The veterans in charge
Following all the changes the Montreal Impact has occurred in the last week, it is now the turn of Nick DeSantis to take the helm. He becomes the fifth head coach in franchise history, following Eddie Firmani, Valerio Gazzola, Paul Kitson, and Zoran Jankovic. A core of veteran players, including defender Patrick Diotte will help "Captain Nick".
YEAR HEAD COACH RECORD POINTS POSITION
1993 Eddie Firmani 11-13 90 7th of 7 teams
1994* Valerio Gazzola 12-8 106 3rd of 7 teams
1995# Valerio Gazzola 17-7 51 1st of 6 teams
1996# Valerio Gazzola 21-6 55 1st of 7 teams
1997# Valerio Gazzola 21-7 61 1st of 24 teams, 1st Northeast Division
1998 Paul Kitson 21-7 47 9th of 28 teams, 2nd Northeast Division
2000 Zoran Jankovic 1-3 4 --
Valerio Gazzola 11-10-3 50 18th of 25 teams, 4th Northeast Division
2001 Valerio Gazzola 5-10-1 23 17th of 21 teams, 5th Northeast Division
Valerio Gazzola 87-48-4 346
TOTALS 120-71-4 487
*: Champions of the American Professional Soccer League Champions (1994)
#: A-League Regular Season Champs (1995, 1996, 1997)
The rivalry continues
The rivalry between the Montreal Impact and Rochester Raging Rhinos is one of the strongest in the A-League since the Rhinos joined the circuit in 1996. The second of four meetings this season is again a battle for third place in the Northern Conference. Overall, the Impact has a slim lead by winning 8 times and losing 7 (with one tie), outscoring the Rhinos 23-20. The boys from Rochester have the advantage at home with 6 wins and a draw in 8 games, outscoring the Montrealers 16-6. The 6 losses and 16 goals at Frontier Field are the highest totals in these categories against the Impact versus an opponent on the road.
"Checker" is back
Keeper Paolo Ceccarelli is officially back in the fold. After having missed the entire 2000 outdoor season due to a knee injury, Paolo returned to action over the winter with the 2000-01 Toronto Thunderhawks of the National Professional Soccer League. His first game with the Impact this season, a 1-0 loss to the Hershey Wildcats on July 20, gave "Checker" his first taste of outdoor action since 1998. He showed he barely lost a step by making 6 saves, including a penalty shot. When the Montreal Eleven went on hiatus in the summer of 1999, the veteran opted to work with the Impact's soccer schools in Greater Montreal instead of playing for another club. Paolo holds many club and league records, as indicated below.
12,000th minute for Limo
John Limniatis has surpassed a special milestone. As the defender/midfielder played a total of 90 minutes against the Wildcats during a 1-0 loss on July 21, he reached the 12,000-minutes-played plateau in a Montreal Impact uniform (in his 165th career A-League game). By including the 2,161 minutes in 25 games with the 1999 Charleston Battery, he has played a total of 14,289 in the A-League. Limo has also suited up for the 1987 and 1988 Ottawa Pioneers (28 games) of the old Canadian Soccer League, Aris Salonika (94) of the Greek first division (1988-89 to 1991-92), and the 1992-93 Panetolikos Agrinio (20) squad of the Greek second division. However, those leagues did not calculate minutes played.
Thompson in all the games
Leading scorer Niall Thompson is the only player on the Montreal Eleven squad to participate in each of the Impact's 16 games so far this season. He was neck-and-neck with Mauro Biello and Giuliano Oliviero until the July 21 5-2 loss to the Riverhounds in Pittsburgh, when the two midfielders were not used.
150th game for Mauro Biello and Giuliano Oliviero…
Midfielder Mauro Biello, who was the Impact player of the game last Sunday against the Hershey Wildcats during the 2-0 loss, ran the pitch for the 150th time in a Montreal Impact uniform (and 194th as a pro). Biello also wore the colours of the 1991 and 1992 Montreal Supra of the old Canadian Soccer League (16 games), as well as the 1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos (a team-leading 28 games). Furthermore, Giuliano Oliviero also played his 150th in the A-League against the Wildcats, and 85th with the Montreal Eleven since joining the club in 1997. His milestone came in the next encounter, a return 1-0 loss at Hersheypark on July 20. Jules also played 43 matches with the 1995 and 1996 Vancouver 86ers (now Whitecaps), as well as 22 with the 1999 Staten Island Vipers. In 149 games so far, the New Westminster, BC native has racked up 34 goals and 34 assists for 102 points, reaching the century milestone with his second assist of the game, on Niall Thompson's 87th-minute marker, during a 2-0 victory over the Long Island Rough Riders on June 1 at Claude Robillard Stadium.
…125th for Lloyd Barker…
Lloyd Barker also reached a milestone. The July 20 game was his 125th in a Montreal Impact uniform (as well as 214th as a pro in North America, and 177th in the A-League. Junior has played in the old Canadian Soccer League with the Ottawa Intrepid (37 games from 1988 to 1990), and in the A-League with the 1999 Maryland Mania (6), 1999 and 2000 Toronto Lynx (46), as well as with the Impact. He has compiled 35 goals and 38 assists in the A-League, plus another 2 tallies in the CSL, including 34 goals and 28 assists for 96 points with the Montreal Eleven (second in franchise history to Mauro Biello's 41-37-119 totals).
…and 50th for Darko and Coco
Forward Darko Kolic would have already played his 50th with the Montreal Eleven, but he was suspended for three games for unsportsmanlike conduct during the 1-0 July 8 home loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. His next game, likely against the Rochester Raging Rhinos on July 25, will also be his 90th in the A-League, as he played 15 for the 1998 Richmond Kickers and 25 for the 1999 Long Island Rough Riders. Defender Nicola Corneli has reached the 50-game plateau in the A-League by playing both road games in Pennsylvania on July 20-21. Coco has also suited up for 5 games for the 1999 Maryland mania since breaking into the circuit in 1997.
Free kicks
Mauro Biello's next goal will be his 50th regular season A-League marker (he scored his 50th as a pro on July 4). Mauro scored once in 1992 with the old Montreal Supra of the Canadian Soccer League… With 1,038 minutes played so far this season, Nick DeSantis needs 273 more to reach 1,311 for the current campaign, which will give him 15,000 in an Impact uniform… DeSantis is also close to two other marks. His 15th game this season will be his 200th in the A-League, while his 16th will be his 300th in the regular season as a pro in North America. He also played in 17 with Termoli Interamnia in 1992-93 (Italian fifth division)… Lloyd Barker is 4 points away from his 100th with the Montreal club.
