After a well-deserved break, midfielder Samuel Piette and defender Joel Waterman reunited with their teammates on Monday as CF Montreal began the second week of their training camp.
After being part of the Canadian team at the Soccer World Cup, Piette and Waterman had the privilege of getting an extra week off before returning to training. However, they were able to see that the intensity had already been increased.
“The intensity of the training was very good. I was told that was also the case last week. I’m excited, but it’s a bit scary too, said Piette with his usual smile. We are ready, we are motivated and I believe the coaching staff too. It will be interesting to see how the preseason goes. »
For the two players, who spent the second part of training on the sidelines with newcomer Ilias Iliadis, it was also their first look at the working methods of head coach Hernan Losada.
The 40-year-old Argentine hasn’t had a chance to talk about his philosophy and style of play yet, but he continues to impress when players return to the squad.
“It’s hard to talk about Hernan’s style of play, but I really like what I see from him at the moment. He gets along well with the players, he jokes, but he’s also serious when he has to be, Waterman explained. His training sessions were well organized. The coaching staff is prepared. »
Piette and Waterman experienced the euphoria of the World Cup in Qatar, which concluded about a month ago, but they also experienced the disappointment of having played no minutes in three games.
If for Waterman the message was a little clearer that he would wear the colors of his country as a support player, Piette rather thought he had a better opportunity to assert himself, while he has been part of the Canadian program for more than 10 years.
“You feel lucky to have been selected among the 26 players, but for sure there is a disappointment. I think the scenarios for me to play didn’t show up. There will always be that asterisk when people ask me how the World Cup was and how it was to play against the best. I’ll say it was a great experience, but unfortunately I didn’t play. It will stay with me forever, but it’s more motivation to come back in three and a half years,” observed Piette.
Even though Waterman hasn’t played in Qatar, his progress over the past season has been eye-opening. Some rumors mention that he could be transferred to another formation, a bit like his former teammates Djordje Mihailovic, Ismaël Koné and Alistair Johnston, who left for Europe following a sale.
The Canadian defender, who will celebrate his 27th birthday on January 24, is aware that there may be interest in him, but he is keeping his mind on Montreal and what needs to be done with Blue-White-Black. The arrival of 21-year-old American defender George Campbell could also facilitate a transfer.
“Every time you have a good season and earn a spot for the World Cup, you have eyes on you and different teams show interest. I am here and I want to be here. I focus on Montreal and let my agent do his job. I am excited about what the future holds for me, whether in Montreal or elsewhere. I’m very happy where I am right now and can’t wait for the season to start,” Waterman insisted.
Goalkeeper James Pantemis and defender Kamal Miller, who also represented Canada at the World Cup, trained at Center Nutrilait and are expected to join the Montreal squad on Tuesday.
Patience with Iliadis
In addition to the returns of Piette and Waterman, CF Montreal also welcomed the arrival of its newest acquisition, Canadian midfielder Ilias Iliadis.
The 21-year-old Iliadis was acquired on Friday afternoon and immediately agreed to a two-year plus two-year contract with the team. He took part in the warm-up and two rhythm workouts before working on the sidelines with Piette and Waterman.
Losada painted a quick portrait of their new player, while recalling that he is a youngster in development.
“Ilias is a defensive midfielder, good with his left foot, so we’ll see what he can bring to the team. He’s a young player with potential for progression and at the moment I’m happy with what I see from him,” Losada noted.
The head coach also took advantage of his scrum with reporters to say he had no further news in the case of forward Kei Kamara and that he was still a member of CF Montreal for the instant.