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Where Are They Now? 2012 Montreal Impact

By Graham Neysmith

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For the 2012 Montreal Impact, the Major League Soccer season was one of highs and lows.

It was the club’s inaugural season in the league, they moved into their new, fully renovated stadium, and they signed international superstars Marco Di Vaio and Alessandro Nesta.

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For the fans, it was a great season of firsts, but on the stat sheets, that wasn’t the case.

It took Jesse Marsch’s men six games to find their first win, and they finished the year well outside the playoffs with a negative goal differential. Still it was a good first step and a five game winning streak in August was a sign of things to come (Montreal would qualify for the playoffs in 2013).

So, what happened to the team? If one was to look at the current Impact roster, it wouldn’t at all resemble that from the inaugural season. In fact, there are only six members from the 2012 team still with Montreal.

Where did the rest go?

Of the 25 members of the original roster, six are with the Impact, three are retired, four are free agents or without a club, eight are suiting up for other MLS teams, and four are playing in other leagues around the globe.

Lets break it down!

Note: The lineup is initial roster from the time they played their first match. Players such as Di Vaio, Nesta and Troy Perkins were left off as they were brought in midseason. All mentioned below appeared in at least one MLS regular season game. Players are listed chronologically, in the order they were acquired.

Nelson Rivas: The former Inter Milan centre back, who was promoted as the club’s first big signing, never panned out. Injuries and poor play kept him out of the squad, not to mention his lack of discipline. After appearing in eleven games over two seasons, the club finally ran out of patience and let him go in June 2014. He has yet to join another team.

Current club: Free Agent

Hassoun Camara: The big Frenchman is still rolling with the Impact and both management and the defender seem generally happy with one another. He is third on the club’s all-time appearances list and was the lone defender protected in the recent Expansion Draft.

Current club: Montreal Impact (MLS)

Evan Bush: Bush is the longest serving member of the organization and his patience is starting to pay off. After having backed up three different goalkeepers since 2011, the ‘keeper is now getting a chance to prove he can start at the MLS level, plus the ink is still drying on his new contract.

Current club: Montreal Impact (MLS)

Sinisa Ubiparipovic: No one was quite sure how to pronounce his name, and they never learned, as the Bosnian played all of 13 games with the Impact in MLS. He was loaned to Minnesota United midway through the 2013 season and is now playing for his former coach, Marc Dos Santos, in Ottawa.

Current club: Ottawa Fury F.C. (NASL)

Zarek Valentin: The young wing-back was used as a squad rotation player in 2012 and 2013, and was loaned to Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt. The fan-favorite signed a contact to stay with Bodo prior to the 2014 MLS season, and despite missing the past seven months with a torn Achilles Tendon, he seems to be enjoying his time in Norway.

Current club: FK Bodø/Glimt (Eliteserien)

Justin Mapp: The 3rd overall pick in the 2012 Expansion Draft is still with the Impact and is one of their most effective players. Despite missing significant time in 2014 due to injury, the American, who is just shy of 300 MLS appearances, is tied atop the franchise all-time assists list. He remains one of the club’s most explosive players and one of the most respected figures in the league.

Current club: Montreal Impact (MLS)

Jeb Brovsky: Jeb endeared himself with IMFC fans, thanks to work ethic and heart you couldn’t put a price on. However, management could put a price on it, and that price was a second round draft pick, which they got from New York City FC. I didn’t even know you could make a trade with a team that hadn’t even played a match yet! Anyway, Brovsky’s gone, the Jebi Knights have moved to New York and no one has stepped up to fill the void he left at right-back.

Current club: New York City FC (MLS)

Next: Grading The Impact's 2014 Signings

Collen Warner: Warner was one of the most disappointing players for the Impact over their three years of existence. In 55 games played, he collected a grand total of one goal and one assist. Granted, he’s known more for his defensive abilities in the midfield, I don’t see how a player can be kept in the starting lineup with that stat line. Frank Klopas finally traded the underperforming American to TFC earlier last year.

