“Now, with 10 months of hindsight, yes, we can talk about an error. »
Head coach Hernán Losada was fired by CF Montreal on Thursday, less than a year after he was hired.
Olivier Renard agrees: Losada’s arrival in Montreal did not yield the expected results.
At the Nutrilait Center on Thursday, the CFM sports director listed a few elements which, according to him, explain why the organization had to make a change. He spoke in particular of a disconnect with the club in terms of “style of play”, “non-qualification for the playoffs”, “disappointed players” and the “lack of desire” of the team during the last crucial match against the Crew.
“What we demonstrated in Columbus, for me, was revealing of the situation,” explained Renard during his press briefing.
But he also qualifies his remarks.
“‘Error’ for me is a difficult word to hear, added the DS after having formulated it. I’m not going to put all the blame on Hernán. But it’s certain that if [we had done] what was planned, we wouldn’t be here talking about it now. »
As athletic director, the decision to hire Losada in the first place was his. Does his dismissal on Thursday mark an acknowledgment of failure on his part?
“The moment you have to thank someone,” he says, “it’s a disappointment.”
“It’s up to me to question myself. What did we do well, what did we do wrong? You have to analyze the season carefully. Not everything had to be thrown away, and that’s what I told Hernán. He’s done good things here. »
On Thursday, Olivier Renard used essentially the same words and formulations that he had used in the balance sheet last month. He said at that time that he wanted to discuss with the players and the coaching staff before making a formal decision.
What came out of these discussions?
“It’s certain that I, as sports director, take the temperature of the locker room. I want to emphasize, it was not [the players] who decided. »
Remember that certain important figures in the team, including Samuel Piette and Victor Wanyama, had expressed significant doubts about Losada’s communication style and the tactics used.
“There are some players who were disappointed with their relationship with the coach. […] But it happens in every locker room. It’s up to me to strike the right balance. »
“We weren’t on the same page at all after a year, so that’s why I made this decision. »
Jesse Marsch. Marco Schällibaum. Frank Klopas. Mauro Biello. Rémi Garde. Wilmer Cabrera. Thierry Henry. Wilfried Nancy. And now Hernán Losada.
The next CFM coach will therefore be his 10th in 13 seasons in MLS. It’s a lot.
But for Renard, it’s not necessarily CF Montreal’s fault. “That’s unfortunately what’s happening in international football,” he says.
On this point, he is right. Several major European clubs are playing musical chairs. Even in MLS, 11 out of 29 teams have changed coaches in 2023.
But the image of Montreal across the league is undoubtedly becoming that of a club that offers no stability at this position. Does that complicate the athletic director’s job?
“When I see the number of calls I have received over the last few hours, and even before […], there are many, many coaches who want to work at CF Montreal. »
“We have a club that likes to develop players, and coaches too. There are many candidates who are interested. »
And these calls come from “all sides,” he specifies, suggesting that he receives them both from overseas and from North America.
It was mentioned to him that good candidates might be available within the MLS. Like Pa-Modou Kah, assistant at Charlotte FC. Or Laurent Courtois and Yoann Damet, respectively coach at the Columbus II Crew and assistant to Wilfried Nancy with the senior team.
Olivier Renard’s gaze is piercing when he responds.
“We will contact the clubs if we are interested in coaches who are under contract. »
He refers to the saga of Wilfried Nancy’s departure for the Ohio club, which went sideways at the CFM. The club had at that time accused the Nancy clan of marauding.
“We obviously already have a list [of people] we want to meet. But if they are candidates from the league, we will first go through their club. »
What will be the hiring criteria this time?
“[The candidate] will have to want to be here, listen to our philosophy and put it to work on the ground. We want to see the grinta in the players, from the first to the last match. He must also have respect for our supporters. »
Will speaking French be a criterion?
“The first criterion will be to enter into the philosophy of what we want to do,” reiterates the DS. Obviously, if they speak French, that’s an important point. »
