Go to your favorite music streaming service. Search for the soundtrack of the HBO series Succession. Then read this text.
“I’m disappointed, because as a player you want to play more. I didn’t understand why [I wasn’t playing]. And even if it is like that, I have to support my teammates and trust that they will get the job done. »
This quote comes from Victor Wanyama. It was stated during an explosive end-of-season review of CF Montreal on Tuesday.
The club’s only designated player has hardly played since the League Cup. Out of 1,170 minutes since July 22, he has only played 137. This is because Hernán Losada preferred the young Nathan Saliba in midfield. Saliba deserved it, his place. But when the team’s highest-paid player no longer appears to be part of the head coach’s plans, questions arise.
“I went to see him to explain the reasons,” Wanyama continues. And he had no reason. I was surprised. »
” I waited. At first, the team was winning. I respected the decision during this time. But when the results started to get bad, I expected something to be done. »
No less than six CF Montreal players appeared in front of the media on Tuesday at the Nutrilait Center. All were questioned about their relationship with Losada. Mathieu Choinière, Jonathan Sirois, Joel Waterman and Samuel Piette made generally positive comments – we will come back to this later – but Wanyama and Romell Quioto were the most critical. When he finally spoke on the microphone, the technician was defensive.
His response was mainly directed towards Wanyama.
“What I had to say to him, I told him while looking him in the eyes,” Losada explains. As I do with all players, with people around me who act as witnesses, and who listen. »
“It’s a job that has its fair share of changes. I understand his frustration. This is the first time in his career that he has had to experience a situation like this. But at the same time, I think he realized that it’s a competitive sport, with internal competition. I just found that another player deserved to play more than him. »
Wanyama emphasizes that discussions took place with the coach “in the offices” to find possible solutions.
“But after that, we no longer have control over anything,” says the Kenyan. The person who makes the final decision, they made it, and our opinion had no value. »
For their part, if Joel Waterman and Samuel Piette mention certain “disagreements”, they believe they have “a good relationship” with their head coach.
Losada sees this as proof that those who have negative things to say are the ones who “didn’t perform.”
“I hear all these comments, and they are normal. I can clearly see those who had a good season, who are satisfied with it despite the fact that we did not reach our goal, and those who are not. »
“Victor played 25 games,” he said. Then, a young player from the academy deserved more and more minutes. And yes, I made a tough decision. It’s not easy to put a guy like [Wanyama] on the bench. But I believed that an academy player deserved these minutes. And [Saliba] had a great season. »
Both men have a contract for next year. But is the relationship beyond repair?
“The most important thing is that people talk to each other,” said sports director Olivier Renard, who acted as mediator on Tuesday.
“I understand Hernán too,” he said. There is the situation of a Saliba who is only growing. »
Perhaps a more equal rotation of players could have helped repair the bridges, Renard suggests, even if he does not “think it is at the point of no return”.
Wanyama believes he could indeed be back next year. Under certain conditions, it seems.
“I have a contract with CF Montreal, but not with him,” he said, obviously speaking of Losada.
Romell Quioto comes to the stage. He sits down. And let out a long sigh. “Ooooh, man. »
It begins well.
His contract ends this year. Does he think he’ll be back next year?
“I don’t know,” he said through an interpreter. No one has spoken to me until today. Maybe it’s time to go home until someone calls me. »
He emphasizes that he has a personal interest in trying his luck in Europe, but that his first choice is “to stay” in Montreal.
“I know the club and the city, I love being here. In all honesty, I don’t know why I have to wait until the last day to hear from someone. »
This is probably because “the offensive sector will have to be reworked,” says Olivier Renard.
Quioto scored 15 goals in 2022 and was named the club’s MVP that year. But his long medical history – he was absent for four months in 2023 – as well as his age do not make him the perfect candidate for relaunching the CF Montreal attack.
“I’ll let you guess the salary demands” of such a player, adds Renard.
“We could or should have extended it for two or three years” last year, he emphasizes. “I don’t want to say that I did the right thing not to extend it at that time, but I hope that you put yourself in the shoes of a director who has to sign important contracts for several years, with someone ‘one who is 32 now. »
Renard adds that he has had discussions with Quioto, who remains a leader with “importance in the locker room”.
“Mostly I thanked him. I don’t know if he’s going to be there next year. We’re going to discuss it. »