Current club: Toronto FC (MLS)

Josh Gardner: Gardner bounced between MLS and the second tier North American leagues before joining the Impact. The wing back’s presence was easy to miss, as he only made it into six games. His option was not picked up following the inaugural season, leading him to spend two uneventful years on the Sporting Kansas City bench, before being cut a few days in to 2014.

Current cub: Free Agent

May 17, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Montreal Impact midfielder Sanna Nyassi (11) the ball against D.C. United at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Sanna Nyassi: I was a big fan of Nyassi during his time in Montreal. He brought energy to the pitch every time he stepped on it. However a successful first season with the Bleu, Blanc, Noir (six goals) was not equaled in 2013 (one goal). Klopas was able to pull off heist when he sent the Gambian to Chicago in exchange for Dilly Duka. Duka figures to be a key player in the midfield in 2015.

Current club: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)

Justin Braun: After putting up a solid 24 goals in nearly 100 games for Chivas USA, the striker was unable to find his footing with the Impact. He was given chances, but didn’t seem to gel with the rest of the team. Braun was traded to Real Salt Lake midway through 2012, then spent 2013 in Toronto before turning up in the second tier USL Pro league.

Current club: Sacramento Republic (USL Pro)

Davy Arnaud: The club’s first ever skipper did decently well in his two seasons with the Impact. Arnaud was a good leader with a fire in his belly. He would probably still be with Montreal, if it wasn’t for the way 2013 ended. The American was traded to DC United, where he helped them to a first place finish in the East last season. Arnaud has his name in the record books though, as the first player to score a goal for Montreal in MLS.

Current club: DC United (MLS)

 

Tyson Wahl: Another victim of the midseason shakeup, Wahl was sent to the Colorado Rapids for an International Roster Spot. With the additions of Nesta and Karl Ouimette in June, the left-back would have been getting paid first team money to be a squad rotation player.

Current club: Columbus Crew (MLS)

Donovan Ricketts: With only Bush on the squad, the Impact signed the big Jamaican to be a stalwart in goal. However, he was anything but. Ricketts was capable of making jaw-dropping saves, but for every time he was on the highlight reel, he was also on the blooper reel for letting in a weak goal. He was swapped for the more stable Troy Perkins from Portland. Ricketts would go on to win the 2013 Goalkeeper of the Year with the Timbers, before being the first overall pick in the recent Expansion Draft.

Current club: Orlando City SC (MLS)

Miguel Montaño: The Colombian wonder boy was slated to be skilled midfielder who would bring some South American flare to the predominately North American side. However, management saw Montaño would not get much playing time, so they loaned him Deportivo Cali in his native country, and that was the last we’ve heard of him.

Current club: Quilmes (Argentine Primera Division)

Greg Sutton: 2012 was going to be a victory lap for the veteran Greg Sutton. The Hamilton, Ont. native played 132 matches for the Impact from 2001 to 2006, winning four USL Goalkeeper of the Year awards and five Voyageurs cups. Although he only appeared in one game, it was nice to see him end his career in Montreal. He is now a color commentator for TSN’s MLS broadcasts and is the head coach of Concordia University’s men’s soccer team.

Current club: Concordia Stingers (CIS)

Patrice Bernier: The hard working defensive midfielder from Brossard, Que. was one of Jesse Marsch’s marquee signings. Bernier gave the Montreal fans a hometown hero to cheer for, and his strong play gave them reason to cheer. The now 35-year-old has slowed done a bit since 2012, but is still an effective player, as his new contract proves.

Current club: Montreal Impact (MLS)

Felipe: The skillful Brazilian has been a constant in the Impact lineup since 2012. His playmaking and finishing abilities have been on display for all to see, and he has the records to prove it. He is tied for second on the club’s all-time goal scoring list (14), tied for first on the assists list (25) and is the first player in Impact history to break the 100 appearances mark. However, Felipe’s role may be diminished in 2014, with strong attacking midfielders Ignacio Piatti, Andres Romero, Dilly Duka, Justin Mapp and Blake Smith all vying for spots in the starting eleven.

