It’s Time To Pull The Trigger On Frank Klopas
Written by Matt Tomovic
The Montreal Impact are in a battle for an MLS playoff spot but with just 12 games to go, questions remain on coach Frank Klopas’ ability to lead the team to a top 6 finish.
It was just a short four months ago that the Montreal Impact was 45 minutes away from winning the Concacaf Champions League. However even then there were signs of some imbalance on the team. How was it that the Impact were performing well in the tournament (albeit with some luck – hello Cam Porter miracle goal) while being abysmal in league play?
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Once the CCL was over, it was time to concentrate on the MLS regular season. The Impact currently sit in 6th place and although they have four games in hand are only two points ahead of last place Chicago in the eastern conference.
Games in hand are a nice thing to have but you have to get wins and the way things are going at the moment they are far from a guarantee.
Fortress Stade Saputo has been anything but. Getting one out of a possible 9 points in the last three home games while only scoring one goal is cause for concern.
The arrival of Didier Drogba was a great boost for the team, but it just provided a distraction to the malaise going on with the team. Not only has the team performed poorly on the pitch, off the pitch there have been too many distractions and it all starts from the top.
Klopas opportunity for redemption could have been the CCL game in Vancouver, yet the Impact went down in defeat and won’t be involved in CCL for the next two tournaments.
Joey Saputo is put in a tough situation. Having had a reputation for being impatient with coaches in the past, he has reversed course and kept Klopas far too long. He has to have a good feel for the pulse of the team and determine if Klopas can steer the ship in the right direction.
If you want to bring in a new coach, you have to give him time to stabilize the team. The more you wait the more you put the playoff spot at risk. You don’t sign a player of Drogba’s quality thinking for the next season, the future is NOW.
It is for this reason it is best to pull the trigger now. Rather than bring an outsider, the smart move would be to promote Enzo Concina as head coach for the rest of the season. Concina brings a vast experience, will be a different voice and should motivate the players to make a final push to solidify a playoff spot.
The fans have finally showed up, as the club achieved its first sellout of the season at Stade Saputo. Knowing how fickle the Montreal fans are, the Impact don’t want to lose any momentum or ‘buzz’ as they like to say.
Certainly a change in coach would create a buzz and not too many fans would be sad if the decision to let Frank Klopas go was made for the good of the team.