MONTREAL – Oh, the hazards of Twitter.
Social media exploded on Monday after a Colombian radio station speculated that former MLS coach Juan Carlos Osorio could replace Marco Schällibaum (above, right) as head coach of the Montreal Impact, a rumor the club later denied.
Asked about the short-lived controversy on Tuesday, the Swiss coach looked upset that the rumor caught such traction in the media.
“People, these days, forget a lot of things quickly,” Schällibaum told reporters. “We can’t forget that we're near the top of the table, that we won the Canadian Championship, that the Cup got us to the Champions League. I was surprised, but that’s life: People forget things fast and try to hurt others.
“I’m a bit hurt, that’s true,” he added. “But a wounded tiger is more dangerous. That’s what I told the team today: it’s up to us to show that to people who think otherwise. But we know what we’ve done so far.”
In fact, Schällibaum might have a bit more job security shortly, as he disclosed that there have been contract extension talks between him and the Impact front office when he was asked whether he wished to prolong his stay in Montreal.
“I’ve always said that when we win, the coach isn’t some kind of god who did everything right,” he said. “We win together, we lose together. We lost together on Saturday, so everyone around me reacts. We were talking about extending [the contract], but that’s not the question”
“I feel good, that’s true. I feel really good with the people around me.”
