Montreal Impact
Last Season: 42 points, 7th East, missed playoffs
Additions:
Andrea Pisanu FW
Blake Smith MF
Fernando Monge FW
Brad Stuver GK
Andres Fabricio Romero FW
Wandrille Lefevre MF
Maxime Tissot DF
Departures:
Shavar Thomas DF
Evan James MF/FW
Eduardo Sebrango FW
Greg Sutton GK
Josh Gardner DF
Bernardo Corradi FW
Miguel Montano MF
Bryan Arguez MF
Lamar Neagle MF
2012 Overview:
Montreal’s season can be looked at in two parts. Part one stared Jesse Marsch and his effort to conventionally build a solid MLS team that could compete, but who might not be all that sexy.
Then the owner grew impatient. Joey Saputo took player signing powrrs away from Marsch and started to build a team in his image. It’s become a cliché to joke that the Impact would be happier playing in Serie C, but there is little doubt that Saputo has utilized his connections in Italy to build a team that has a very Old World feel.
Big name signings Marco Di Vaio and Alessandro Nesta grabbed the headlines, but more important was the solid play of a core of capable MLSers. They paced Montreal to a 5-game winning streak in the second half of the year and, surprisingly, into the playoff conversation (albeit in the periphery).
The playoffs weren’t to be, but the way Montreal ended the year gave many hope that they might do the trick in season two.
Splitting opinion on that front was the decision to part ways with Marsch. It was likely for the best – neither side was happy – but it does illustrate a philosophical difference between how much of MLS operate and how the Impact seem to want to do business.
Can a MLS team be successful by looking outside of the typical methods used in MLS to build teams? It seems we’re going to find out by watching the Impact.
2013 Squad and Expectations:
Marco Schällibaum is exactly the type of coach that has failed in MLS multiple times. Yet, the Impact believe that he’s the right one to break that trend.
Certainly he will get the support needed – for his faults, Saputo does have an undeniable passion and he backs that up with his pocketbook – but it’s unclear whether he knows what it takes to deal with the unique aspects of MLS.
There are many – mostly Impact fans – that do not believe that MLS experience is necessary to win in MLS. History is not on their side, but, then again, the Impact exceeded all expectations in 2012. Who is to say they can’t repeat the performance again?
For all of the foreign signings it might be a NCAA player that is the key to a true breakthrough. The Impact need 2012 first Superdraft pick Andrew Wenger to play up to the potential they saw in selecting him.
They also need the old bodies to stay healthy. Nesta isn’t getting younger, after all.
With Montreal, it’s hard to see the end result of the team in the pre-season. You just know that Saputo will tinker. In the past, his tinkering has paid off – in D2 Montreal was always a player. Time will tell if it will work in MLS.
Prediction:
Perhaps no team in MLS has as much sink or swim potential as Montreal. With the approach they have taken there seems to be equal chance of it blowing up in their face as there is that it will pay off.
Until a philosophy like Montreal’s pays off – and we can’t stress enough that there is next to no history of that happening in MLS – it’s simply safer to think that more traditional MLS teams (think DC United or Houston) will be more successful.
A playoff season seems unlikely.
Or, not. Regardless, Montreal will be fascinating to watch.