MONTREAL – Good things happen when Marco Di Vaio’s family is in town.
Him sounding open to one more year, for example.
When Di Vaio chose to play a third season for the Impact, a sacrifice was needed. He would live in Montreal. But his family would live in Italy. Di Vaio was thus likely to retire after 2014, returning to his loved ones.
Di Vaio’s wife and children were cheerful visitors at Stade Saputo this Saturday, as they saw Papà score the only goal against the Chicago Fire for the Impact’s first win in eight league games. They also saw him give a postgame interview on the sidelines, but couldn’t hear him sound open to the idea of staying for one more season, to play with new Designated Player Ignacio Piatti.
As he clarified his thoughts later on, Di Vaio backtracked somehow, saying that he didn’t know what would happen in the coming weeks. But Piatti cared to provide clarifications of his own.
“We had a talk yesterday,” Piatti told reporters through an interpreter. “I asked him if there was a chance he could stay here one more year, but he said it’s difficult with his family not being here. But he told me that maybe we can find a solution.”
For head coach Frank Klopas, this one’s easy – in theory at least, for it seems more difficult in practice.
“I know his family’s here, and every time they’re here, he’s happy, and look what he did tonight,” Klopas said. “If we do, it’s got to be a situation where his family’s here year-round.”
Added Di Vaio: “I’m a sensitive guy, an emotional guy. When I have my family next to me, supporting me every day, it’s easier for me. It’s easier, when you’re a father, when you have your wife and kids at home after the game and after training. It’s simpler.”
It looked simple enough for Di Vaio to place his shot to Sean Johnson’s left for the 84th-minute winner against Chicago, but his understanding with Piatti still needs work.
Substituted off in the 54th minute, Piatti did show glimpses of a connection with Di Vaio. But his fatigue, coupled with the fact that he’s only spent three days with his new teammates, showed as the game progressed.
“We tried to do a few combinations, but it’s not easy for him,” Di Vaio said. “He just joined a team that’s had a lot of problems with confidence. … But now, the last games, we’ve been doing better. With him here, maybe we’ll do even better next time.”
Or next year, perhaps?
