The day came when Joey Saputo made a disturbing, even worrisome realization: his sports organization had lost relevance in its market. It is a situation he wants to correct, and he intends to do so with the contribution of the new president and chief executive officer of the Montreal CF, Gabriel Gervais.
Twenty-four hours after the announcement of his appointment and almost 20 years after playing his first game with the Montreal Impact, Gervais met with the media for about 45 minutes Tuesday morning at the Nutrilait Centre.
"We were looking for a person who embodies the values of my family and those of this organization. A leader who has the operational and strategic skills to manage an organization like CF Montreal. We also wanted someone who knows and understands soccer, business management and Quebec Inc. Gabriel meets all of these criteria," said Saputo, who sees Gervais playing a leadership role in achieving the organization's goals.
Looking relaxed, happy to be "back home" and saying he was fulfilling a new dream, Gervais answered generously and without evasion to all the questions he was asked.
This includes questions about the team's famous identity, an issue that continues to cause some controversy among the team's fans, more than a year after the famous "rebranding."
Gervais also did so by pointing out a fundamental element. After almost 13 years at Deloitte, a company he was a partner in and still loves even though he just left, the 45-year-old will need time to get to know all the inner workings of the organization and the league, as well as all the people he will be working with on a daily basis in the Saputo Stadium offices.
"In the short term, I want to familiarize myself with the operations, meet our employees, meet our technical team. Yesterday I met with the employees and this morning I met with the technical team and the players. These were two very stimulating meetings for me. I also want to meet with all the stakeholders that revolve around the club and MLS," he said Tuesday.
"We will work very hard as an organization to regain our place, our relevance in the market so that we can shine. I am aware that we must be rooted and visible in the community. And there is no other way to do it," added the former defender and former number 8 of the Impact.
BEFORE 2021
It was in his message introducing his new president that Saputo alluded to the importance of regaining relevance in the club's market. In fact, Saputo said it was Gervais' mission.
When asked about the current state of that relevance, Saputo spoke lucidly, while acknowledging that some answers still elude him.
"When we entered MLS and there was a game on Saturday afternoon at Saputo Stadium or at the Olympic Stadium, we saw people in the city wearing Impact jerseys. We knew that something was happening in the city. We were more present with our partners, we were more present in the city as such," he said.
"I would say that in 2012, 2013, 2014, it was going well and quietly, we lost that. We have to look at why. We're not just talking about 2021 because of the name change, the logo change. It started before that ... There are a lot of factors that could be attributed to that, but it's something that we have to analyze more deeply."
As for the team's identity, Gervais admitted that it is a sensitive issue for everyone and that it was sensitive for him as well.
"When I heard the news [of the name and logo change], it hit me. I didn't understand it and I'll tell you it was in the way it was communicated," he said.
"The way the name was changed from Impact to CF Montreal was in a vision to put the city, the community, at the center of the team. I understand that perfectly. And to use a name, a more international, global soccer nomenclature, I'm okay with that. So, what I can tell you today is that the name CF Montreal is here to stay," said Gervais.
'WE ARE LISTENING TO THE FANS'
On the other hand, Gervais admits that the organization may not have communicated the history of the organization well as part of the identity change.
"There was a feeling, myself being the first, that we were turning our backs on our entire history. It wasn't intentional to do that. Far from it. As you saw in the marketing campaign, there are a lot of elements of our story that stand out. The 'Go, go, go,' that gave me chills, honestly. I remember those chants when we played at Claude-Robillard the first year.
We are listening to the fans, our supporters, our partners to bring back more, if we want the history of the club. And there are already steps that have been taken before my arrival to have a reflection on the logo," the new president and CEO said.
The new name and logo have created a rift with some supporters who have made a fuss. A section behind one of the nets was even closed and some fans were denied access to Saputo Stadium last season.
Gervais wants to restore a harmonious relationship with the team's fan base and establish a dialogue with them because he knows, he said, how inspiring public support for a group of players can be.
"Ultimately, we want all the fans to be at the stadium. That's the goal of the club, I guarantee it. There is a plan, there is thinking going on, about how we can unify our supporters," he said.
"I will ask a question but I know the answer. Would you rather have 1,000 or 2,000 of our club's most passionate supporters behind the goal so that the goalkeeper can have 45 minutes of hell or would you rather have them scattered around the stadium?
We want to unite all our supporters. Ultimately we are all here to help the club. And that's what we want."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 29, 2022.
