CF Montréal said interim manager Philippe Eullaffroy will change roles and not return as first-team head coach next season as the club explores new ownership.
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CF Montréal says interim manager Philippe Eullaffroy will change roles within the organization and will not return as first-team head coach next season.
The update was announced after CF Montréal’s ownership group said it is putting the club up for sale. Luca Saputo, the club’s managing director of recruitment and sporting methodology, said the team’s priority is to leave the club “in a better place” as his family’s decision to move on brings “a flood of memories.”
Saputo said Montreal finished last in the Eastern Conference with six wins, 20 losses and eight draws, describing it as the team’s worst season since it joined Major League Soccer in 2012.
He said the day-to-day operations would not change while the club is for sale and that the organization is “already ready for next season and putting things in place to be better off.”
According to Saputo, Eullaffroy replaced Marco Donadel in April as interim manager. Saputo said the club also faces a challenge in attracting players while the team is on the market.
Saputo pointed to the Vancouver Whitecaps as an example, saying the team managed to sign German star Thomas Müller despite similar circumstances involving the club’s ownership status.
He also highlighted schedule constraints for Montreal’s 2027 season, noting that only six of its 14 games are scheduled at Stade Saputo. Montreal’s campaign is set to open Feb. 21 at Charlotte, beginning a six-game road stretch that includes a neutral-site matchup against D.C. United in Miami.
The club also faces timing changes as MLS transitions to a winter calendar for 2027-28, Saputo said, adding that Stade Saputo is not winterized and that renovations at Olympic Stadium are still years away from completion.
In addition to coaching changes, there is also uncertainty about future club ownership. Saputo said he would not go into details about the family’s discussion regarding the sale, and said he is focused on improving the team on the field. Joey Saputo said he would prefer to keep the team in Montreal but said CF Montréal could relocate if a suitable local buyer does not emerge.
The Saputo family plans to keep running the team until a sale is completed, with Luca and his brother, Simone, continuing in senior roles in soccer operations. Saputo said he expects the club can still succeed even if it is for sale, describing that a club being available does not necessarily prevent it from signing great players.
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