Any one who watched the Montreal Impact season in 2014 witnessed their ship sink fast into the frigid waters of the MLS. Without a single road win in match play, the Impact struggled mightily from March to October with very little bright spots. Leadership on and off the pitch crumbled as management was changing players like socks all season in order to find success; which they didn’t.
Their lone bright spot was the Amway Canadian Championship, where they narrowly beat lower-division Edmonton FC before cruising over Toronto FC to win their second straight Canadian title. Representing their country in the CONCACAF Champions League in a group with Club Deportivo FAS and the New York Red Bulls, the Impact finished with three wins and a draw, including a 3-2 victory on the road in San Salvador when FAS played host. Finishing on top thanks to the Red Bulls lacklaster effort in group play as they were focused on the MLS season, Montreal will play in the Champions League quarter-finals in late-February/early-March against Mexican side Pachuca.
For the squad to get back onto their winning ways that they had in the 2013 when they qualified for the playoffs in just their second MLS season, Director of Player Personnel Frank Klopas and Technical Director Adam Braz have made quite a few changes in the short off-season. Let’s take a look at some of the Impact off-season changes for 2015 just ten days before they open training camp.
New Names, New Faces
Drafts, Drafts and Drafts: Thanks to a failed season, the Impact had the luxury of having the first overall pick in the MLS Waiver and Re-Entry Drafts. Not to mention, they also held the sixth pick in the Dispersal Draft after Chivas USA closed their doors this off-season. Nigel Reo-Coker was picked up in the Waiver Draft and will be an important piece on the field as well as off as the former Aston Villa and West Ham midfielder will bring a complementary skill to the pitch along side captain Patrice Bernier. Bakary Soumare and Donny Toia were picked up in the Re-Entry and Dispersal Drafts respectively and will bring extra talent to a weak Impact defending core that has been faltering since Alessandro Nesta’s retirement in 2013. With an average age of just under 25 years on the backline, Soumare’s experience as a former MLS All-Star in 2009 will bring extra knowledge to the young stars like Wandrille Lefevre, Karl Ouimette, Eric Miller and Toia.
Veteran goalie Eric Kronberg was also picked up by the Impact and his role as a career back-up will help grow Evan Bush and Maxime Crepeau’s talents. When needed, Kronberg can bring a solid game to protect to net.
Signings: The team signed just two players from outside the league this off-season and both will be important to the squad in 2015. Marco Donadel, a 31-year-old midfielder played in the Serie A from 2001 until he signed his contract in Montreal, for seven different teams. He captained Fiorentina as he appeared in 184 games from 2005-2011. The defensive midfielder has only five goals in his professional career but his defensive skills will allow Ignacio Piatti, Andres Romero, Bernier and Reo-Coker to play a more attack-minded game when Donadel is on the pitch. Some may have questioned the relevance of this signing as the Impact already have a deep midfield with 12 players which includes the four aforementioned players, Felipe, Justin Mapp and Dilly Duka. However, in a long season, the Impact know too well that depth in the midfield is important.
Their most recent addition is 21-year-old left back Victor Cabrera who joins Lefevre, Ouimette, Miller and Toia as the future of the Impact defence. Fabricated out of the successful Argentine club River Plate, Cabrera is on loan for 2015, with an option to buy in 2016. Don’t be surprised if Cabrera is a regular on the left side this season for Klopas.
The Departed
The most notable departure from the club is striker Marco Di Vaio, who retired at the end of the 2014 season to spend time with his family in Italy. The goal-scorer will surely be missed as his left arm wore the captain’s band many times last season when Bernier couldn’t. His skill will hopefully resonate with Jack McInerney, the lone striker on the Impact with a starter’s experience in the MLS.
Former leaders Matteo Ferrari and Troy Perkins are also gone, two players that seemed sour near the end of last season as it was evident on the field with Ferrari constantly yelling at fellow team mates. Heath Pearce will be heading to expansion club Orlando SC this season. Mamadou Dansou and Gorka Larrea are also leaving after their brief stints with the club. Management have said bye to many veteran and older players as they will look at the youngsters to lead this club to the Holy Grail that is the MLS Championship.
Rumours: The Gazzetta dello Sport and the Journal de Montreal reported that the team is on the verge of signing striker Alberto Gilardino. The former Italian international has expressed desire to play in North America as there were also rumours that he would sign with Toronto FC last season. Both cities have a large Italian community and Gilardino would fit in with both clubs. He would not be the first World Cup winner playing for the Impact as Alessandro Nesta was his team mate at the 2006 World Cup when Italy won. Fans in Quebec are hoping the violinist-in-celebration brings his soccer and fiddling skills to Saputo Stadium and not to BMO Field.
The Montreal Impact off-season changes will answer many questions for management in 2015, can they be successful?
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