Mathieu Choinière | “We will miss him, that’s for sure”

You’re not seeing things: no, nothing has been officially announced yet about Mathieu Choinière’s departure to Europe. But in the meantime, CF Montreal is already preparing the ground for the future.

“The club is still in negotiations for Mathieu,” commented head coach Laurent Courtois on Friday morning at the Nutrilait Centre. Which doesn’t mean he’ll be in the lineup this Saturday, against the New England Revolution at Saputo Stadium.

For that to happen, the negotiations with Grasshopper Club in Zurich, Switzerland, would have to have fallen through. Last Tuesday, president Gabriel Gervais mentioned that the final details of the transaction were being finalized, and that Choinière would be heading to Europe “immediately.”

“When we had the interviews at the start of the season,” Courtois continued, “and we got to know each other about the objectives, it was very clear that it was an objective for him. It’s the success of a club, and it’s a great story of a small local.”

Joel Waterman, for his part, also praised the “success story” that Choinière’s career with CF Montreal represents. “He’s a great guy who deserves everything that comes his way,” he added.

But at the same time, Waterman did not hide the vibrant shock that his transfer causes within the team.

“We will miss him, that’s for sure,” he said.

In search of “balance”

One of these players is Nathan Saliba. We feel like we know him well now, after a season and a half in the boots. The fact remains that this product of the Academy is only 20 years old. And here he is in an excellent position to impose himself with even more regularity in the number 8 position, in central midfield. To become, essentially, the engine of the team.

“He’s a great young talent,” Waterman said. “He’s a good kidfirst of all. He’s a sponge, he wants to learn, he wants to improve, and he has the right attitude for that. He wants to make the jump to Europe eventually. That’s his dream, and he’s in the right place to achieve it. He has to have games and be consistent in his performances, and I believe he can do that.”

In addition to Choiniere, Ariel Lassiter and Ruan, both 29, have also left the club, partly replaced by youngsters Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Dawid Bugaj. So there are two important sources of leadership evaporating from the Montreal locker room.

Of course, left-back Tom Pearce (26) was acquired in part to fill this new gap. But for Waterman, “it takes a balance.”

“We lost a few older guys who were part of our core,” said the 28-year-old Canadian. “Veterans who made sure the standards were respected. Guys who are aware of the rules. Losing guys like that makes things a little more difficult, but I think we still have enough leadership on this team to keep it together. We can show the younger guys what this league is made of, and answer their questions.”

But he is nevertheless reassuring, as the final stretch of the season begins this Saturday.

“We have a good balance of youth and veterans on the team right now. That puts us in a good position for the last few games.”