A warm wave of love on one side. Recipients happy and moved by each other. Obviously, the Montreal public was eager to meet this 2024 edition of CF Montreal. And it was mutual.
We saw proof of this on Tuesday evening in a packed MTELUS for the launch of the Bleu-blanc-noir season. Around 2,000 people came to sing, greet and applaud the players and members of the coaching staff, both new and old. After five games on the road to start the season, this dose of love was welcome.
“We never get tired of these events,” remarked Samuel Piette, who was dragged out of a long autograph and photo signing session to come and speak to the media gathered on the stage after the event. .
“Just to see the people happy, both the fans and the new players, who have not experienced this contact with the Montreal crowd, […] It still has the same feeling. »
Laurent Courtois, who perhaps received the warmest welcome – because he was supported throughout the evening – said he “never gets used” to “so much positivity, so much energy”.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Head coach Laurent Courtois and his players
“You see that little ones dream and you see that adults want to dream,” said the man whose name was chanted several times. It makes you want to give. »
Courtois also wants to use this love as an “opportunity to lock in the message a little more” that he wants to transmit to his flock.
“I know that it affects the players, and when we manage to unify it all, it will explode soon. You just have to channel it. »
“A little boost of energy”
Some players are more reserved than others. But there are some, visibly skilled in front of a crowd, who knew how to absorb the energy and give it back to the supporters. Ruan kissed the badge and demonstrated his passion on stage. Joel Waterman had fun lifting one side, then the other, before sending a ball – like all the ones presented – onto the floor. Was this the closest thing to the feeling rock stars experience?
” I think so ! Waterman replied with a laugh. But these guys do this every other day, they must be tired. It’s incredible ! These supporters are the best. We just want to play and win in front of them. »
The Impact has not always organized these launches at the Metropolis, nor in front of such a dense crowd, but nonetheless: not all MLS teams offer an annual meeting of this kind with their fans. And Samuel Piette, with the club since 2017, was not his first.
“I asked Josef the question just before boarding [sur scène], submits the captain of the CFM. I asked him if it was something he did in Atlanta or Miami. He told me that it’s a kind of exercise that they only do when there’s a new jersey, or something like that. »
For the club, for us, for the fans, to do this every year, […] This gives a very good idea of what we can expect in terms of the atmosphere in the Saputo stadium.
Samuel Piette
Samuel Piette adds: this launch comes at a “very, very good time”. The CFM has just played five consecutive games on the road, including two defeats in its last two outings. He leaves on Wednesday for Seattle, where he will face the Sounders on Saturday evening. This will be followed by the highly anticipated meeting on April 13, at home. Finally.
“It gives us a little boost of energy to attack this last match, to give everything, to come home and know what awaits us,” underlines Piette.
Take me to wonderland
The evening was hosted by Frédéric Lord, the voice of CF Montreal since 2012, at TVA Sports then at Apple TV.
Lord quickly gave the floor to Patrick Leduc. The club’s director of soccer culture hosted a discussion panel with a friendly atmosphere in which president Gabriel Gervais, sports director Olivier Renard and coach Laurent Courtois participated.
The latter played with the public as soon as he arrived: “Montreal, is it okay? I hope you set the stadium on fire! », then advocating “patience” for a group of players who are “reconstructing codes”.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
There was a lot of atmosphere at MTELUS on Tuesday evening.
The players then paraded one after the other in front of the fans. It was sometimes even difficult to hear Frédéric Lord’s voice, although it carried, amid the acclamations.
Each Montrealer appeared in front of their audience with the song of their choice. We found that of Samuel Piette, Take me, particularly eloquent. Why not hear it before a match at Saputo Stadium?
” I would like that ! I am a big fan of Charles Aznavour. My parents are here [ce soir], my father is a big fan of Charles, I grew up with it in the kitchen on Sundays when we were cleaning. It was a bit of a formality to play a Charles song. »
For one evening, at least, CF Montreal was able to take a trip to wonderland.
No renovations anytime soon at the Saputo stadium
According to president Gabriel Gervais, this start of the season abroad constitutes the new “reality” to which the club and its supporters “will have to get used to”. “Our home, Saputo stadium, cannot be ready before the first or second week of April. […] We currently have very good results abroad, it’s not easy to win abroad in MLS. But it unites us and it just makes us want to come home. » In this vein, does he plan to make improvements to the Saputo stadium in the short or medium term? ” No. Even if we wanted to put in the best possible system to winterize or warm the stadium, the grass cannot grow in February or March in Montreal. We will have to start the season abroad. »
Joel Waterman fined
MLS announced Tuesday that the CF Montreal defender will be fined. The reason: he did not “leave the field in an adequate amount of time” last Saturday when he received a red card from the official in the 55the minute. Red card which, thanks to the video replay, was canceled a few moments later. Asked to comment on his fine, the amount of which was not disclosed, Waterman began by smiling on Tuesday evening. “I just hope I don’t have to pay, since it wasn’t a red card,” he finally said.