The two organizations confirmed the news in a joint statement on Thursday.
We are happy to officially take part in the PLSQ in 2022
, said Olivier Renard, sporting director of CF Montreal, in the official press release.
Thanks to the partnership with Soccer Quebec, we will be able to evolve in a quality competitive environment and use this platform to continue the development of the hopes of the club and our Academy.
In a videoconference Thursday afternoon, head coach Wilfried Nancy said that the decision to join this circuit had been taken after reflection within the organization.
The club has taken this direction for the moment. We are happy with this decision because it has been carefully considered and it will give players the opportunity to still be in competition. Then we’ll see how it goes. For the moment, it is this decision and it is the right one, and we will see for the rest in the future
, he first mentioned.
This semi-professional circuit, created in 2012 under the aegis of Soccer Quebec, is at division 3 level in Canada.
Our group is young. As a result, (the players) will face opponents who are older
, also pointed out Nancy, when asked about the level of play that the reserve team colors will face.
We will focus on ourselves, we will not focus on the opponent. It’s trying to develop automatisms to help players adjust. It also does not prevent the players of our reserve team from playing matches against other teams.
, added Nancy.
In addition, CF Montreal could continue to loan players from its first team to clubs in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). It is a practice that she advocated last year, among others, with goaltender Jonathan Sirois who had been transferred to Valor FC, a team based in Winnipeg.
The fact of having experienced the CPL, of working with certain clubs, is a good tool for young people because I see it on a daily basis now. All the players who came back with us have progressed and asserted themselves much more
, remarked Nancy.
« The PLSQ is a second tool that will also allow us to see, and we will choose which tool is the most important individually, for the player, so that he progresses. It is in this perspective that we see things a little. »
The general manager of Soccer Québec, Mathieu Chamberland, was also delighted with the outcome of this process undertaken by the Montreal club.
The general manager of Soccer Quebec, Mathieu Chamberland.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Charles Contant
CF Montreal is our partner and we have always worked hand in hand. I am very happy that this mutual trust convinced the club to join our Premier League.
Discussions between CF Montreal and the PLSQ had started several months ago, but the club’s management wanted to assess all its options.
As for the PLSQ, the league’s intentions have always been to attract a CF Montreal team to its ranks.
This outcome that we have been waiting for since the launch of the league in 2012 is the result of many meetings
, said Martin DesGroseilliers, director of the Régie de Soccer Québec.
