A historical anomaly will be corrected on Saturday evening, at the Saputo stadium. Because in the mind of Gabriel Gervais, “it didn’t make sense that Mauro Biello’s name wasn’t there”.
Posted at 2:49 p.m.
“The greatest player in the history of the club”, according to the president of CF Montreal, will be inducted into its Wall of Fame.
Because “if there is one player who has worn the Bleu-blanc-noir brilliantly, it is Mauro,” said CF Montreal owner Joey Saputo on Friday.
The CFM had invited media and former players to a press conference at the Nutrilait Center to celebrate the induction of Biello. The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at half-time of the match against Toronto FC.
Biello sat in the middle of Saputo and Gervais. The trio were surrounded by the player’s old jerseys. All in the colors of the Impact, of course.
“We don’t want to forget our history,” said Saputo, a recurring theme at this press conference.
Biello himself said he was “proud to be part of it”.
“This story can serve as a foundation for many generations to come,” he said.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, THE PRESS
Joey Saputo, Mauro Biello and Gabriel Gervais
The former Impact midfielder holds all the club’s offensive records, as well as in terms of games and minutes played. He walked the field in Montreal colors from 1993 to 2009, even wearing the captain’s armband from 2002.
“I spent a lifetime here, he launched into the media scrum afterwards. As a player, and as a coach. To come back with this honor is something very special for my family and me. There are great emotions, and a sense of pride. »
“Respect has always been there”
” Come back. Because yes, it is a comeback. Biello, assistant coach of the club from 2009 to 2015 then head coach until 2017, was fired at the end of this last season.
Had he given up hope that such an honor would be bestowed upon him? Not really, he replies.
“I grew up at this club. He has always been close to my heart. Maybe I wasn’t there, but I was there in a way. I continued in another direction in my career, but in the end I’m happy with my time here. »
Gabriel Gervais, who was not working for the club at the time, agrees that “the job of a coach is really not easy”.
“The lifespan is very limited, but the respect has always been there. It’s a great honor to share this with him. »
“He was like a comedian”
For Mauro Biello, his success has always “passed through hard work”. “It was one of the most important things in my career,” he says.
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, THE PRESS
Mauro Biello’s jersey
Gabriel Gervais, who played with Biello throughout his career in Montreal from 2002 to 2008, can attest to that.
“I played central defender, he says in a press conference. I often told him to go back to help me defend! But otherwise, he was doing his job on offense. He was working so hard. In training, it was the first who was there. He was ready to work. He would not accept losing an intrasquad game. He was very intense, very respected. »
Gervais, Nevio Pizzolitto and Greg Sutton are the first three players inducted into the club’s Wall of Fame. He was there on Friday. Beyond Biello’s hard work and leadership, he also remembers the fun times.
“He was like a comedian! recalls the former Impact goalkeeper during an interview with The Press. He was a good player, but also a good actor. »
“We had good times together. […] Mauro has been a big part of our successes. We could always rally to him. He was always positive with everyone. »
Sutton also had the chance to be honored at Saputo Stadium. He was marked by the fact that he was able to live this moment with his family.
“My kids were able to kind of understand what that meant,” he says. I’m sure Mauro will enjoy it too, with his children. They will be able to understand what kind of impact he had on this town as a soccer player. This is the part I liked the most. »
The notion of history brought to the fore comes out again during this discussion.
“It’s so important,” says Greg Sutton. We really don’t want to lose our history. Nobody wants it. »
“Even though it was a different league, it’s nice to be able to show respect to former players. It allows the club to mature. To validate its existence. »
Who will be the next one ?
CF Montreal wishes to add one name per year to its Wall of Fame. “The players deserve it,” believes Gabriel Gervais. The club has a list of eligible player names, according to rules that it has established itself. You have to have played a certain number of matches, for a certain number of years. We also want to name players who have “marked the club, either with individual trophies or championships”. Is Ignacio Piatti eligible, for example? “Yes”, believes Gabriel Gervais. “I think he ranks there based on games played. »