The Swiss Volcano’s future might be settled soon. But it isn’t officially – yet.
When reached for comment on a Goal.com report published on Friday stating Marco Schällibaum would not be head coach of the Montreal Impact in 2014, a club spokesman told MLSsoccer.com that the team was still considering its options on the matter.
Schällibaum triggered an option for 2014 in his initial one-year contract when he led the Impact to the playoffs, but his status has nonetheless been in limbo since the Impact’s postseason press conference on Nov. 5. Club president Joey Saputo and sporting director Nick De Santis then said that it was “too early to say” whether Schällibaum remained the right man for the job after the team stumbled in the second half of the season.
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The next day, Schällibaum expressed a will to continue at the helm but said the front office’s decision was “legitimate.”
Schällibaum, 51, succeeded Jesse Marsch as Montreal boss on Jan. 7. In his first season in North America, the Swiss coach posted a 17-16-9 record in all competitions and led the team to a first Amway Canadian Championship triumph – and CONCACAF Champions League group-stage appearance – since 2008. The 49 points his team picked up in MLS were good for the first postseason spot in the Impact’s MLS history.
