The day after its first game of the 2024 season ended 0-0 against Orlando City, CF Montreal has something to be proud of if we heed the coach's words. -Chief Laurent Courtois.
The mission facing the Montrealers was not an easy one, as the Florida team finished the 2023 season in second place in the Eastern Association. Nevertheless, Courtois said he was happy with his team's performance.
• Also read: CF Montreal: a draw at the start of the season
“Today’s result shows how we want to be known,” the man playing his first game as a head coach in the MLS said at a post-game press conference. […] We thank the players and staff for preparing them for this.”
“I noticed that we played a quality game as a result,” Courtois continued. […] We deserve this point, they are one of the best teams in the league and we are proud of what we have achieved.
However, the Frenchman knows there are still aspects of the game to improve, but this first performance of the year is encouraging.
“It's a very interesting shutout from this opponent, it's really interesting. There's something to build on and we're still a long way from what the boys can do in terms of their potential in terms of physical preparation, so it's encouraging.
Ignore the noise from the hallways
Few observers saw a positive result from Bleu-Blanc-Noir in Orlando, but Courtois wanted to make sure his group didn't really focus on the rumors in the hallways.
“I don’t care who agrees or disagrees,” he said. Even if we had lost under those conditions, my observation would have been the same. […] I just don’t want us to reach the wrong goals.”
“It's what we control, our actions, that matters, not what others say about us. Even if there was no offside whistle [en fin de match] And they would have scored that goal, it would have been the same observation. We wouldn’t have beaten ourselves with a performance like that just because we lost 1-0.”
CF Montreal will return to action on Saturday against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.