MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact announced on Thursday that former player Patrick Leduc will take over as the club's administrative director of soccer operations.
Leduc will supervise the programs and budgets of the club's Academy, as well as Centre Nutrilait's operations, while being the main link with the first team regarding players developed within the club's structure. As an Impact representative, he will develop relations with Canada Soccer and Soccer QuƩbec. He will also oversee the first team's administrative management, notably its operations budget and all other related services.
"We are very excited that Patrick Leduc will join the club as of January 7," said Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo. "Patrick has profound knowledge of modern professional soccer, as well as being a part of our sport's new generation. He knows the club's activities, our reality and our needs. His sense of analysis will be a major asset in reviewing the administrative running of our soccer operations."
"It's with great of pride and enthusiasm that I begin this new chapter with the Montreal Impact," Leduc said. "I had the opportunity to wear the club's jersey for many seasons and closely follow the club's evolution since its transition to MLS in 2012. I consider it a privilege to be able to participate in the continued growth of my hometown club. It is with great motivation that I plan to invest myself in my responsibilities, most notably all operations surrounding the Academy and offering support to the Bleu-blanc-noir's first team. I would like to thank Joey Saputo for offering me this opportunity. We've already been through some of the biggest moments in Impact history together, and I plan to put my skills to the club's service with renewed enthusiasm to reach new heights in the near future."
Leduc, who has a Canada Soccer B License, most recently served as a performance analyst with the U20 Canadian national men's team's technical staff. He also coached the Canadian team during the Danone Nations Cup, from 2016 to 2018, assistant coach for the U20 Canadian national women's team in 2013, and head coach for Les QuƩbƩcois during the Tournoi des Peuples et Nations in Marseille the same year.
He made his debut with the Impact in 2000 and played 222 regular season games with the club, including 163 starts, before announcing his retirement from professional soccer in 2011. As a midfielder, he scored 10 goals and added 16 assists. He participated in 22 playoff games, helping the club win titles in 2004 and 2009. He also earned three caps with the Canada national team.
A soccer analyst for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Impact's MLS games for the RĆ©seau des sports since 2011, he'll finish out the calendar year before setting down the mic.
