MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact may have a number of concerns as a rookie franchise in Major League Soccer, but goalkeeping isn't one of them.
It's been said that the goalkeeper position isn't as important in soccer as it is in other sports, but the Impact don't believe that.
"The goalkeeper position is imperative," said Matt Jordan, the club's director of soccer operations. "We know that every team starts with a good goalkeeper. Throughout the world that's the case. We feel that the core we have is the best in North America.
The biggest signing during the off-season was the acquisition of Donovan Ricketts, the Jamaican star keeper coming off a third season with the champion L.A. Galaxy. But despite his resume, Ricketts knows he's going to have to perform.
"When you sign with a team, you have to work for your place," he said. "There's nothing given. I want to be at the top of my game so I practice hard. There are no guarantees."
Jesse marsch; impact head coach, said Ricketts has all the tools to be successful.
"He's a guy that makes big saves at big moments," Marsch said. "Playing against him used to frustrate me because I felt i couldn't score on him. So, as a starting point, I think we're in good shape with that. Now, it's just pushing him along."
And pushing him along will be the other two keepers. Evan Bush emerged as a star in the NASL last season and wants to prove he can do the same in the major leagues.
Meanwhile, Greg Sutton brings nine years of MLS experience and will push for his own minutes.
"I think we've done a good job of putting a good core of guys in the net and we'll have a good competition," Sutton said.
"If you can compete on a daily basis, you're gonna push each other every day and that's the goal."
The goalkeepers and the rest of the team will continue their training in Mexico and play three exhibition games before returning to Montreal at the end of the month.
