CF Montreal finds itself deep in crisis, having not won since April 13. However, Laurent Courtois’ men will have the opportunity to end this difficult streak when Nashville SC visits Saturday at the Saputo stadium.
However, the players will have to regain a confidence which is obviously fragile in these times. And fans will have a crucial role to play in this.
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“We need them to give us back this confidence, but at the same time, it is up to us with our actions to regain their confidence,” said Samuel Piette at a press conference on Friday.
Moreover, Piette and Courtois, in particular, met the fans after the defeat in the Canadian Championship against Forge FC on Wednesday, and the exchange seemed to be constructive.
“I didn’t try to make excuses. […] But it was also to let them know that we are affected, maybe even the first [à l’être]. At the end of the day, we’re the ones who aren’t doing the work right now, but we’re the ones who show up every day and we’re not proud of ourselves.”
“[C’est] quite simply to let them know that we are not happy with the situation and that we want to change that, but it is difficult because trust is not at the maximum, and we have the impression that we are walking on eggs,” continued the captain of the Montreal team.
Reasons for hope
As for the Montreal head coach, he agreed with his captain, and instead sought to be positive.
“There is pain but also reasons for hope. I see who I can build with, and I’m not just talking about the players. I can’t wait to get back on track. I like it when there’s no one with me,” Courtois said.
“I am convinced that the majority of supporters who came during the last meetings still believe in the sporting project. There are a lot of things that have happened that have also caused discontent to arise. This is totally understandable. I don’t feel like there will be a lack of support on Saturday. I strongly believe in it.”
The Bleu-Blanc-Noir is located at 13e rank in the Major League Soccer Eastern Association standings with 12 points in 13 games. As a reminder, the first game against Nashville this season, at the beginning of May, ended in a 4-1 loss for CF Montreal.
