MONTREAL — As CF Montréal interim head coach Philippe Eullaffroy prepares for his first game at the helm, all eyes will be fixed on how the caretaker manager will differentiate himself from him predecessor.
Eullaffroy will be in charge as Montreal hosts the New York Red Bulls on Saturday in its first Major League Soccer match since firing head coach Marco Donadel last week.
Donadel was fired Sunday after Montreal dropped a 2-1 decision to struggling Philadelphia on Saturday. The loss dropped Montreal to last place in the Eastern Conference at 1-6-0.
The Italian’s coaching style ruffled feathers in many ways, from his squad selection to his game management. The former Montreal Impact midfielder seemed to complicate the game, resulting in the club’s worst-ever start to a season.
Eullaffroy is looking for a return to basics by bringing back one simple ingredient: joy.
“Just because we bring joy, doesn’t mean we don’t realize we’re in trouble. I strongly believe, and science proves it — that you’re better to have a positive mindset if you want to get over an obstacle and move forward,” said Eullaffroy. “It’s not because you’re in trouble that you need to stress, stress doesn’t help you be better.”
What had become tense and sombre training sessions under Donadel as the team’s form continued to slip have become much lighter and positive, as is often the case when a new manager takes over.
Sessions now begin with a lighthearted unconventional drill to get spirits up and have some fun. Players partake in a possession exercise with a unique rule like using only your hands or playing with balls from different sports like tennis, volleyball, and football.
“I think the system (Eullaffroy) wants to bring is one that speaks to me a bit more on the pitch, so I think it’s something that can be very beneficial for me,” said captain Samuel Piette. “He wants us to rediscover that joy and passion that comes with playing football … and a style of plays that’s a bit sexier for both ourselves and the fans.”
Piette has struggled to find minutes since being substituted at halftime of Montreal’s season opener in San Diego, playing just 48 minutes in the ensuing six games. Eullaffroy’s arrival may not only make way for players like Piette, but provide a tactical reworking that has been sorely needed.
The arrival of a new coach and a new philosophy may open the door for previously overlooked players to find more game time. Eullaffroy repeatedly reinforced the concept that — especially for a new manager — play time and squad selection will be based on performance in training.
“I’ll be counting on everyone. Humans have biases and one of the is a confirmation bias, so when we don’t see the qualities of a player, they can get put aside,” said Eullaffroy. “The advantage with a new coach is that everyone’s standing is back at zero. For the moment, everything is going well (with Piette) and he’ll definitely be in the plans for Saturday’s game.”
His first test in charge will be the reverse fixture of the club’s only win this season — the Red Bulls, who have not won since falling to Montreal 3-0 last month. This will also provide a first look at what kind of tactician Eullaffroy is, having already revealed that the club would be going away from Donadel’s man-to-man pressing.
While he deviates from his predecessor on many fronts, Eullaffroy says a tactical balance between comfort and change must be struck.
“Whoever it is we play against, it’s important to have a clear and visible identity. In the animal kingdom, the animal with the least sense of identity is the chameleon,” said Eullaffroy who said his soccer spirit animal was the hyena. “Every game has its own story, so now we have to write this one without being too dependent on the other one.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2026.
Elias Grigoriadis, The Canadian Press
