Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal) FC SAVE THE DATES: MLS Schedules Home Openers for 2012 Regular Season Impact to play its first MLS home game on March 17 at Olympic Stadium NEW YORK, NY – Major League Soccer’s 17th season will kick off on Saturday, March 10, 2012 with six matches. First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods will continue with two games on Sunday, March 11 and one on Monday, March 12. All but one MLS club will play in front of their home fans by the end of Week 3 of the 2012 regular season. The Houston Dynamo look forward to their May 12 debut in a sparkling new downtown stadium built specifically for soccer. The Montreal Impact’s first home game in MLS will be played at Olympic Stadium on March 17. The newly-renovated Stade Saputo is scheduled to open in June. Times, opponents, and national broadcast information for these games will be included in the entire regular season schedule, which will be announced upon its completion in the coming weeks. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/ne...ls-schedules-home-openers-2012-regular-season
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal) FC Your new jersey! The new design contains several new local elements MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact and BMO Financial Group, the club’s presenting partner, unveiled the new team jersey in preparation for the club’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2012, as part of a fashion show at the Montreal Science Centre, on Thursday. The two organizations took advantage of the momentous occasion to also unveil the equipment and training gear. “This is a historic moment for the Montreal Impact. The new team jersey represents not only the identity of the club, but also the city of Montreal and the entire province of Quebec,” said Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo. “We are proud to have partnered with BMO Financial Group, Canada’s soccer bank. We are very pleased to have shared this unique experience with our supporters and our partners.” “This is an exciting day for all soccer fans with the unveiling of the superb Impact jersey that highlights the team’s roots and association with Montreal and Quebec,” said L. Jacques Ménard, President, BMO Financial Group, Quebec. “As the Impact defines its identity following last week’s MLS draft and subsequent player moves, and today’s jersey announcement, BMO is proud to partner with an organization that will have an immediate impact in promoting soccer in our community and representing Montreal throughout North America as the team begins its first season in MLS in March 2012.” IMFC BOUTIQUE: http://www.impactmontreal.com/en http://www.mlsgearcanada.ca/mls-team-montreal-impact.html http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/montreal-impact-and-bmo-unveil-new-team-jersey
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Del Piero, Bernier linked to Impact Del Piero has indicated that this will be his final year at Juventus and it’s long been suggested that he would end his career in North America. The Impact have strong links with the Italian community in Montreal and, as such, Del Piero has been thought to be a good fit as a marquee DP signing for the club. However, there has been little to suggest that the link is more than fantasy prior to today. Marsch also said that the club was in talks to bring Canadian international and Montreal-native Patrice Bernier to the club. He did not indicate whether they were close to the deal, but said that talks were ongoing. Earlier this year, Bernier spoke to It’s Called Football and said that he would be “thrilled” to be part of Montreal’s launch into MLS, but that he had not had any contact with the club at that time. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/reactions
Re: MLS to play in Montreal in 2012 IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE AND BECOME ONE OF THE MOST ELECTRIFYING STADIUMS IN MLS, WE ARE ORGANIZING THE “SUPPORTERS CHALLENGE”. IF WE REACH 500 SEASON TICKETS AS OF DECEMBER 15TH, WE WILL ORGANIZE A DRAW OF 20 NAMES FOR A TRIP TO THE FIRST IMPACT VS TFC DUEL IN TORONTO! TICKETS TO THE GAME AS WELL AS TRANSPORTATION WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE IMPACT (A PAIR OF TICKETS PER NAME). THIS DRAW IS FOR SUPPORTERS IN SECTION 132 EXCLUSIVELY. YOU CAN INCREASE YOUR CHANCES TO WIN BY REFERRING US NEW SUPPORTER SEASON TICKET HOLDER. FOR EVERY CLIENT THAT YOU REFER US, YOUR NAME IS ADDED TO THE HAT. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/supporters/supporters-challenge
Re: MLS to play in Montreal in 2012 Montreal Impact adds Ian Westlake to MLS roster MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact has added another player to their Major League Soccer roster on Monday, and it’s a familiar face to local fans. Midfielder Ian Westlake becomes the fourth player from the 2011 edition of the Impact to make the jump to MLS. The other three are midfielders Hassoun Camara and Sinisa Ubiparipovic, as well as goalkeeper Evan Bush Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Montreal Impact adds Westlake roster/5814281/story.html#ixzz1fhkuiGTh
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Marsch and Montreal are focusing on the MLS Re-Entry Draft Process. “There are some interesting names on that list,” Marsch said of the available players. “Most of these players are on it because their salaries have gotten pretty high.” Monday's first stage of the Re-Entry Process saw just three players selected – defender Danleigh Borman by the New England Revolution, midfielder Arturo Alvarez by Chivas USA and defender Carlos Mendes by the Columbus Crew. Montreal, with the 19th pick, declined to make a selection. “We’ll be careful about how we proceed,” Marsch said. “In the second round, we’ll think a bit more about what we think might fit, but overall, I don’t expect us to have a lot of action.” Among the players still available in Stage 2 is Ryan Pore, who was on loan to the Impact last season from the Portland Timbers. “Ryan and I have had a good conversation about this,” Marsch said. “I do think he still has a lot of good qualities and he is a guy that we could still think about. But the way it works with contracts, we thought it was best to have him in that list.” Not on the list anymore is Montreal’s 2011 goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who was on loan from the New York Red Bulls. The netminder's future with the Impact is unknown. “I won’t talk about that just yet,” Marsch said of Sutton’s situation. “Yes, I can confirm that we have taken his name off the list.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/12/05/impact-head-coach-marsch-confirms-talks-anelka
