Head coach Laurent Courtois is still the man for the job for CF Montreal, but he and his players must find solutions, believes the team’s president and CEO, Gabriel Gervais.
In the world of sport, things can sometimes change quickly. A little less than three weeks after having drawn up a fairly positive mid-season report, Gervais had to put out fires on Monday, during a rather surprise media availability at the Nutrilait Center.
Clearly, the week without a game has not succeeded in making us forget the last two performances of the Bleu-blanc-noir. The 5-0 defeats at Saputo Stadium and 4-1 in Cincinnati caused the club to slip in the Eastern Conference standings, but Gervais’ goal of participating in the playoffs is still attainable, provided he gives a little more on the field, he qualifies.
Montreal is currently five points behind DC United for ninth and final place in the fall tournament.
“The expectations are the same and we want to reach the playoffs. I’m optimistic and I believe in it, but it’s up to the coaches and the players to find solutions,” insisted Gervais.
“The last two performances were unacceptable. Especially the 5-0 defeat at home. Personally, I have not digested it as a manager, as a former player and as a fan. There is quality in this team to participate in the playoffs. Now, we have to execute.”
Lack of effort
At one time, head coach Rémi Garde had failed to weather a similar storm. This time, Gervais decided otherwise with Courtois’ fate, even giving him a vote of confidence for the rest of the season.
“Laurent is a young head coach and there are a lot of things to work on, but I believe in him,” he said. “I’m not the type to panic or have an impulsive reaction. Laurent is our head coach. He’s under contract next year and he’s here to stay.”
In a season that has seen several departures, both on the pitch and among the management, it would have been easy for Gervais to show Courtois the exit door. He is, however, aware that his head coach is not alone in this boat.
Contrary to what was questioned in May, after defeats against Toronto FC and Forge FC, the effort is present among the majority of the players. Without naming anyone, Gervais however indicated that some had to give even more.
“There were times when we could talk about a lack of effort, but since then, the effort is generally there. To be honest, there are some players for whom the effort is not there because I see it in the statistics. Everyone has to look in the mirror. We lack consistency and we struggle to have two or three good performances in a row,” Gervais maintained.
Grumbling
The accumulation of defeats and poor performances have not only affected the mental aspect of the players, they have also raised a lot of discontent among the supporters.
Recently, the 127 Montreal fan group announced the end of its activities and that its members would no longer renew their season tickets.
Gervais doesn’t feel like there’s a disconnect between CF Montreal and its fans, but he believes that performances need to improve to regain the trust of those who have filled Saputo Stadium for every game since the start of the campaign.
“It’s sad to see the 127 go,” he admitted. “If we lost them and we’re losing others, it’s up to us to show how much we want them back. I can’t say there’s a general disconnect with our community, but it’s certain that our fans are fueled by performance on the field. That’s why we have to improve them quickly.”
In addition, after training, the Bleu-blanc-noir announced that Argentinian Ignacio Piatti will be inducted into the team’s Wall of Fame on Saturday, at half-time of a match against Charlotte FC.