MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact captain won’t be on his team’s gameday roster this Saturday – by choice.
Patrice Bernier has chosen to take “two or three days off,” Impact head coach Frank Klopas said before training on Friday, in order to “think things over” after controversy erupted over his playing time earlier this week. The Impact’s captain did not train on Friday and will not play against D.C. United this Saturday as Stade Saputo.
“We respect that,” Klopas told reporters. “He needs some time, just to reflect on everything. We respect his decision.”
Bernier’s wife, Mélisa Barile, had lamented her husband’s situation in a Facebook post published on Wednesday night, roughly half an hour before Montreal’s starting lineup against New York Red Bulls was revealed – with Bernier making the bench.
“If you don’t start tonight, Patrice Bernier, it’s quite simply ridiculous, unacceptable, disrespectful and, most of all, vicious from your coach,” she wrote, tagging her husband. “It’s time for you to shake things up and go somewhere else... where you'll be appreciated and treated fairly!
“As far as your club goes, given that the situation hasn't changed since the beginning of the season, they're washing their hands of the matter, walking away from their responsibilities and lacking respect and loyalty for you,” she continued. “They don’t deserve you, but you deserve a lot better!”
Bernier replaced Calum Mallace in central midfield with 13 minutes to go as Montreal, down a man from the 79th minute on after Laurent Ciman’s ejection, held on for a 1-1 draw. With Marco Donadel suspended for yellow card accumulation, Mallace and Eric Alexander started in central midfield.
Bernier left the locker room early on Wednesday night but addressed the situation – opting to make a statement before answering reporters’ questions – on Friday in order to “turn the page.”
“It became a lot [bigger] than what she expected,” Bernier said. “My family is having a hard time dealing with the fact that I’m not playing. They deal with it in their own way. I don’t think they thought we’d get to that point. In the end, I only want to focus on the field, because it’s all I want to do: play. For the good of everyone, let’s move forward and move on. There’s a game on Saturday, I want my mind to be free and, most of all, think about my family; it’s been tough for them lately – and I’m pretty sure it’s [the same with] the coach and the club.”
The 35-year-old Bernier’s playing time has plummeted this year, after three seasons where he averaged 2,157 minutes of play annually and became the Impact MVP (in 2012) and an MLS All-Star (in 2013). So far this season, he has logged 340 minutes over 13 MLS appearances. He has started three games, the last of which was a 2-2 tie at Philadelphia, on June 27, when he picked up a second booking 67 minutes in. In the following six MLS fixtures, Bernier made two appearances for 15 minutes.
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Klopas repeated that he has been “very clear” with Bernier on his changing role and said he understood the situation.
"We’re competitors,” Klopas said. “I was very competitive, too. If I played right now, I’d want to win or play every game. That’s understandable. But the most important thing is that the club is heading in the right direction. We made a lot of good changes, and changes for the future. I believe, for me, that Patrice can be a big part of that – in a different role that he’s playing. It doesn’t mean that he’s never going to play. It’s just different. I’ve been very clear with that.
“For me, more than anything, I know he wants to play and it’s important that he’s a part of this organization for many years to come, not just now,” Klopas continued. “That’s the goal. In that situation, I’ve treated him – not because someone told me, because at the end of the day, I have always had a good relationship with him. I know it’s difficult sometimes when you make those decisions. But the best thing about it is, I do communicate with him and other players. I’m clear. When it’s said otherwise, it’s very disappointing to me and it hurts, as a person, as a human being."
