Soccer Quebec General Manager Mathieu Chamberland is leaving the Quebec Federation to join Canada Soccer.
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Chamberland has accepted the position of chief operating officer for the governing body of football in Canada.
He joined Soccer Quebec in 2014 as director of refereeing and became interim general manager in 2016. In 2018 he officially became General Manager.
Mathieu Chamberland will officially step down on March 10 and his current assistant Olivier Plante will take over on an interim basis.
Progress
For Chamberland, who is only 36, this is a major professional advancement.
“I get very spoiled. A case has been started since October, and in January it was settled, ”he confides in a telephone interview.
“It’s a challenge I’m really looking forward to. I come at a time when Canadian football is in turmoil. The men went to the World Cup, the girls are playing there this summer and have won Olympic gold.
“I’ll be able to experience a World Cup at home as part of the team and that’s very exciting. It’s an offer I couldn’t refuse. »
This rise is the only reason that made him give up a position he liked to have.
“I was in general management for five years, I was very happy there and only leave to further my career. I will always be grateful to Soccer Quebec for giving me a chance when I was young. They let me make progress and make mistakes. »
leave in silence
Even if half of his mandate was shaped by the pandemic, Mathieu Chamberland travels to Ottawa with peace of mind.
“I am leaving satisfied with what I have achieved. Would I like to have done more? Surely. The house is clean. We were able to implement organizational and governance changes. »
In addition, the pandemic was important for the unity of his federation.
“She showed how well the big family of Quebec football could pull it off.
“There’s a lot of passion, we feel it in our members, there’s a lot of diversity because it’s a sport practiced by boys, girls and cultural communities. »