The Montreal club’s success can be attributed to many factors, but for defender Alistair Johnston, his coach is undoubtedly at the center of those factors.
the next day tie win with Columbus Crew, Johnston spoke to our colleague Olivier Brett and was quick to throw flowers at Nancy when asked about his role and the role of the coaches in the team’s results this season.
Montreal FC is second in the Eastern Conference with 53 points in 31 games since the start of the campaign. Johnston cited the team’s character who made it clear that Montreal managed to close a two-goal deficit to the crew late in the game, but that Nancy’s strategies are paying off and he hopes his coach will eventually be recognized in the countryside.
“I think all the credit should go to the coach and his group. They applied tactics and a system that other teams in MLS don’t play. It’s a very difficult thing.”
“It takes a lot of courage because it’s easy to play like other teams who have hit the ball for a long time. He has an idea of what’s going on in the match and that’s why the spectators love to see our game. We play in a very beautiful system.”
“For these reasons, I think he will be the MLS coach this season. He deserves it and I hope that is what happens,” Johnson wishes.
The 23-year-old defender also stands out this season on the offensive side with three goals and five assists, the highest level of his career for a player who previously played for Nashville. He is very modest, and believes that it is the small details that he and his colleagues can make that lead to such stats.
“Tactically we do the other things, I find myself in the right places to throw. There is also a bit of luck in all of this.”
In response to a question from our colleague in closing about the possibility of Johnston leaving the World Cup in Qatar in order to represent Canada there in the MLS Cup now that CF MTL is in the playoffs, the manager in question summed up this hypothetical scenario as follows:
“It will be a perfect season and I think there is a good chance. I hope we can do this for all of Montreal.”