The Impact’s 2019 SuperDraft pick signs one-year contract with Montreal
We had to wait a little longer than expected to officially welcome Amar Sejdic to the Bleu-blanc-noir family, but now it’s done and dusted: the young MLS SuperDraft pick put pen to paper this morning, signing a one-year deal, with three option years, with the Montreal Impact.
It’s been quite a road too for Sejdic since being selected at the SuperDraft in the beginning of January. The former University of Maryland captain joined the team immediately after he was chosen in Chicago for the start of training camp, working hard to impress the coach for five weeks before coming back to Montreal and training with the team as the season got underway.
After the news was released, the 22-year-old met with the media at Centre Nutrilait to discuss this important step in his career. Here are the highlights from this morning’s presser.
On signing his first professional contract
“It’s a dream come true. The offer has been on the table for a month, but now that I’ve put pen to paper, it makes my family and I really proud. It makes me want to continue to work harder.”
On what he hopes to achieve
“I hope the coach sees the potential I could bring. I’m obviously not a finished product, but the biggest thing for me is that I enjoy learning and trying new things in the game. I’m in a great environment with great players and a great coaching staff. It’s an amazing place to come work every day and give my best effort. Hopefully, down the road, I can help the team achieve the goals we want to achieve together.”
On the city of Montreal
“It’s a beautiful city and I’m treated well everywhere I go. People sometimes ask where I’m from and what I’m doing here, and they’re very welcoming. I was staying downtown at a hotel for a while, so I got to see that area and eat some good food. Now I’m settled into an apartment, and it’s nice.”
On playing professionally
“It’s definitely different. You go from having three games a week in college to just one at the professional level. Everything is a little more spread out and the pace is higher. The focus is always on our training day. We have about four days to prepare for our game, so you need to always be ready mentally and physically to perform.”
On competition within the squad
“At the end of the day, this is a job and we’re competing. You want to compete to get better and for your personal pride. I never want to go into a team knowing there’s no competition. Having all these guys in midfield to compete with on a daily basis is important. It makes me better and it makes them better. At the end of the day, if you have players getting better, it makes the team better overall.”
