FC Montreal took to the road for the first time in its history last Thursday, in preparation for Saturday’s game in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Despite the two lost in the first two games, the group has been good spirits. At training, players were working hard, but always with a smile on their faces.
But Harrisburg is not next door. For the team, it represents a trip of over eight hours by bus, which has a direct impact on the players’ preparation. It’s also an occasion for the coaches to have full authority over the team for a few days before the game.
The players are doing their best during the trip to stretch their legs and entertain themselves.
For Louis Béland-Goyette, it’s a bit of reading and a lot of movies. But he admits that after eight hours on the road, he doesn’t know what to do anymore. During this first USL trip, it’s Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World, by Graham Hunter, that takes most of his attention.
A group of ten players are playing cards, the werewolf card game to be accurate.
Once the team gets to its destination, it’s in the preparation that things change. It’s logical to think that being out of their comfort zone might hurt the team on the road, but it’s also an excellent occasion to strengthen team spirit, particularly at the start of the season.
In this case, the team arrives Thursday and leaves Sunday, which means the trainers have a full day (Friday) and most of Saturday before the game to prepare the players.
Eve of the game
Friday, is a busy day. Players eat breakfast before a video session. The day before the game, they analyze the flaws and qualities of the opponent. Then comes training, and that’s where it can get tricky. Since the team trains on a field that doesn’t belong to them, they have to deal with the local team to find an ideal field and time to train. It might seem simple, but the drawbacks mean you have to be able to adapt quickly.
Back at the hotel, players devour lunch before having some free time in the afternoon, time that may be used to heal injuries with the team’s athletic therapist, Marie-Christine Pelletier. Then it’s time for a group activity and the strength and conditioning coach picked mimes! You think soccer players are not interested in such activity? It’s the opposite and the sense of competition takes over. Then it’s the last meal of the day, followed by a Habs-Senators game. After all, you have to support local teams.
But roughly 24 hours before the game, the players get into their pregame routine. For some, watching hockey helps relax and think about something else. For others, it’s some ice baths, music or a little bit of reading.
Game day
Players have a muscle toning session with the strength and conditioning coach after breakfast. Then, most of the afternoon is free, which allows players to get into their routines and spend time with the athletic therapist.
For goalkeeper David Paulmin, it’s different. He admits being someone quieter. But three or four hours before kickoff, he gets into his bubble. He doesn’t have a specific routine, but he takes a few hours to focus totally on the game.
A few hours before the game, the team and equipment manager Matthew Starr leaves for the stadium with the athletic therapist to prepare the locker room for the players who will arrive an hour and a half before the game to warm up.
Once the whistle blows, players have the results in their hands, or should we say, on their feet.
