The end of the season for CF Montreal did not make us forget the difficulties the club had in progressing with its project, but it showed that it was on the right track.
The Bleu-blanc-noir only got two meager points more than last year, when it was excluded from the series on the last day of activities. However, the faces were much brighter during the assessment at the Nutrilait Center, Friday.
Less than two months ago, that wasn’t really the picture that was emerging. With seven games to play, Montreal was closer to last place in the Eastern Conference than to a playoff spot. Several members of the organization insisted that nothing has changed and that the speeches have remained the same, but the trigger has arrived.
The players showed a much-needed comfort with head coach Laurent Courtois’ style of play and finished the campaign with a 5-1-1 record. Sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, CF Montreal hosted a playoff game against Atlanta United, to whom they lost on penalties.
Participating in a playoff game is not the accomplishment of a lifetime, but when you know how far the Bleu-blanc-noir came from, you can understand why it is what seems to have drawn the line between a positive and a negative season.
“I wasn’t happy with our performances and I wasn’t convinced of the group’s effort. I asked the coaches and players to find solutions, and I liked the response,” said president Gabriel Gervais. “I remember the last performances. Even in the loss to Atlanta, we showed character and the way we are capable of playing. We missed our goal of winning the Canadian Championship, but we achieved great things with the way we want to play.”
An eventful first
Gervais may be seeing the season in a positive light due to some sometimes difficult circumstances.
The club once again had to start its season with a long stretch abroad and – as usual – it was struggling with several injuries. Then, there was the departure of vice-president and chief sporting officer Olivier Renard and several veterans, including Quebecer Mathieu Choinière. All this wrapped up in one of the smallest payrolls and one of the youngest teams in MLS.
It should also be remembered that Courtois was taking his first steps at the helm of a professional team. The 46-year-old Frenchman, who was confirmed to return as head coach of the Bleu-blanc-noir in 2025, had to adjust along the way and he intends to approach his second season with a better understanding of the league’s challenges.
“Players need direction and instruction. They don’t need to be managed. They need to be taught things, told things or asked things. I’ve got to do a better job of helping them with that,” he said.
“You have to find ways to prevent injuries and create a mentality throughout the team. You have to make the players believe that they are here to be better. You have to be here to represent an organization, for a common cause and to be a hell of a lot better. Nobody cares what you accomplished in the past. It’s what you bring to the table today.”
The contribution of young people
Courtois has managed to get the best out of his players in the final weeks of the season and some youngsters have seemed to rise to prominence under his command.
Nathan Saliba began to receive the call-up to Canada for international duty while Bryce Duke and George Campbell improved as the season progressed. Not to mention Caden Clark and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty, who arrived during the summer transfer window, made a huge impact in the final two months of the campaign.
CF Montreal has never hidden its plans to develop young players and these few examples prove that the team is capable of doing so, even if it is not present in MLS Next Pro.
Gervais and Courtois are encouraged to see the young players stepping up to the next level, but so are the club’s veterans, which could bode well for 2025.
“That’s another thing we can be proud of. The group we have is very young. Knowing the success we’ve had is still very positive and it looks very good for the future,” said captain Samuel Piette. “What keeps me going and what makes me happy is that the young guys who are here want to stay here. Caden and Jahkeele are very happy to be here. That’s good to hear and it means we’re creating something good.”
Will he come back, won’t he come back?
If Clark and Marshall-Rutty want to stay in Montreal, the mystery hovers around forward Josef Martinez, the Bleu-blanc-noir’s top scorer in 2024.
CF Montreal holds the option year on the 31-year-old Venezuelan’s contract, but the club’s management has consistently said it won’t twist a player’s arm if he wants to leave.
Martinez did not want to compromise himself during the assessment, about twenty minutes after receiving the title of most valuable player of the team.
“I’m proud to be here. My job is to put in the effort on the field here, all the time, every day, and I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I have to come here to train with my teammates. I have a contract and they’re the bosses. I’m very happy to have been part of this team this year and I want to congratulate the fans for their support because it was magnificent. We would have liked to continue our journey, but we hope that next season will be better.”
If Martinez were to leave, CF Montreal would free up about $1.3 million. Either way, the team will likely save a significant amount of money in 2025.
Midfielder Victor Wanyama’s $1.8 million contract is expiring and the writing is on the wall that the designated player won’t be back, having played just 12 games this season. Lassi Lappalainen’s $750,000 is also set to go up in smoke, having played just 11 games.
Gervais doesn’t know if the Bleu-blanc-noir will have a designated player in 2025, but he assured that the team will spend wisely.
“Spending a lot of money is no guarantee of success. I would like to name a team, but I will not. We are diligent in getting talent at the right prices, with veterans to help. Yes, there will be money available and there will be changes in the team, but we will use that money to get players who fit into our sporting philosophy and who can help with our style of play,” the president expressed.
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