After a high-quality season with Manitoba’s Valor FC in the Canadian Premier League (PLC), goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois is back with CF Montreal with clear ambitions.
“Coming into this camp this year, I had given myself the objective of fighting for the position, and with the impressions that I was given, I believe that the door was open for that,” said Sirois, Monday, during a videoconference organized from Florida, where CF Montreal continues its training camp.
“Afterwards, it’s up to me to demonstrate my qualities and to show the coaching staff that I can be number one. I don’t think anything is decided at this point. I still have my chance. It’s just up to me to keep working and doing my best. »
While CF Montreal employed three goalkeepers in 2021, from Clément Diop to Sebastian Breza, including James Pantemis, Sirois did most of the work with Valor FC, to whom CF Montreal had loaned him to accumulate minutes and experience.
He played so brilliantly that he was awarded CPL Goaltender of the Year.
The Quebec goalkeeper spent 2160 minutes in front of goal for Valor FC, and he led the goaltenders of the Canadian circuit with 94 saves and 9 shutouts.
His start to the season was particularly stellar, with five consecutive shutouts — a league record — at the tournament that kicked off the schedule in the Winnipeg bubble between June 26 and July 24.
“I wanted to show what I had as skills, as capacity. I knew I was still a good goalkeeper, but it had been two years since I had played competitive games. It was up to me to let go, express myself on the pitch and show everyone what I was capable of doing. That’s what I did, ”says Sirois when the time comes to analyze his 2021 season.
“For this year, I’m just trying to get to camp and show the same. I try to express myself in training, in the situations given to me and I try to show the goalkeeping coach that I have progressed on several technical aspects, that I am a high-level goalkeeper and that I am ready to play in MLS,” the 20-year-old goalkeeper also explained.
While waiting to start the Concacaf Champions League tournament in Mexico on February 15, CF Montreal still has three preparatory games to play, including one this Friday against Inter Miami CF.
On Saturday, Wilfried Nancy’s men earned a 2-2 draw against New York City FC in a game where Breza and Pantemis shared the work in net.
“I haven’t received any news saying that I was going to play this game or that game. I don’t control that. I can only control my performance in training,” remarked Sirois.
“So if I want to have playing time, it’s up to me to come to training and do so well that it forces their hand to say ‘we have to give Jo Sirois playing time for one of the matches”. But afterwards, they are the ones who make the final decision. »
On two occasions during the videoconference, Sirois was asked about the possibility of having to spend the next season away from the immediate entourage of CF Montreal and return to the Canadian Premier League, for example.
In both cases, his response was the same, except for a few words.
“I want to say again that my head is 100% at the moment. Every day when I wake up, I’m 100% determined to fight for my job here. Afterwards, if it happens that it doesn’t work in my favor for x or y reasons, PLC is definitely still a good option. It will remain to be seen with the club or my agent which are the best opportunities for me. »