Bakary Soumare wasn’t surprised that the Chicago Fire didn’t pick up his contract option.
In fact, even if they did, the new Montreal Impact defender may have requested a move elsewhere.
While Soumare showed no bitterness toward the Fire as he met with the Montreal media on Tuesday, he did express his disappointment at seeing the once-powerful club – his first professional team – reach a point where they’ve missed the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.
“I don’t think the club was making big efforts to try and pick itself up,” said Soumare, who was selected by Montreal in Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Draft in December and signed with the Impact on Monday. “Montreal rest on a tough season; they’re doing everything to improve the team. In Chicago, I think it’s… I don’t want to knock them too much, but there’s a lack of will to succeed on every level.
“I played in Chicago in 2007, when it was a big club that always won, that always made the playoffs,” Soumare continued. “I saw the decline from that time to today when it comes to the staff, the squad, the club itself, the stadium, all the way to the grass. The grass represents the club. That’s what the club has become, alas. Chicago is my home. It always will be. But the club has really fallen from when it used to stand.”
The grass is literally greener at Stade Saputo than at Toyota Park – which had well-publicized issues with its playing surface last season – but perhaps not figuratively: Last-placed Montreal finished eight points below the Fire in 2014. But Soumare is confident that the Impact’s results belied the actual quality of the roster.
When asked about his part of the major overhaul of the team’s defense, he questioned whether such a strong word was required.
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“Hassoun [Camara]? Very good player, I admire him a lot,” Soumare said. “He knows it. Frank [Klopas] knows it. I’ll be tough on him because I know he can be even better. … There are young players Wandrille [Lefèvre], that’s good. I like him, admire him, appreciate him. I think he’ll be better. I’ll do everything to help him. [Karl W.] Ouimette is a good young player. We’ve got what it takes. Then, if we can bring reinforcements, we’ll bring reinforcements.”
Soumare also spoke of his admiration for head coach Klopas, who was technical director during Soumare’s first spell in Chicago and head coach when he returned.
“Tactically, I understand him,” Soumare said. “I know what brand of football he wants to play. It makes my job very easy. I agree with the way he wants to play football. You can be the best player in the world, but if your outlook on football is different from the coach’s, it can lead to clashes.”
