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Posted by
Steve Bottjer,
October 26, 2012 |
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Email Steve Bottjer
Twitter @BottjerRNO |
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The Montreal Impact’s first season in the MLS has undoubtedly been a whirlwind for everyone who has been involved with the club. The Major League Soccer schedule is grueling for every player who plays in the league, but this nearly completed campaign has been even that much busier for Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier, who has functioned as the main French-speaking player on the club and as a hometown face for the franchise as it has made the jump to the North American top flight. Add in International duty with the Canadian National Team and the Brossard, Quebec native has rarely had a minute to catch his breath.
According to Bernier, his first season in the MLS has gone faster than a Sanna Nyassi run down the right flank.
“It’s seem like it has been a blink of an eye since January, when we were just starting out and did not know what type of team we were going to be and how many points we were going to collect. And now we are ten months in and the season is almost done and it feels like the season has gone by very fast and that it has gone quite well. We still have a lot of things to work on, but at least we can say that we are proud of ourselves and that we did well for our first year,” says Bernier.
When assessing Montreal’s 2012 season as a whole, the 33 year old midfielder sees the campaign as one that has to be considered a success when looked at with a big picture framework.
“The season as a whole has been good. Of course, our ambition was very high, so we are disappointed that we won’t be going to the playoffs. But if you look at us being ten months in as a team from scratch, we have 42 points and we battled for a playoff spot until the 32nd game of the season. I think the assessment has to be that we have done well and that we have a good foundation to build upon for next season.”
With Montreal having improved and added key pieces to the team as their first MLS season progressed, Bernier sees his team as one that really only came into its own during the last several months of competition. He is also fully aware of the manner in which a team like the Portland Timbers struggled mightily in their second season after having impressed in their expansion year in a very similar manner to the way that has the Impact have in 2012. Thus, the central midfielder sees success inherent in the fact that Montreal will not need to turnover a large portion of the roster to be competitive next season and also sees continuity as vital towards getting off to a good start next year.
“I think the base is there with what we have developed over the last several months with our core team in terms of both our style and our starting eleven. And, of course, some guys came off the bench and were key in certain moments. We just have to build on these blocks that are in place and improve upon some of those games that we let go at the beginning of the season and some that we let go in the last few games. We have a lot of things that we can work on. Knowing this league, we can’t guarantee that everybody is going to be here (next season), but overall we know that we have a solid foundation to build upon for next season. We just have to avoid that second year syndrome problem.”
Outside of avoiding the pitfalls that have befallen many teams in year two, Bernier also believes that anything less than a playoff qualification in 2013 would be a major disappointment.
“If we play like this from the get go, yes, it would be a disappointment not to make the playoffs. I think we just have to start next season just like we have now finished these last three months, when we have shown that when we play well, we are very tough to beat and that we can score a few goals, especially at home. The emphasis this year was to make the playoffs, so I don’t see it being any different next year.”
According to Bernier, the manner in which Toronto FC’s inability to win has resulted in empty seats has not gone unnoticed in Montreal and he sees it as vital that the Impact establish a winning tradition early on in order to avoid any similar struggles in La Belle Province.
“These Canadian cities are tough, except for hockey, which has a tradition that has been set in stone for over a century. We have to win to make sure that the people keep coming. And this first year has been good at home, where we have been solid. I think our supporters are proud of that and are proud of the season that we had. But we do have to make sure that we are the same type of team and even better next year. Coming from Montreal, I know it is a tough crowd. I do know that the people were happy with our performances and with the brand of football that we were trying to play, so we just have to keep doing what we have been doing and I think the people will always be behind us.”
Ultimately, Bernier only sees greater heights ahead for the Montreal Impact. At the same time, he was not shy in admitting that he is looking forward to some down time after what has been a very hectic and draining first season in Major League Soccer.
“I’m looking forward to the offseason. It has been a very demanding season. Also, because in the MLS you have to fly everywhere. Compared to Europe, where you come back sometimes on the same day, here you have to recover and recuperate physically from all the flying and all the travel. Also, mentally with the way that the season finished and the possibility of going to the playoffs. We had our eyes wide open in hoping to make it and we were crushed a bit. But there are enough weeks of rest here that you are able to prepare for next season.”
However, even with his desire to get some rest over the winter months, Bernier did admit that he is looking forward to the Impact’s training tour of Italy at the conclusion of the MLS regular season schedule and that he sees it as something that will be good for a squad that will be aiming to come back even stronger next March.
“I’ve been there before and my in-laws are Italian, so I’m used to it. But I think it is going to be good for group because, of course, for the Italian players it is just going to be going home, but for the rest of us who will be stepping out from what we are accustomed to here, I think it is going to be a nice end to the season.”
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