MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact made important changes to its academy, including the creation of a reserve team made up of players under 23.
The U23 squad will be led by Jason Di Tullio, who was in charge of the Impact academy's under-17 team since August 2019.
Di Tullio was a first-team assistant from 2015 to 2017, having held various roles within the club's academy. The ex-Montreal Impact, who played from 2002 to 2007, also held an assistant role within the national team, in addition to occupying the role of technical director of the Lanaudiere Regional Association.
Esteban Landazabal will serve as Di Tullio's assistant coach.
The new Under-23 team is part of the club's development pyramid, on top of the three already existing academy teams that will train under-14, 15 and 17-year-old players.
The Under-17 team will be led by Nicolas Gagnon and his assistant Félix Brillant; the Under-15 group will be under the responsibility of head coach Eduardo Sebrango and his assistant Romain Girard; while the Under-14 head coach will be Robert Rositoiu and Simon Gatti will act as assistant coach.
The Under-17 and Under-15 teams will play in the new MLS development circuit.
As part of this restructuring, Patrice Bernier has been appointed post-training supervisor. Bernier will be in close contact with the new Under-23 team, especially in terms of supporting players from the pro team to the reserve team. He will also support Di Tullio in some training sessions and games.
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 4, 2020.
