Laurent Courtois, formerly of the Columbus Crew, is close to an agreement to become the next head coach of CF Montreal, according to soccer journalist Tom Bogert. However, the club has not announced anything in this regard.
If we had to draw up a list of boxes that the candidate chosen to replace Hernán Losada at the helm of the team had to tick, Courtois would have the profile.
Need a good coach to develop young players?
Courtois was head coach of the Columbus Crew’s reserve team, Crew II, in MLS Next Pro. He was champion of what is essentially America’s third division in 2022, and he was runner-up in 2023.
Quebecer Mohamed Farsi has enjoyed a direct ascension to the first team this year, having spent 2022 under his command. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, drafted in the MLS SuperDraft in 2022 and champion with the reserves that year, won the MLS Cup with the big club in 2023.
Need an applicant who is familiar with the structure of North American soccer?
After his playing career in Europe (from 1996 to 2011), he moved to MLS to wear the colors of Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He then served as assistant to the Galaxy II, went through the Lyon training center, returned to the United States to join the Crew Academy, then was named head coach of the Black & Gold reserve team in 2022.
Need an applicant who knows the Montreal market and the CFM environment? Wilfried Nancy and all his assistants at the Crew were probably not stingy with comments about the Montreal club.
Need someone who speaks French to communicate with fans and the media? It goes without saying for this 45-year-old Lyonnais.
Born in 1978, Laurent Courtois began his career as a young player with Olympique Lyonnais in 1996. He had his first professional experience in 1998 with Ajaccio, in the French Ligue 2. He then traveled from France, to Spain (Levante), via England (West Ham), before joining MLS.