“A step back” by “rolling up our sleeves”. This is, in short, where CF Montreal is in the “restructuring” of its sports management, according to Gabriel Gervais.
The president, who has also been running this department on an interim basis since Olivier Renard left, is now working to completely rethink the way he operates it. As he has done with the important part of the club’s business since his arrival, he added during his nearly hour-long press conference at the Nutrilait Center on Wednesday morning.
Thus, even the position of sporting director, as we knew it for almost five years with Olivier Renard, could be doomed to disappear: Gervais wants to “define the organizational chart to be put in place”.
“There are all sorts of nomenclatures used,” he explains. “We’re going to establish a clear profile of a person who will come and enhance our team, whether we call them sports director, technical director or something else. The important thing is to define their responsibilities and tasks.”
“I’m not going to rush to find someone without having fully understood the overall structure that we want to put in place.”
To support him in this redefinition of the department, the president of the CFM sought the services of Corey Wray, who has 18 seasons of expertise in MLS, including with Toronto FC and more recently with the Columbus Crew.
It’s worth noting that Wray came onto Gervais’ radar after requesting, and then receiving, a list of names recommended by MLS.
“He’s coming in as a consultant for the next few months,” the president said. “To help us get through the transfer window now. Look at the squad. Best practices. Help us define the whole structure we want to put in place with key positions, the right profiles for the players in the game system we want to play. This arrangement with Corey is favorable for both parties.”
When Renard left, the former DS had spoken of a change of direction with regard to the sporting direction since the arrival of Gervais: he no longer had free rein to operate as he pleased, now having to pass all his potential decisions through the board of directors chaired by Joey Saputo. Will the eventual person hired to take care of the sporting side have a little more room to maneuver?
She will be able to “operate as she pleases,” the president replied, repeating the words of our question. “Decisions are made as a team, whether in business or in sports. In important decisions, we certainly rely on the board of directors.”
No change in philosophy
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Saputo Stadium is essentially full for every game this season.
We’re not there yet, of course. But if Gervais’ restructuring of the sports business produces the same results as the club’s business, CF Montreal fans will have reason to rejoice. Under his leadership, the club invested in the customer experience at Saputo Stadium, which “paid off,” he says.
It is true that the stadium is essentially full at every game this season. The club is constantly adding new partners, including Quebec flagships like Air Transat, which indicates that Quebec Inc. has gotten on board with the project.
In the meantime, however, it is investment in the sport that has suffered. The payroll has remained one of the lowest in MLS. Could the club’s philosophy on this subject change after this restructuring?
No, assures Gervais, especially because the action of “spending large amounts does not guarantee success.” But yes, CF Montreal “is ready to invest if it fits with [sa] philosophy “.
To avoid any doubt, the club president clearly listed them at the start of the press conference: his philosophy consists of “training young players, relying on the Academy, having a local flavour”. It is also based on “selling players, on close collaboration with Bologna, on an offensive game, on construction, on ball possession, [sur l’idée d’avoir] our own soccer culture.”
“We are always looking for results, we want to be competitive. And above all, young people who want to be here, to be part of our project, and who are ready to work hard for the club. The famous grintathey have to show it.”
On this last point, Gervais believes that a “serious individual and collective awareness” is necessary among the current group.
“There’s a lot of turnover in the squad right now, and we’re not confident that all the players will give us the performances we expect from them.”
A team already in place
It is “in the DNA” of the president, formerly at Deloitte, to want to take the time to study the situation thoroughly before acting. After taking charge of the affairs of CF Montreal, he thus “put people in place in whom [il a] “a lot of confidence,” he said.
For the sports, already, Daniel Pozzi, an employee of the club for 15 years, now takes care of everything related to the payroll and the MLS rules, as Vassili Cremanzidis did before his departure. Pozzi is also director of operations for the first team.
Corey Wray joins a team already made up of Raffaele Frassetti, head scout, and Luca Saputo, the “bridge of collaboration” with Bologna, the sister club of the Impact in Italy, which has the means to analyze, on site, no less than 1500 matches per year for the recruitment of players.
“Recruitment methods” and “the screening team”, precisely: these are some aspects that “absolutely” need to be improved in the future at the CFM, according to Gervais.
The end of the reserve team…
No, CF Montreal still has no plans to enter MLS Next Pro, the MLS teams’ farm club circuit. And this is despite the fact that it has just announced that its reserve team will be disbanded at the end of this season.
“From an operational and financial point of view, in our situation, it doesn’t make sense [d’aller en MLS Next Pro]said Gabriel Gervais. We will focus on youth, on signing young players who can join the first team. We will use the loan avenue with the USL and the Canadian Premier League, which has worked well for us.
Thus, after the 2024 Ligue1 Québec season, CF Montréal will find itself without any farm club to bridge the gap between its Academy and its first team.
No “major project” anytime soon at Saputo stadium
There is still no progress on potential major renovations at Saputo Stadium: CF Montreal is waiting to find out what the plan is for the Olympic Park before embarking on a “major project.”
“We’re talking about a hotel,” recalls Gabriel Gervais. [On attend] to know what the strategic vision is. There is a CEO who was appointed, we met her, we had a good discussion with her. But there has been no development since the announcement [des rénovations] at the Olympic Stadium.