CF Montreal | Wilfried Nancy: will stay, won’t stay?

“I’m not talking about my contract today. No offense to Wilfried Nancy, this is exactly what we are about to do.

Because the head coach of CF Montreal did everything except disperse the fog surrounding his contractual situation with the club on Tuesday during the team’s report.

It is rather Olivier Renard, sporting director and vice-president of the club, who has offered the most precise answers for months in this file. And this, despite the fact that he was sorry for the “burial atmosphere” that reigned at the Nutrilait Center on his arrival on the podium.

“Indeed, the coach had an option, as I always said,” he said first.

“He has a contract for 2023. The option has long been on our minds here at CF Montreal. »

Here he was answering a question from The Press about the rumor, released the same morning by informant Tom Bogert, who alleged an interest on the part of the Columbus Crew in Nancy. The MLS journalist added that the said option to the contract had been triggered as soon as the CFM had qualified for the playoffs.

Thus, it was Nancy himself who refused to negotiate during the season. To the chagrin of the club, explains Renard.

He criticizes the journalists for their speculations, according to him, in the absence of transparent information in this file.

“You wrote a lot of nonsense,” he says. One of the nonsense is to make believe that we, as a club, did not want to speak with our coach. Or to negotiate for several days, weeks, months. We, as a club, obviously want to continue for several years with Wilfried. And the coach simply asked us not to negotiate. »

Renard will add in a subsequent response that the CFM would like to have an agreement at least until 2025 with its current head coach.

But he says he has “accepted the rules of the game”, because he has “not yet threatened a player or a staff member with a weapon to sign a contract”.

“We respect the situation. And we’ll see how it goes. But I repeat that both the players and the club as a whole would like Wilfried to come back. »

And the interest of Columbus?

“I hope it’s wrong,” replies the sporting director. Because there will be big problems. Our coach has a contract. No club in the world can contact him. And even more specifically another MLS club. »

“Interested in the Montreal project”

One thing is certain: the potential disagreement between owner Joey Saputo and head coach Nancy, whose last public episode dates back to the defeat against Sporting Kansas City on July 9, does not influence the club’s decision in this case.

The CFM has taken several steps over the past few months to open the discussion channel with the technician. But it is on the latter’s side that the door remained closed.

When asked about the events of July at a press conference, Nancy replies that he has “nothing to say on this subject”.

The coach didn’t want to talk about that or his contract. That is. So we put the question another way. Does the CF Montreal project still interest him?

“I’m interested in the Montreal project,” says the technician. It has always been clear. Nothing has changed from that. »

So do you have a few words to reassure the fans who have thrilled to the rhythm of your successes in 2022, and who still hope to do so in 2023?

“My wife is from Montreal. My children are Montrealers. I am from Montreal. So there you go, I don’t need to reassure anyone. I just need to tell them that I’m grateful for the attitude they have towards me. »

Moreover, Renard still maintains that he has “a relationship of respect” with his coach. “I love Wilfried so much. This is not a problem. It’s like that. It’s soccer. »

“I am his number 1 fan”

It has been ruled that the club wants Nancy back next year. His players too.

“Wilfried knows the affection I have for him,” said Samuel Piette. The pleasure that the rest of the group as much as I had this year with his staff. […] Me, I’m his number 1 fan. I’ve known him since I was 15. We have accomplished some great things this year. Why not continue on that? »

Kamal Miller believes he has “changed quite a bit at the club since his arrival”.

“The philosophy, the way we play. He brought us closer as a group. It would be a great loss to see him go. Everyone wants him to stay, and so do I. »

Alistair Johnston talked about the big difference between first year and second year. “Imagine what it would be like in the third,” he says.

“If he comes back, we would be excited. If he decides to move on, I wish him the best of luck in the future. »

But the most poignant testimony was that of Djordje Mihailovic, on his way to joining AZ Alkmaar, in the Netherlands.

“He was different from all the coaches I’ve had,” said the American. It includes the person behind the player. It took us a while to get to know each other. And there have been issues in the meantime.

“I grew a lot during my first weeks here. And he told me that he grew as a coach too. And that meant a lot to me, because you don’t always think about what’s going on on the other side. From a coach who learns from a player. […] I will always be grateful to have had him as a coach. »