The president of CF Montreal Gabriel Gervais and Vice-President and Chief Sports Officer Olivier Renard were all smiles. To replace Wilfried Nancy at the helm of the team, they managed to unearth a coach well suited to his time. The Argentinian Hernán Losada is young – he is only 40 years old -, polyglot – he masters in particular Spanish, English, French and Flemish – and above all, he perfectly embraces the development philosophy of CF MTL.
Losada had a rather stellar start to Beerschot as they lifted the Antwerp club from the second side to the Belgian first division at the end of the 2019-20 season. His work has not been overlooked, as DC United hired him in January 2021 to revive the team in the American capital, which had just experienced one of the most horrific campaigns in its history.
However, things ended abruptly following only 41 games in the Fugazi region, but Losada nevertheless had time to leave a strong impression on Renard, particularly in the 2 games that DC United played once morest CF Montreal.
“If you look at the statistics, we had been super dominated, recalled Renard regarding the games of June 23 and August 8, 2021. The first game, played at [Fort Lauderdale]ended 0-0, but they had managed 21 or 22 (27 verification made, Ed) shots on goal and we only 4.
“The second, we were beaten 2-1 with more or less the same style (DC United had dominated 18-6 in terms of shots on goal, editor’s note). Hernán advocated a very attacking game with more or less the same tactics as us. It was important to have continuity in the ideas, in relation to the players, and not to change everything. It is the coach who will adapt to the club and not the other way around. My philosophy has always been to favor a 3-3 draw over a 0-0 draw. »
“I’m a former number 10, so I’ve always thought regarding how to win a game, not how not to lose it. I continually wonder how to create more scoring chances. Football is a spectacular sport. We must not forget that we have to sell a product and that the fans want to come back to the stadium. You have to play to win, but in the pleasure. »
The problem is that there was not always fun during Losada’s short stay in Washington. In an article published on April 21, 2022, The Athletic exposes the ambient unease that hovered during the reign of the Argentine technician thanks to numerous anonymous testimonies.
Among the things he is accused of is requiring players to follow a strict diet and weigh themselves regularly at the team’s training facility. “If you were three pounds over the limit, you were fined,” a source told The Athletic. “They went from being one of the least demanding coaches in the history of the league to one of the strictest,” another speaker quoted by The Athletic. Does Olivier Renard worry regarding it?
“You always have to check with the hearsay, but on the other hand, you have to be able to recognize that Hernán wasn’t all wrong either, replied Renard. When I hear that players had difficulty weighing themselves, I want to tell them that you have to be a professional first. Two or three pounds, it may be an injury that changes the course of a career forever…
“This is also one of the things that are most criticized in MLS (that the players are not in good shape, editor’s note). It’s important to have rules. Personally, I remember much more the teachers who were the hardest on me, those who tried to make me better. Basically, I prefer someone who is too professional rather than not enough. »
“Me too, I was already this player who asks questions and who is not happy with certain decisions, continued Losada. Now that I’m on the other side, I know it’s not easy work. It’s an extremely complicated job, but it’s a job that I love.
“I am a young coach who continues to learn a lot. I know I have things to fix, but I’m ready to become a better person and a better coach. It’s a challenge to keep a group of 30 players happy and motivated. That said, since my appointment, I have received 20-25 messages from former players and staff who are happy for me. It’s okay to emphasize a few negative posts, except I have nothing to hide. »
Losada has also had a run-in with its former management, notably criticizing it for being frugal with spending. Among other things, the Argentinian would have liked the team to hire a third designated player and he campaigned for the use of a much more comfortable bus to transport the players and the group of coaches before and following games.
Complaints that might very well have been expressed by any coach who has passed through Montreal in recent years. Moreover, the president Gabriel Gervais reiterated that the club will never seek to attract a great international star in its ranks.
“Our project is very clear: we are in the development of young people. We want to serve as a springboard for national teams and European clubs, expressed Gervais. We are not like our rivals from the 401 (Toronto, editor’s note). It’s not our philosophy. »
“When someone is kicked out of a club, they say things out of frustration,” Renard said. If Hernán didn’t agree with our philosophy, he wouldn’t be here today. »
Note that CF Montreal should announce in the coming days or weeks the identity of the assistants who will complete the team’s coaching staff next season. Remember that assistant coach Kwame Ampadu, physical trainer Jules Gueguen and video analyst Maxime Chalier also accompanied Wilfried Nancy to Columbus.
