In the 12 years since joining Major League Soccer (MLS), CF Montreal has collected head coaches. No fewer than nine pilots completed more or less memorable passages in the metropolis of Quebec.
• Also read: Separation between CF Montreal and Hernan Losada
With the departure of Hernan Losada after one season, the great debate about stability in Bleu-Blanc-Noir is reignited. Here are the coaches who replaced each other at the helm of the team:
Photo agency QMI, Jocelyn Malette
Jesse Marsch: October 2011 to November 2012
A few months before its first season on the Garber circuit in 2012, the Impact quickly announced its colors by handing the reins to Jesse Marsch. The American gained his first experience in Montreal and with the New York Red Bulls before making the leap to Europe in 2019. Disagreements led to his departure, which nevertheless took place on friendly terms.
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Marco Schällibaum: January 2013 to December 2013
Many will remember the “Swiss Volcano” for its unforgettable mood swings. Schällibaum was sent off for four games during the 2013 season. His record was positive, but relegation in the rankings and exit in the first round of the MLS playoffs led to his exit.
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Frank Klopas: December 2013 to August 2015
Speaking of explosive character: Frank Klopas was also very talented at this level. Montreal experienced both its best and worst moments during the Greek-American’s stay. The year 2015 was marked by participation in the CONCACAF Champions League final, but in the MLS it was very difficult, especially in 2014.
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Mauro Biello: August 2015 to October 2017
It was Mauro Biello who was given the responsibility of completing the 2015 season. And the most capped player in the club’s history didn’t miss his chance. He led the Impact during its golden age with great players like Didier Drogba, Ignacio Piatti and Patrice Bernier. He was kicked out at the end of the 2017 season, but is the longest-tenured coach with 93 games.
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Rémi Garde: November 2017 to August 2019
Under Guard, the Bleu-Blanc-Noir remained in the basement of the rankings and were eliminated from the post-season tournament for the third consecutive year. The former Olympique Lyonnais player was sacked in August 2019 after a series of poor performances.
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Wilmer Cabrera: August 2019 to October 2019
The award for shortest stay at the top goes to Wilmer Cabrera, who traveled from Houston for the final nine matches of the season. Management quickly assigned an experienced trainer who could only stammer a few words of English. But with the Colombian, the team from Montreal secured the Canadian title in September. However, his contract was not renewed for the following year.
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Thierry Henry: November 2019 to February 2021
Thierry Henry’s much-publicized passage could have led to greater things. The Frenchman arrived in Montreal with much fanfare, but the COVID-19 pandemic immediately put a stop to the plans. Being far from his family for a long time, he decided to return to the Old Continent a little less than a month before the start of the 2020 season. He only managed 35 games.
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Wilfried Nancy: March 2021 to December 2022
So it was Wilfried Nancy who gradually rose in the club and became the sole master on board. The Frenchman was a fan favorite and helped the team reconnect with its audience after a difficult transition to CF Montreal’s name and logo change. He led the team to the best regular season result in its history and also set a record for away wins. However, a series of arguments with owner Joey Saputo led to his departure to Columbus.
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Hernan Losada: December 2022 to November 2023
It’s not all bad things to take away from Losada’s short reign. The start of the season was disastrous, but several winning streaks followed. Only that CF Montreal remained hungry after being excluded from the playoffs in the last regular duel. 2023 brought the emergence of talented Quebecers Mathieu Choinière and Jonathan Sirois, but also some question marks at the offensive level.