Ech Chergui and Richard Pelletier Released from the Montreal Impact

Ech Chergui (left) and Richard Pelletier (right) have been released from the Montreal Impact.

The Montreal Impact announced Wednesday that forward Idriss Ech Chergui and defender Richard Pelletier will not return with the club. Ech Chergui and the Impact mutually agreed to terminate the forward’s contract before the opening of the international transfer window on July 15. The club also did not renew the option on Pelletier’s contract, which ended on July 1.

“Idriss had some difficulties adjusting to the style of our league. He didn’t really have a future with this club and wanted to see if new opportunities would open up for him in Europe,” said Impact sporting director Nick De Santis. “As for Pelletier, it’s unfortunate because we didn’t really have a genuine opportunity to evaluate him as he didn’t play much. We hope that both players will find new contracts elsewhere.”

Pelletier joined the club on August 9, 2010, and only played nine games with the team. He missed the six first games of the season due to a suspension and nine games due to a thigh injury.

Ech Chergui joined the Impact in January 2011 after taking part in the Impact’s invitation camp. He scored two goals and had two assists in nine games and 545 minutes of play this season.

On June 28th, the Impact announced that head coach Marc Dos Santos had resigned from the club. In an article posted today by Randy Phillips of the Montreal Gazette, Dos Santos told the reporter that resigning was not what he wanted to do but what he felt he needed to do.

“It broke my heart,” said Dos Santos in regard to his decision to resign. “I didn’t want things to end like that. But when I was seeing what was happening and we were trying everything as a technical staff, the results just weren’t there.  In moments like that, you can’t be selfish. You can’t think only of yourself and say: ‘I’m going to wait for them to fire me if they want to do it. Two weeks before, Joey (Saputo, team president) and Nick showed confidence in me and said they were looking for me to end the season at least. But the team needed a change and I was the one to make it happen.”

Dos Santos was under contract through the end of the season.

On June, 15th, the Impact announced they had parted ways with another one of their 6 French players, Kevin Hatchi.

“We looked thoroughly at the situation before taking this decision,” said Impact sporting director Nick De Santis in the statement released by the team. “Kevin Hatchi had certain qualities, but he didn’t fit in the group. We took this decision for the well-being of the team. All our players need to walk in the same direction, especially when the team is going through difficult times.”

The Impact has now released 3 of their 6 French players while calling back the 38-year-old Cuban forward Eduardo Sebrango who will be looked upon to bring leadership to the struggling club.

Montreal had been picked by many to win the league in their first year in the NASL and last year in D2 before moving to  MLS next season. But so far the team has only managed 2 wins on the season and has a record of 2-4-8, sitting in 7th place of 8 teams in the league. Their defense has been sound, giving up the 2nd fewest goals in the league at 15 but have only managed 11 goals in 14 games which puts them 2nd lowest in the NASL.