(Bordeaux, France) We suspected it, but Jesse Marsch confirms it to La Presse: CF Montreal’s catastrophic month of May was the cause of the exclusion of Joel Waterman and Jonathan Sirois from the June camp. Canadian team in Europe.
“You gave up a lot of goals, and I think you can play more physical, have a bigger presence on defense,” he said he told Waterman. Our interview took place last Saturday, before the training of the selection which was going to face France on Sunday.
Behind Marsch, installed on a stool in the lobby of the Canadian team hotel in Bordeaux, Kevin Blue and Peter Augruso, secretary general and president of Canada Soccer respectively, chat quietly in front of Blue’s open laptop.
“I know [Joel] is good with the ball. But I told him that for him to fit into our style of play in the future, I want to see him trust his athleticism, and push to become a more physical defender. »
Their conversation took place before CF Montreal’s last week of activity before the international break. It must be admitted that it caused the expected shock.
After conceding goals in spades, having only one victory in 13 matches, suffering a humiliation against Toronto FC and an elimination against Hamilton Forge, Montreal went into truce with three matches without defeat, including a home victory. In this case, the CFM demonstrated much more intensity during this last week than during the entire previous month.
“[Waterman] has done a good job in matches since we spoke,” confirms Marsch.
Same story in the case of Sirois. “I think he had a great last season, and a good start to this one. But because of the goals allowed, I wanted to look at different options, and see if they were going to reposition themselves defensively. »
The fact that this happened allows him to think about their integration for the Copa América, which gets underway on June 20. And it’s not just these two players who could still be part of it.
He cites other Canadians in the CFM, including Raheem Edwards, Nathan Saliba and Jules-Anthony Vilsaint, as other potential candidates. “They’re not far [from the Canadian team]. I haven’t spoken to them all, but I see everything about their performances. »
Goes for the Montrealers absent from the camp. How did Samuel Piette and Mathieu Choinière, who went there?
The match against France had not taken place at the time of the interview, and neither player ultimately took part. But they both got minutes in the second half against the Netherlands three days earlier.
“Mathieu is a young player who we must develop, push him to have big opportunities and more responsibilities. Challenge him to grow quickly within what we are trying to establish. »
The Quebecer is in camp because Marsch believes he has “the qualities” necessary for the style of play he wants to implement. “He was solid in front of the Netherlands, confident, and he did well. »
Piette’s profile is different, he says. As is his “role.” He is an “experienced player,” who brings “the basics of how we work, and how we think.”
Met earlier today, the CFM captain confirmed that he “was correct” with this idea.
“I know there’s [Stephen] Eustáquio, there’s [Ismaël] Koné who are doing well in their club,” he said of the other Canadian midfielders. “Right now, in the national team, in the hierarchy, they’re ahead of me. It’s the same thing for Mathieu.”
So, Samuel, what’s it like working under Jesse Marsch?
“It’s very busy! Not physically, because we haven’t trained much. »
Between the matches, the light pre-match sessions and the regeneration periods, that actually leaves little time to work thoroughly on the tactical aspects on the field, in around ten days of camp.
On the other hand, there are many encounters. A meeting of the goalkeepers with the defenders. Another with the midfielders and the attackers.
“It’s a lot of mental load. New tricks to learn. Not that it’s night and day with what we do in Montreal, but it’s still quite different. »
Marsch is the style of the Red Bulls family: intense, high pressure on the pitch. Fast play in transition. “Go forward” with “vertical strokes,” says Piette.
It’s a lot, isn’t it, learning two different styles of play at the same time, especially with the month of hell that the Impact has just had?
“It’s not the first time I’ve had a change of coach,” he said. There, two changes in the same year, it may seem like a lot, but I am not further back or more advanced than the others. We are all in the same boat. »
Besides, even if he is a little saddened by the fact that the break has “broken the momentum” of CF Montreal, Piette is still very happy to find one of his “best friends” and his roommate, Alistair Johnston.
“We’re having fun, and it’s good to have a change of scenery. »