Bailey tallied four goals and one assist in 18 games last season with the Impact, and was also part of the starting eleven for the 2004 championship final. The 25-year-old forward is currently recovering from a groin injury suffered last winter with the Baltimore Blast of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), and has started training with the Impact.
Hainault is also returning with the club, signing an amateur contract for the rest of the season. Last season, Hainault played 17 minutes with the Impact, on May 29, against the Toronto Lynx. He also represented Canada in the FIFA World Youth Championships 2005 in the Netherlands, last June.
“The addition of Bailey and Hainault will give us even more depth in the lineup,” said Montreal Impact head coach Nick De Santis. “Hainault is a young player with a bright future ahead of him. Bailey should be available by mid-August and we hope he will be able to repeat what he showed us last season.”
The Impact also announced they had acquired players Charles Gbeke and David DiPlacido from the Toronto Lynx. Gbeke is a 27-year-old forward originally from the Ivory Coast who grew up in Longueuil. He scored two goals in 422 minutes of play this season with the Lynx. He also played for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1998, 2001 and 2003.
DiPlacido, a 28-year-old midfielder, is a veteran with the Lynx who joined the team in 1998. He scored one goal in 14 games and 1133 minutes of play this season.
“In the absence of Ali Gerba, the acquisition of Gbeke is very positive,” continued De Santis. “He is a powerful forward who will give the opponent’s defense a hard time with his size and presence in front of the net. DiPlacido is an offensive midfielder who knows the league well and he is excellent technically. It’s great to put tour hands in such quality players at this time of year.”
The Impact’s new acquisitions will train with the club Wednesday, at the Catalogna Soccerplexe in Lachine, at 3 pm. Gbeke, Hainault and DiPlacido will also be available for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Silverbacks at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex (4 pm, CJAD, CKAC). It will be the first of a four-game home stand for the Impact.
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Source: Patrick Vallée
Info: 514-328-3668, ext. 27
