The Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer named Remi Garde of L’Arbresle, France as their new head coach on Wednesday. Garde replaces Mauro Biello of Montreal, Quebec, who coached the Impact the last three seasons.
The 2017 Major League Soccer season was a disappointment for the Impact. After reaching the 2016 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Final, the Impact missed the playoffs this season with a record of 11 wins, 17 losses ans six draws.
The Impact were also the worst Canadian team in Major League Soccer. Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps were both playoff bound this season, and Toronto FC is still in the MLS Cup playoffs after getting by the New York Red Bulls. Toronto tied New York 2-2 in a two game total point series in the Eastern Conference semi-finals, but advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Columbus Crew starting November 21 because they outscored the Red Bulls 2-1 in road goals.
Garde was a defensive midfielder and center back, who played for Lyon and Strasbourg in French soccer and Arsenal in the English Premier League. Prior to coaching the Impact, Garde coached Lyon for four seasons from 2011 to 2014 and Aston Villa, in the second division of England, the last two years.