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) MLS debut at Vancouver! First Kick 2012: The Impact will face its Canadian rivals MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact will play its first ever game in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday, March 10 (broadcast live on: RDS, TSN) against its Canadian rivals the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at 6 pm (EST), at BC Place in Vancouver. “This will be a historic match for the Montreal Impact,” said sporting director Nick De Santis. “It will be very special to finally play our first game in MLS on top of facing rival Vancouver. There is already 20 years of history between these two clubs in the North American Soccer League and the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The rivalry can now continue at the highest level. There is a lot of respect between the two organizations.” http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/historic-match-impact-vancouver-march-10
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Wahl of a defender Newly acquired left back excited to get started It takes a defender longer to fully develop into an everyday player. Analysts have tried to explain this away by talking about how playing as a defender requires more maturity as there is a level of responsibility that comes with being the last line of defence. In Tyson Wahl’s case, he feels he’s ready for a new challenge with Montreal. “I am very proud of all the success that we had as a team in Seattle,” said the 27-year-old defender. “I fought to earn a regular spot and played well last season. I am really thrilled and excited to be going to Montreal. I have heard nothing but great things about the city and the fans. I feel my experience can definitely help and I am looking forward to being a part of the challenge of starting fresh and being part of the Impact’s defense for many years.” http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/wahl-defender
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Impact Notebook: No urgency for Designated Player Talks with Anelka come to halt; Montreal await decision from Ching REAL – Despite recent rumors linking the Impact to Nicolas Anelka, the two parties are not currently in contact over a deal for 2012, Montreal sporting director Nick De Santis told reporters on Tuesday. The French striker had been approached by the Impact, but more recently has been linked to a lucrative deal with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua. “The discussions with him had been stopped a few weeks ago,” De Santis said. The Impact are still waiting on confirmation that former Houston Dynamo striker Brian Ching will join the club after he was selected first overall in the Expansion Draft late last month. Ching expressed before the draft that he would retire if taken by the Impact, but the longtime MLS star has yet to go public with his intentions for 2012. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/12/07/impact-notebook-no-urgency-designated-player
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Impact complete signing of ex-Sounders forward Montano After successful loan stint in 2011, Colombian youngster moves to Montreal permanently The MLS version of the Montreal Impact is beginning to look more and more like the NASL version of the Montreal Impact. As expected, the club announced on Wednesday the signing of Colombian forward Miguel Montano, who played six games and scored one goal for the Impact in 2011 while on loan from the Seattle Sounders. Per club and MLS policy, terms of the new agreement were not disclosed. "In 2011, Miguel showed that he is a dangerous, mobile, and intelligent young forward and his performances helped the team to a very strong second half of the season," Impact head coach Jesse Marsch said in a statement. "Moving into MLS, we believe that Miguel is ready to elevate his game even more and contribute to a successful year in 2012." http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/12/07/impact-complete-signing-ex-sounders-forward-montano
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Impact bring club legend Greg Sutton back to Montreal Veteran goalkeeper signs with expansion club where he made his name Then there were three. The Montreal Impact added a third goalkeeper on Friday, announcing the return of former Impact star Greg Sutton. Per club and Major League Soccer policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed. Sutton joins Donovan Ricketts, recently acquired in a trade with the LA Galaxy, and Evan Bush, who started in the nets for the NASL Impact in 2011. “We are very pleased that Greg will be joining us for 2012,” Impact head coach Jesse Marsch said in a statement. “His experience in MLS, with Toronto FC in their inaugural season and with New York, as well as his experience with the Impact franchise, makes him a terrific fit for our organization. His addition to our goalkeeping corps gives us great depth, knowledge and talent at that position.” Sutton, 34, spent the last four years in MLS. He made 34 appearances for Toronto in the club’s first three seasons. In April 2010, he joined the Red Bulls, where he made 10 starts in a mostly backup role for the Big Apple club http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/12/09/impact-bring-club-legend-greg-sutton-back-montreal
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) THE QUESTION OF FACEBOOK Is this one of the best threesomes in MLS? http://www.facebook.com/impactmontreal#!/impactmontreal?sk=wall
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Meet Davy Arnaud MLS veteran excited about new challenge in Montreal With 10 years experience in MLS, Davy Arnaud, 31, has seen the league grow from its infancy to being internationally recognized. The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup winner and MLS Cup finalist speaks with Impact Media about his experiences in the league and internationally, and his excitement about being a part of the Impact next season following his departure from Sporting Kansas City in November. Q&A Session: http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/meet-davy-arnaud