Current club: Montreal Impact (MLS)

Oct 11, 2014; Chester, PA, USA; Philadelphia Union forward Andrew Wenger (9) celebrates his goal with Philadelphia Union midfielder Maurice Edu (21) during the second half of the match against the Columbus Crew at PPL Park. The Columbus Crew won the match 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

Andrew Wenger: The Duke Blue Devils alum was the first overall pick in the 2011 SuperDraft, but failed to live up to his billing. He couldn’t find the consistency needed to be a first team player. Klopas pulled off a great trade in April, sending him to the Union in exchange for Jack McInerney. I am happy to report that Wenger is doing well in Philly, where he has equaled his number of goals with the Impact in half as many games.

Current club: Philadelphia Union (MLS)

Calum Mallace: The scrappy Scotsman has gradually taken on a bigger and bigger role each year in Montreal. 2015 could be the year he gets a chance to start, but the signing of Marco Donadel could prevent that from happening. Regardless, Mallace was an effective substitute, and his hard working, fearless style of play will keep him in any coach’s good book.

Current club: Montreal Impact (MLS)

Shavar Thomas: The Jamaican international was part of the carousel of centre backs used throughout 2012. With Nesta and Matteo Ferrari performing well, they opted not the sign him at the conclusion of the season. After Montreal, Thomas signed with Fort Lauderdale of the NASL, getting into nine matches. He had a trial with a club in the S-League in Singapore, but didn’t sign on, and at age 33, I doubt his career is over.

Current club: Free Agent

Lamar Neagle: Neagle didn’t seem at home in the Impact’s system, and didn’t play at the top of his game in his lone season in Montreal. He was sent back to his former club, Seattle, where he would go on to excel, frequently earning a spot in the starting lineup and scoring a goal every two and a half games. Why couldn’t he score like that with IMFC?

Current club: Seattle Sounders (MLS)

Mar 16, 2013; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Former Montreal Impact player Eduardo Sebrango during the warm-up session before the first half against Toronto FC at the Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Eduardo Sebrango: The former Cuban international who immigrated to Canada was in a similar situation to Greg Sutton – taking a victory lap with his old team. In 147 games with the ‘old’ Impact, he notched 51 goals. It would be ridiculous to expect the then 39-year-old to score at that pace in MLS. He didn’t, but that’s okay, most fans were happy to see him end his career with the Impact. Apparently he signed with a semi-pro third division side for 2013, but his professional career is over.

Current club: Retired

Matteo Ferrari: The ex-Inter and Roma centre half came into his own at the end of the 2012 season. His partnership is follow country man Nesta was one of the most revered duos in the league in 2013. Unfortunately, when Nesta retired, Ferrari’s play took a turn for the worse. 2014 was a tough year for him, as he looked a bit out of his element and was often victimized by opposing forwards. At the end of the year, he had some parting words for the club; a sad end to what was a respectable career with the Impact.

Current club: Free Agent

Bernardo Corradi: Another former Serie A player, Corradi was brought in to form a striking tandem with fellow Italian Marco Di Vaio. Sadly, Corradi suffered a serious knee injury eleven games into the season. A player on the wrong side of 35 with a knee injury? The Impact weren’t willing to take a chance and didn’t resign him at the end of the year. He hasn’t officially retired, but he hasn’t signed with another club either.

Current club: Reluctantly Retired

Jesse Marsch: Ah yes. Lest we forget the coach! The Impact and Jesse Marsch ‘mutually’ parted ways following the 2012 season. Marsch hasn’t turned up as the head coach of another major club since, although he has backpacked around the world with his wife and kids. He is listed as a Volunteer Assistant coach with the Princeton men’s soccer team.

Current Club: Princeton University Tigers (NCAA)

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