MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Monday that Enzo Concina has been named assistant coach with the first team.
Concina, who will replace assistant coach Nikolaos Kounenakis, held the same role with D.C. United in 2014, helping the team finish first in the Eastern Conference, while also reaching the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal round.
Concina, 52, played professionally for 13 seasons, from 1982 to 1994.
He returned to soccer in July 2010 when he joined the technical staff of Italian first division club S.S.C. Napoli. With his help, Napoli finished third in Serie A in 2010-2011 and second in 2012-2013, in addition to winning the Coppa Italia and qualifying for the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League in 2011-2012. Prior to joining D.C. United in 2014, he also held a scouting role with Inter Milan in 2013.
“We are very excited to add Enzo to our coaching staff,” said Impact technical director Adam Braz. “He brings a wealth of experience with his time in Europe and in MLS with D.C. United. In regards to Nikos, his contract expired and we mutually agreed that it was the best decision for us to part ways. We would like to thank him for his services last season and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”
On the field, Concina played professionally as a central defender for 12 seasons in Italy and concluded his career by playing 10 games with the Impact in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) in 1994, helping the team win its first ever playoff championship.
Holding dual citizenship (Italy and Canada), he also played four games with the Canadian National Team, including three starts. Concina holds a UEFA B coaching licence.
Note also that fitness coach Paolo Pacione will now serve as performance manager, and will be supported by Vassili Cremanzidis, performance analyst. Frank Klopas (head coach and director of player personnel), Mauro Biello (assistant coach) and Youssef Dahha (goalkeepers coach) round out the first team’s coaching staff.
The Impact also announced the appointment of Nicolas Nault as head athletic therapist with the first team. He will be assisted by René Séguin-Beaulieu, assistant athletic therapist and Sheehan McBride, assistant athletic therapist and rehabilitation specialist.
The 2015 training camp will kick off this Friday, January 23. The team will train in Montreal for two weeks before heading to Mexico on February 8, in preparation for the first game of the home and away Champions League series against Mexican club Pachuca, on February 24, at 10pm ET (TVA Sports) in Mexico. The return leg of this important aggregate goal matchup will be played on the following Tuesday, March 3, at Olympic Stadium (ticketmaster.ca).
