Laurent Courtois a commencé par parler d’« egos » à contrôler, au pluriel. Puis il s’est repris. « Surtout un, on va dire. »
Nous venions de l’interroger sur l’ambiance au sein du CF Montréal. On avait en tête les publications sibyllines de Josef Martínez sur les réseaux sociaux, récemment. Et sur les mesures disciplinaires que le club a prises à son endroit, notamment en l’écartant complètement du dernier match face à l’Union de Philadelphie, en Coupe des ligues.
On ne s’attendait pas à une réponse si franche de la part de l’entraîneur, quelques minutes après l’entraînement au Centre Nutrilait.
« Il y a un gros, gros décalage entre la personne que j’ai eue au téléphone avant de le signer [cet hiver]and what the person is doing right now, he begins by saying, speaking of Martínez. Humanly, it is a big disappointment. Sportingly… it depends on what we base ourselves on.
However, at the beginning of the year, you spoke of a positive leader for your players, reminds him of his colleague Nicolas Landry, from RDS.
“I give my hand until you betray me,” Courtois replies.
PHOTO JOHN JONES, USA TODAY SPORTS ARCHIVES
Forward Josef Martinez scored both goals for CF Montreal on July 17 at the Red Bull Arena. Final score: 2-2.
At the center of the remonstrances of the coachthe Venezuelan striker’s refusal to get down to work in training last week. The coaching staff asked him to run, to do that activation that, when the game comes, allows you to be physically ready for the workload. Martínez, moreover, has had his share of injuries over the years. At 31, a relapse is never far away. Hence the precautions requested by the club.
The Press confirms that within CF Montreal, this issue of discipline and professionalism on the part of certain players has been noted. Matías Cóccaro also, earlier this summer, wanted to leave training in a hurry, before being convinced to return by a member of staff. But at CFM, Laurent Courtois is not blamed for this aspect.
We knew Martínez had a “big ego.” For example, in 2022, Atlanta United head coach Gonzalo Pineda suspended the player for one game for “harmful conduct” toward the team. At the time, there were reports of a heated exchange between the player and the coach. The Athletic added that Martínez had thrown up a table containing chicken and rice in the locker room.
On Thursday, it can’t be said that the gunner, one of the best in MLS history, had a smile on his face. During a friendly session of free kicks between player and goalkeeper in which everyone participated with enthusiasm, Martínez remained sitting on a ball, next to the goal, without reacting.
With the next game on August 24, he still has just over a week to get his mood back.
“We are working on it, we are reminding, we are setting the framework,” explains Courtois. […] In addition, we must differentiate between things. It is either a deplorable attitude that I [regrette] a little bit, and that hasn’t happened often. Or someone who makes a mistake. My job is to differentiate between people who make a mistake and let them know, versus players who show you who they are. A mistake, we want to rectify. Someone who shows you who he is, then you have to be vigilant.”