forward has signed a contract through the 2025 Canadian Premier League season with a club option for 2026.
"It's nice to be back in Winnipeg and now playing for Valour, which has been established in the time I've been gone so this is a nice opportunity," he said after training on Wednesday. "Now being able to come back and be able to play and having a warm welcome from some of the guys who are with Valour still is heartwarming."
Born in Havana, Cuba, Froese immigrated to Winnipeg with his family when he was just one. He played his youth football at Portage Trails Soccer Club, was a member of the provincial team and took part in the National Training Camp program. At age 16 he joined the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy and made his Major League Soccer debut in 2014 while also making his national men's team debut in 2015, earning two caps.
He has spent the last the last eight years in Germany, playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf II, 1. FC Saarbrücken, TSV Havelse and SV Wehen Wiesbaden, scoring 32 goals over that span.
Valour FC GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos credited the club's Director of Football Operations Josh Carabatsakis for getting the deal with Froese done and now the club will work to get his fitness levels up before he can play -- a process that could take up to two weeks.
"Kianz brings quality. Clarity in the final third. Explosiveness. Pace. We're not talking about straight-line fast here, we're talking about football fast," said Dos Santos. "He brings expierence. So many things. Goals, assists.
"But we're going to take our time with him and make sure we have a healthy, fit player and that he's ready when he first steps on the field. It's going to be a few weeks before you guys see him on the field."
Froese's arrival fills an obvious need for Valour, which sits seventh of eight in the CPL standings and has scored nine goals in eight matches despite some quality chances and good possession numbers.
"Everyone sees that. The common observer could see that," Dos Santos said. "We were looking at our last five league games where we out-shoot the opposition... then you start looking at the other percentages. How many of those shots are in the last 15 metres vs. further out? How many of those shots that are taken from outside of the box is there actually an opportunity to maybe get in and put a teammate into closer spaces?
"He's a player that is going to give us that. He's a player that's going to read his moments and increase the quality that we could have in those positions. Sometimes it's little things. It's not lack of quality, it's decision making in the moment and guys being a little bit more patient and utilizing their teammates. That's where the team needs to grow now."
Walking through the facilities at Princess Auto Stadium this week, Froese recalled being first given a tour of the place by former Valour boss Rob Gale. The warm welcome and being surrounded by friends and family provide an excellent foundation. Just as important for Froese is to get back on the pitch and help Valour get its season turned around.
All of that is part of the allure of coming home.
"Friends, family and of course being back in familiar settings in Winnipeg where I'm quite used to the surroundings," he said of what pulled him back. "I thought this would be the best place for me at this current stage. I still remember (Winnipeg). It feel like just yesterday I was running around here.
"I hope to help, help the team get results and help some of the guys with my experience abroad or whatever they might need. I want to help the organization move forward, help the team, help the guys."
