CF Montreal head coach Hernán Losada has set his goals for the fourth and final week of training at the Olympic Stadium, but creating a starting XI is still far in his mind.
The Montreal troupe played a friendly game against its 23-and-under players on Saturday, and Losada took a lot of positive things out of that training session. With four more weeks of training in Florida to come, however, the time for decisions does not seem to have come.
“It’s still too early to talk about a starting XI, and we still have several weeks of work to do, but it was a good game with good intensity. It was not only positive for professional players, but also for Academy players, Losada explained. It was the first time we played on a big field. It is essential now to continue to maintain good physical shape. »
The 40-year-old Argentinian indicated that the team would also resume this exercise a few times during the season, in particular to create contacts between the professionals and the young people of the Academy.
“It also helps all the staff get to know the players at the Academy and see all the talent there,” he added.
“Flexible in our tactics”
Losada took this opportunity to examine his men’s skills in match situations, but also to test some of his tactics.
The head coach waltzed between a formation using a forward striker alongside two more attacking midfielders and one featuring two forwards and a more attacking midfielder.
Losada is looking to recreate the magic that allowed the Bleu-Blanc-Noir to rank fifth among MLS’ best attackers in 2022, but also to be prepared for any eventuality.
“I think we have to be flexible in our tactics. There will be times when we have to play with different systems. It could be one, two or even three attackers. We will see how the preparatory matches are going to go, and that is something that we will implement in our system,” he said.
Besides the tactical aspect, Losada want to use the last week of training on the lawn of the Olympic Stadium to continue to establish a good physical base for their players and to ensure that the group gets to know each other well.
Rhythmic training using the small nets and lengths of pitch was once again in the spotlight, although the players were also able to take shots against a goalkeeper.
“Training is more difficult than with Wilfried Nancy. There’s more running and more strength work. I think we will be in good shape when the season starts,” 20-year-old defender Róbert Thorkelsson stressed.
Losada did not want to advance on the composition of the group that will accompany him to Florida for the second portion of training camp, nor on the possibility that certain players will be cut.
In addition, the head coach was careful not to comment in depth – and for another time – the situation surrounding striker Kei Kamara. The 38-year-old veteran posted a 15-minute video on his Instagram account on Friday in which he said CF Montreal refused to negotiate certain terms of a contract extension that had been offered to him.
“I don’t follow Kei on Instagram so I don’t know what he posted. Everyone is free to do what they want. For sure he is behind the group, he hasn’t been here for a week, and today he had a medical appointment, but we will continue to work with him,” said Losada.
An opportunity for Miljević?
With the departures during the off-season of Djordje Mihailovic and Ismaël Koné, we could have expected a little internal competition in the position of offensive midfielder, but now the exchange of Joaquín Torres to the Philadelphia Union and the versatility of Quebecer Mathieu Choinière may have opened the door to Matko Miljević.
In his third season with CF Montreal, the 21-year-old Argentinian caught the eye of Losada in Saturday’s friendly, but Miljević approaches the situation with great humility.
“I’m not here to replace someone, I’m here to give my best. As the coach mentioned, the players who will be at their best will play. I agree with him and I’m working on being at the top of my game to take advantage of any opportunities I might get,” Miljević said.
Losada’s arrival has brought a small Argentinian connection between the two men, but it is above all the head coach’s playing experience that could allow Miljević to take a further step in his development.
“The fact that Hernán is of the same nationality as me is a little extra, but it’s above all that he played in the same position as me during his career. I think it can help me in my game and I think it’s the most positive thing for me with his arrival. It’s one of my goals to be in the starting XI, and I train accordingly, but after that it will be the coach’s decision,” concluded Miljević.