The Montreal Impact’s new head coach Marco Schällibaum feels he’s ready to take on a new challenge in his career, that of leading Quebec’s MLS team towards a successful 2013 season.
Schällibaum, who was at the helm of five different clubs in the Swiss first division over his career, will begin his first ever campaign in MLS. The former Swiss international player took some time to review Impact games from lasts season, and he is pleased with what he saw.
READ: Schällibaum appointed Impact head coach
“The level of play is good and I saw a lot of character on the field,” he told Impact Media. “When you see players who react so emotionally when they score shows they have character. This will be an incredible challenge for me as it will be very different than what I’ve experienced in Europe, but I like challenges.”
Schällibaum, who speaks four languages (German – his mother tongue, English, French and Italian), met with Impact President Joey Saputo as well as Sporting Director Nick De Santis at Stade Saputo last December. Right from the first discussion, Schällibaum felt that he and the club were on the same page.
“I felt pretty early on that the club had confidence in me and from the minute I arrived, I felt welcome by the club. That being said, upon my arrival, I was also surprised to see all the snow,” he added jokingly, after landing in Montreal Sunday afternoon.
A lot of work awaits the Impact’s new coach in 2013 in order to be ready for the start of training camp on January 21, but the club is ready to help him adjust.
“We have a good roster with quality players,” he explained via press release. “We will work hard to get results.”
