CF Montreal designated player Victor Wanyama said he had turned the page on the stormy season he experienced under the leadership of Argentinian Hernan Losada last year, and he assured that he was now focusing on the next one. campaign of the Montreal eleven.
We all remember Wanyama’s exit during the Bleu-blanc-noir’s end-of-season review last October, when he publicly blamed Losada for his lack of communication.
Usually one of the most used players on the Montreal team, the Kenyan had only played 123 minutes in the last 12 games of the season and had only one start, on September 20, against FC Cincinnati. He had gradually lost his position to young Nathan Saliba, who progressed a lot from week to week.
” I waited. At first the team was winning so I respected the decision. When we experienced more difficulty, I went to Hernan for reasons and he gave me none. I was surprised,” Wanyama said at the time.
The 32-year-old veteran has visibly found a smile again this season with the arrival of new head coach Laurent Courtois. Wanyama is still under contract with CF Montreal, and he had already indicated that he did not wish to leave the club despite this dispute with his head coach. What he repeated again by videoconference from the CF Montreal training camp in Florida on Monday.
“I’m starting to be myself again, you know, getting my game back, my enjoyment of playing and being surrounded by my teammates. It was quite difficult last season, but right now I’m very happy to be back on the pitch, with my teammates. Also, it doesn’t matter who plays this season, as long as we create something from our individual strengths, to move the team forward, then that’s great. I want to give everything, my 100%, go there with all my heart, to help this team,” he declared.
Wanyama was quite frank when asked what he liked about Courtois since he joined the team.
“He is very clear in his intentions; he wants to exploit the full potential of each of us. He is very focused on the task he has to accomplish, and he does it very well,” he said of the 45-year-old Frenchman.
Despite all the good words from Wanyama, the latter will have to work tirelessly in order to maintain his place in the starting eleven since Courtois intends to use the camp to establish internal competitions – particularly in attack.
” When I think [à Wanyama], as was the case today when he was the victim of a foul by an opponent but I let the game go, I wanted to see the reactions. Not individual ones, but collective ones. He [Wanyama] had an exemplary reaction, he tried to find solutions, rather than creating problems. That’s Victor,” he first confided.
“That being said, several players are competing [au camp]. He’s had a few very good weeks since the start of camp, but he will be in competition with the other players, like everyone else. He will therefore have to make sure to continue like this,” summarized Courtois.
The former coach of the Columbus Crew reserve team also indicated that he is “very happy with the squad” at his disposal. As for whether he would like to be able to count on a renowned striker such as Josef Martinez, who persistent rumors link to CF Montreal, Courtois avoided the trap.
“Well done, well done, nice transition, but I won’t comment,” he concluded, laughing.
At the end of the day, CF Montreal indicated that striker Chinonso Offor was loaned to FC Arda Kardzhali, in the Bulgarian first division, until the end of the 2024 season. The Bulgarian club also reserves the right to acquire the player by permanent transfer.
Aged 23, the Nigerien striker was acquired by CF Montreal on August 5, 2022 from the Chicago Fire. In 30 regular season games in 2023, Offor started 14 times for a total of 1,503 minutes, scoring four goals.