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Historic training camp for the Impact The club will make stops in Guadalajara, Los Angeles and Orlando MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday the details surrounding its upcoming training camps in preparation for the club’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer (MLS). Under the direction of head coach Jesse Marsch, the Impact will make three stops on a training tour outside the country before it plays its first game on March 10 in Vancouver. The players will take part in a series of medical and physical exams on January 15, prior to taking part in the first official on-field training session, set for January 16 at the Marie-Victorin Sports Complex in Montreal. PRESEASON CALENDAR (subject to change) January 12, 2012 MLS SuperDraft in Kansas City January 15, 2012 Physical and medical examinations January 16, 2012 First training session Marie-Victorin Sports Complex January 17, 2012 Training session Marie-Victorin Sports Complex January 18 to 29, 2012 Trip to Guadalajara, Mexico February 1 to 4, 2012 Training session Marie-Victorin Sports Complex February 6 to 18, 2012 Trip to Los Angeles, California February 21 to March 4, 2012 Trip to Orlando, Florida March 10, 2012 First game in MLS at Vancouver (6pm ET) March 17, 2012 First home game at Olympic Stadium http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/historic-training-camp-impact
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Impact invites five Canadians from 2011 roster to camp Pizzolitto, Sebrango, Gatti, Agourram and Ilcu invited to Mexico MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Thursday that five Canadian players from the 2011 roster have been invited to the team’s first MLS training camp, in hopes of earning a contract for the 2012 season Goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, midfielders Leonardo Di Lorenzo and Amir Lowery, as well as forward Mignane Diouf, will not return with the club in 2012. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/ne...-five-canadians-2011-roster-mls-training-camp
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Why MLS Should Thank Marsch for Drafting Brian Ching The selection by Montréal Impact of Houston’s Brian Ching has raised controversy across the league. Prior to the draft, Ching had publicly stated he didn’t want to play in Montréal and would retire if drafted. With that floating around the MLS airwaves, Dominic Kinnear elected to protect eleven other players. If you protect eleven others, and then have one player issuing ultimatums and threats about retiring if drafted, what you are in fact trying to do is protect twelve players. They protected eleven and put Ching in the position of stamping his feet like a sulky child, hoping Marsch would take the easy route. Marsch called their bluff. The entire league owes him a thank you. Had Kinnear got away with it, it would have started a trend. That trend would have consisted of players’ agents releasing petulant and contemptuous statements about expansion clubs in the weeks leading up to the draft. That would have undermined the Expansion Draft system entirely. http://www.prostamerika.com/2011/11/25/impact-selection-of-ching-stops-dangerous-precedent-53078/
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) The Impact offers soccer during the holiday season Soccer Schools’ calendar for the holiday season MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact unveiled on Friday the Soccer Schools’ calendar for the holiday season. For the first time since 2008, both boys and girls from the greater metropolitan region can take advantage of an Impact clinic during this time of the year. "We are delighted to offer programs during the holidays as it fits perfectly with our philosophy,” said Olivier Brett, director of the Montreal Impact Soccer Schools. “While we want the kids to learn and improve, we also seek to create a fun and entertaining environment. The Soccer Schools have a technical staff of the highest quality. This means that as of 2012, we will be able to offer more programs with an even better standard of coaching.” http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/impact-offers-soccer-during-holiday-season
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Veterans look to make an Impact in camp Pizzolitto and Sebrango relish chance to show what they got When looking back on the past successes of Montreal’s professional soccer team, there are a few long-serving Impact players that stand out. All-time leading scorer and winner of three playoff championships Mauro Biello, currently the club’s assistant coach, would be one…so would sporting director Nick De Santis, who won playoff championships as a player, a coach and a manager. There are also two names on that list who just received invitations to the club’s first ever MLS training camp in January; Eduardo Sebrango and Nevio Pizzolitto. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/veterans-look-make-impact-camp
Re: MONTREAL IMPACT (Impact de Montréal FC) Quebec native Patrice Bernier returns to Montreal Current Canadian National Team member previously played nine seasons in Europe MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Monday the signing of Quebec native midfielder Patrice Bernier. As per club and Major League Soccer (MLS) policy, details of the contract were not disclosed. A native of Brossard and current resident of Montreal’s south shore, Bernier, 32, will make his return with the Impact, formerly wearing the team’s colours from 2000-2002. A current Canadian National Team member, he previously played nine seasons in Europe, with Moss F.K and Tromso IL in Norway, FC Kaiserslautern in Germany, as well as FC Nordsjaelland and Lyngby BK in Denmark. “We have been in talks with Patrice for quite some time and we are extremely pleased that he will be joining the Impact for the 2012 season,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “His years of experience in top leagues in Europe will provide the team with savvy and intelligence. As a player, he is very sharp on the ball and his tactical awareness will be a great value in the midfield. As a person, he is a good man and a strong leader. Patrice is very excited and ready for the challenge of helping our club reach the next level.” http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/12/quebec-native-patrice-bernier-returns-montreal
