Impact sign keeper Matt Jordan and Di Ioia

[Grizzly]

GOALKEEPER MATT JORDAN JOINS THE IMPACT

MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced, Monday, the signing of goalkeeper Matt Jordan for the next two seasons, while forward Massimo Di Ioia signed a three-year contract with the team. The club also announced that assistant coaches Peter Pinizzotto and Youssef Dahha have renewed their agreement with the club for the 2007 season.

Matt Jordan, a native of Denver, Colorado, played eight seasons with Major League Soccer (MLS) and has also played in Denmark with first division club Odense Boldklub (Superligua). The 31-year old veteran goalkeeper played his best seasons from 1999 to 2002, playing 113 games and more than 10,000 minutes with the Dallas Burn. He also played for the Columbus Crew (2004 and 2005) and the Colorado Rapids (2006).

“We were looking for a goalkeeper with experience to help Andrew (Weber) who is still young,” said Nick De Santis. “Jordan has shown great skills in the MLS. His attitude and his leadership will help us. Both goalkeepers will fight positively for the number one spot.”

MASSIMO DI IOIA SIGNS THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT

Di Ioia, a 19-year-old Montreal native, made his USL D1 debut with the Impact in 2006. In his rookie season last year, he scored a goal and added an assist in 15 games and 516 minutes played.

Before joining the Impact, Di Ioia played with the Montreal-Concordia AAA Soccer Elite Club from U14 to U18 and with the National Training Centre. In fact, he will be part of the upcoming FIFA U20 World Cup, which will take place in Canada this summer.

“We’re happy to have signed a long-term deal with him,” said De Santis. “Massimo has shown after one season that he is capable of playing in our league. We know that his concentration will be on the U20 World Cup this summer but this tournament will give him a lot of experience for the future.”

NEW DEALS FOR ASSISTANTS COACHES

The organization also announced that assistant coaches Peter Pinizzotto and Youssef Dahha will be back for the 2007 season.

Pinizzotto joined the Impact in 2004, helping the team win the USL First Division championship that year. Previously, he had coached the Toronto Lynx for seven seasons.

Dahha also joined the club that season, as goalkeeper coach. He helped the club post the best defense in the league, with only 15 goals in 28 games, a team record first set in 2004, and tied in 2005 and 2006.

The Impact will kick off the 2007 First Division United Soccer Leagues season on Sunday, April 21 in Atlanta against the Silverbacks. The Impact will play its 14th home opener of its history at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex on Sunday, May 20, against the Seattle Sounders.

The Impact 2007 season-ticket packages are now on sale. For further information, contact the Impact ticketing office at 514-328-3668 or ticketing@impactmontreal.com

[Grizzly]

A good signing from a soccer point of view but yet again another foreigner who boosts the American contingent to 5. Maybe the Whitecaps and Impact can have a contest to see who can field the least amount of Canadians.

[nolando]

best thing i have read all week, Grizz!! absolutely hilarious!!

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

A good signing from a soccer point of view but yet again another foreigner who boosts the American contingent to 5. Maybe the Whitecaps and Impact can have a contest to see who can field the least amount of Canadians.

The good news, I suppose, is that a player ( who has been getting called to the U20 team recently) has been signed. Meaning that he will be in mid season form when the tournament kicks off in July.