The love story between El Romantico and CF Montreal isn’t over, but it’s going through troubled times. The rose, however, seems already stripped, because Olivier Renard has thorns all over his fingers.
During the mid-season review held late Thursday morning, the Vice-President and Chief Sporting Officer of the Impact took the liberty of offering some advice to his striker Romell Quioto, who is at the last year of his contract. The Honduran has been sidelined since May 13 due to injury. In fact, he’s only played in seven games this season.
Since his long-term hamstring injury, he has not been seen in training or at Stade Saputo, as he is being treated outside the country. At least in theory. Renard explained that he accepted her request to recover elsewhere, as the injuries can “sometimes, even often, be mental”.
Is this elsewhere Miami, where he was recently seen? “He goes around the world a bit there,” replied Renard about the second employee of the Bleu-blanc-noir and the club’s top scorer in the last three campaigns.
“I will speak to you honestly, and not as a sporting director. I advise him to do the best he can to get back to 100% as soon as possible,” he said.
In the end, it is for himself that he will play. He will play for a future contract, either here or for another club. I don’t see why he would go party every day. I advise him to work and come back as soon as possible.
Olivier Renard, Vice President and Chief Sports Officer of CF Montreal
The message has the merit of being clear. The ball is in Quioto’s court.
No phone calls for Eden Hazard
First, Renard explained that he did not want to comment on the rumor that his former Belgian national teammate Eden Hazard had been courted by the Montreal club. To another question, he clarified that there was “zero contact” between the clans.
PHOTO MANU FERNANDEZ, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Eden Hazard
Last month, the Spanish media brand linked the name of the Real Madrid player to the Bleu-blanc-noir, except that at that time he was under contract with Los Blancos. The former Chelsea winger has since been released and is now a free agent.
“I think he’s going to take the time to see what he wants to do,” Renard said. I can’t speak for him, and even afterwards, if he wants to continue playing football, there are certainly a lot of people who will call him to offer him something.
“I think he wants to put his head right with his family. »
“We want to improve with each transfer window”
This summed up Olivier Renard’s objective for the next transfer window, which will start on July 5 and end on August 2.
While he doesn’t want to discuss which positions he will target to avoid putting ‘unnecessary pressure’ on any given player, Renard confirmed he has general allocation money in his pocket and could make purchases. this summer. However, be careful, since his hands are already tied.
“It is mainly in relation to the number of the workforce: there is a maximum number of 30 players under contract. We have 31 if we include Rida [Zouhir] that we lent, which freed up a place. That’s more the problem. You have to look at how many players there are under contract, rather than the space available [l’argent] that the owner gives us or the GAM. »
“I’m very happy with what I’m given. It’s up to me to make the team grow. »
Renard has also mentioned that it is quite possible to see one or two players leave the club on loan during the next transfer window.