Impact keeps things light ahead of date with Whitecaps

Jesse Marsch PHOTO: MIONTREAL IMPACT

The Montreal Impact held its last preseason workout at B.C, Place Friday afternoon, a day before it takes on the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Impact players went through their paces in a relaxed and leisurely manner, with no scrimmaging and very little intensity, almost as if they were loosening up before a game rather than preparing for their initial MLS foray.

Following the workout, a number of players met the media as did the team’s head coach, Jesse Marsch, sharing their thoughts about the upcoming season and the inaugural match.

Montreal-area native, midfielder Patrice Bernier, was asked about the low-impact practice and replied that it was good to get onto the pitch, work out the kinks in their legs and gain a little familiarity with the field on which they begin their initial MLS campaign tomorrow afternoon.

“Training allows us to work off any nerves we may have and helps us manage our excitement about getting the season underway,” he said.

Asked about the rivalry between the teams Bernier answered, “There is a history between the teams and now that both are in the MLS it will probably get rekindled. I’m sure both Montreal and Vancouver fans want to show that they are Canada’s top soccer town.”

Facing a team with seven strikers does not seem to be a daunting task in Bernier’s opinion. Referring to the 3-0 loss to the Whitecaps in the Florida pre-season tourney, Bernier said. “We were not at our best when we played them in Orlando but we know that our defence is solid and if we control the ball and work to our potential we should be able to neutralize them”

Backliner, Jeb Brovsky, who suited up for Vancouver last season, was queried as to whether facing them to open the calendar gave him added incentive for tomorrow’s match.

“No, it’s just another game,” he chuckled. “But there’s no love lost, for sure. Yeah, you always like to come back and get three points, and maybe take the guys out for dinner after. It’ll be war on the pitch for sure though.”

“Guys like Camilo and Chiumiento are going to be crafty and you have to be ready for whatever they’re going to throw at you,”

Justin Braun spoke about the attitude that coach Marsch has instilled in his team.

“The biggest thing Jesse has done is instill a winning mentality in each of us,” the Impact forward stated. “He wants us to go out and compete. In soccer you’re going to have bad days but if you go out and compete you can put yourselves in games and win so that’s one of the things we’re concentrating on this year.”

Like Bernier, Braun doesn’t consider the Impact’s opening game in the new loop to be that big a deal in the overall scheme of things.

“We’re just looking at it as another game. We’re going to come out and do our thing, the same thing we’ve been doing all preseason and hopefully it’ll pay off for us,“ he said.

Denying that the team felt any jitters on the eve of the season, Braun claimed that the team expected to walk off the pitch with points after every game but did warn that the first 10 or 15 minutes tomorrow might be a little chaotic.

“But we have to focus and settle the game down once that sort of passes,” he concluded.

Marsch said he was pleased with the effort his men have provided him since camp opened almost eight weeks ago and, although there is still some work to do, it is time to put them to the test.

“We don’t feel that it’s totally a final product yet but we’re pleased with where we are. We like our guys and now it’s time for a big game,“ he said. “For an expansion team I think the guys have come together in a really good way.

“As the game gets closer it’s natural that there’ll be some nervousness, and there should be if it means something this moment together has been good and we’re all excited,” Marsch continued. “But I think that our guys’ way of dealing with it and going through this moment together has been good and we’re all excited.”