The CF Montreal puts one knee on the ground. A few hours before the transfer window opening on Thursday, the organization admits directly to its supporters “its dissatisfaction” as to its performance this season and, at the same time, the beginning of a reconstruction.
“We did not reach the standards that we had set ourselves or those you are entitled to expect. This is why we felt the need to communicate directly with you today, ”say the three senior directors of the team sports component, Gabriel Gervais, Luca and Simone Saputo, in a letter to the supporters published exclusively in The pressWednesday.
Read the letter from the CF Montreal to the supporters
Few sports organizations show such an act of contrition before their supporters. In hockey, we can think of the New York Rangers, in 2018, or the Blackhawks of Chicago, in 2020. In Soccer, the prestigious Olympic Lyonnais had adopted this path, in May 2022.
We share your dissatisfaction with the club’s results and it is our responsibility to build a winning team of which we can all be proud.
Gabriel Gervais, Luca and Simon Saputo
The CF Montreal has repeatedly redefined the concept of a barrel this season. Unable to win in the first four games of the season, coach Laurent Courtois was first dismissed. We replaced him by one of his assistants, the former player of the impact Marco Donadel, who still holds these functions today, interim.
Despite this succession of the guard, the drift continued. In 24 games, the Bleu-Blanc-Noir has only won three times, only one at home. With a meager 15 -point harvest, Montreal is unraveling to the last rank in the general classification of the MLS.
The team only managed to score 20 goals in the league games. Only Austin FC did worse, with 17 goals. The defense is hardly better: it granted 45 goals, for the penultimate rank of the MLS, in front of the Galaxy (48 goals).
Patience required
The CF Montreal therefore has minimal chances, or even zero to qualify for the series. In addition, her journey in the Canadian championship ended prematurely, following a humiliating out of the forge FC, a PLC club.
In these troubled circumstances, Montreal reaffirms its intention to embark on a reconstruction.
“We have made the decision to undertake a reconstruction and to launch a new chapter at the CF Montreal. A chapter based on ambition and pride. A new era that puts victory at the heart of our sports management while valuing our rich history and the link with you, our 12e player, ”promises the organization, in his letter.
To “regain the confidence” of its supporters, the club promises “concrete gestures” during the next transfer windows. The use of the plural here seems important.
At his last press conference, at the end of May, Gabriel Gervais had not lured: it would take two or even three transfer windows to rebuild the alignment. This period is explained in particular by the presence of heavy contracts granted to unproductive players.
“We will need a few transfer windows to continue trying to clean up, to be able to improve the team and to get rid of these burdens,” said Gervais.
Dominic Iankov may have left the team in mid-June, but Kwadwo Open and Sunusi Ibrahim, who order imposing wages considering their performance, are still on the club. Without forgetting Matías Cóccaro or Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who left on loan.
Find it Grit
To overcome these departures, the CF Montreal will no doubt bet on youth, rather than on prestigious, and above all,, costly acquisitions. At least that’s what Gabriel Gervais had suggested, at the end of May.
“Are we going to get the biggest names in Europe?” No, “he said. “We want to build with youth, with local players, and supervise them. »»
In its letter, the CF Montreal unveils its wish to acquire “committed faces”. It is also a flagship concept communicated by Gabriel Gervais, for more than a year. In June, last year, he told media members wanting to welcome “players who want to be here”, and get rid of those who doubted the organization’s sports project.
At the opening of the transfer window on Thursday, Montreal should already add a new talent. According to informant Tom Bogget, the young central defender Efrain Morales, 21, will be leading from Atlanta United.
Certainly, the CF Montreal has so far maintained its business model in recent years, consisting in selling young talents at high prices to Europe. Nathan Saliba, trained at the club, took the road to the Belgian club Anderlecht, at the end of June. Central rear George Campbell, a real central pillar of Marco Donadel, was transferred to West Brom, in the English second division, a few days ago.
It remains to be seen if other important departures will be announced.