Sold, on loan, about to be traded or who have asked to be traded, the forwards of CF Montreal (CFM) all seem to have traveled together to the Bermuda Triangle on the eve of the next campaign.
While Kei Kamara was conspicuously absent from CFM’s morning training session on Monday, his dynamic teammate Joaquín Torres didn’t get a chance to put on his work boots before retreating to the locker room.
Torres, in the midst of Philadelphia Union trade rumors, according to MLS insider Tom Bogert, did not miss practice due to injury, assured CFM driver Hernán Losada . In fact, he didn’t have time to walk the field before leaving the Olympic Stadium.
“Nothing official,” Losada recalled of the potential trade for the 5’5″ Argentine. Torres, tied for first in assists on the Montreal XI last season, has been key to CFM’s offensive rotation.
It’s the same for Kamara. Arrived as a reinforcement to palliate injuries at the beginning of last year, the forward was ultimately an important cog in the club, also ending the season as the Bleu-blanc-noir’s best passer. The problem is that since his request to be traded elsewhere in MLS, Kamara has still not participated in a training session with his partners.
Certainly, this is not the kind of behavior that pleases his superior.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Hernan Losada
“Unfortunately he’s not here today and he’s already lost a week of work,” Losada said. What happened before was between him and the club, but now it’s with me. And today he is not here. Frankly, I’m disappointed. »
“It’s the second time I’ve given him the weekend off. It means a lot to me, ”added the one who has the reputation of being sometimes intransigent.
Few options
What helped CFM last year was its diversity on offense. Add to the list the departure of Djordje Mihailovic, who has rattled the ropes nine times, like Kamara, and suddenly Losada does not have many options in attack.
However, his tenor Romell Quioto seems ready to take on the additional offensive charge. If he admits that he has not found an attacking midfielder with whom he can tune his flute, he “will accept the role and the minutes” that Losada will give him.
One of the said roles he will have to fulfill is that of a veteran. Currently in his final year of contract, Quioto hopes to establish himself as one of the figures that will bring out new stars.
There are old drivers who have allowed me to make the transition well here with the team and the city, I want to do the same. It is a mission close to my heart.
Romell Quioto
Despite the obvious appearance of a lack of reinforcements for the attacking third, some of the solutions could reveal themselves. But the stars will have to be aligned.
One of the most exciting players in the 2021 season, Mason Toye will try to regain his old touch. The one he had before he suffered multiple injuries. After a lackluster season where he scored only two goals, the American forward took part in some exercises with his teammates on Monday. The latter had felt “a little something” which kept him away, according to his head coach.
Another avenue that CFM could try to explore is that of striker Chinonso Offor, currently on loan with SV Zulte Waregem, in the Belgian first division. The team could recall him as early as January 31, which would allow him to take part in training camp.
” I do not know. We’ll see,” Losada said. Which seems to be the theme at this point in training camp. All have many questions, but there are few answers. Until then, we’ll have to wait.
Under the eyes of a star goalkeeper
CF Montreal’s training session, especially that of the goalkeepers, was scrutinized by Montreal actor Moe Jeudy-Lamour, who plays goalkeeper Thierry Zoreaux in the series Ted Lasso.
The CFM jailers may have been afraid of being outdone when Mr. Jeudy-Lamour donned a Zoreaux lettered club jersey with his number 81 and shorts. However, he did not parry balloons and could not humiliate his counterparts.
Passing through Montreal to visit his mother, Mr. Jeudy-Lamour wanted to see professional training up close to perfect his knowledge of the trade. Even though he worked for a year in Los Angeles with a coach, he remained in awe of the “graceful” technique of professional goalkeepers.
He told to The Press that the next season of Ted Lassowhich is slated to “release in March,” will be the most important for her character and that she will be football-focused more than ever.