James Pantemis

[Dominic94]

1 minute ago, InglewoodJack said:

I think Pantemis is CPL bound. From what I'm hearing and what I see, he's a guy who has had the luck of being at the right place/right time- his family has connections in local soccer, which got him on CF Montreal's radar, who only started him because our supposed Serie A loanee stunk, obviously made CANMNT because of the unfortunate Crepeau situation and a lack of professional keepers in our pool, hasn't been particularly great, but I think there will be takers in the CPL. 

I tend to agree that Pantemis has been overrated and fortunate to an extent. 

[jonovision]

8 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I think Pantemis is CPL bound. From what I'm hearing and what I see, he's a guy who has had the luck of being at the right place/right time- his family has connections in local soccer, which got him on CF Montreal's radar, who only started him because our supposed Serie A loanee stunk, obviously made CANMNT because of the unfortunate Crepeau situation and a lack of professional keepers in our pool, hasn't been particularly great, but I think there will be takers in the CPL. 

Pantemis has obviously had some good fortune getting him to WC, but he is far above the level of other CPL keepers, including Sirois.

[El Diego]

9 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I think Pantemis is CPL bound. From what I'm hearing and what I see, he's a guy who has had the luck of being at the right place/right time- his family has connections in local soccer, which got him on CF Montreal's radar, who only started him because our supposed Serie A loanee stunk, obviously made CANMNT because of the unfortunate Crepeau situation and a lack of professional keepers in our pool, hasn't been particularly great, but I think there will be takers in the CPL. 

This is harsh but perhaps fair. I won't speak to the connections part, but he has never impressed me much -- though I will admit he has improved. I was never super high on him. I hope he continues to improve, but right now he's way behind St. Clair.

[InglewoodJack]

Just now, jonovision said:

Pantemis has obviously had some good fortune getting him to WC, but he is far above the level of other CPL keepers, including Sirois.

Fair, but if not there, then where? I can't see him going to Europe and I also don't know what the market for a keeper who was the weak link on an otherwise excellent team who would've likely won the east, if not the supporters shield with even a slightly better keeper option? He's competing for an MLS contract with MLS keepers as well as ones from Europe and South America who want to make the jump. I dunno what the expansion draft looks like, but maybe St. Louis sees him as an option? Other than that, his best option would be going to the CPL, being the best GK in the league and maybe TFC or Vancouver give him a shot the following year.

 

[jonovision]

1 minute ago, InglewoodJack said:

Fair, but if not there, then where? I can't see him going to Europe and I also don't know what the market for a keeper who was the weak link on an otherwise excellent team who would've likely won the east, if not the supporters shield with even a slightly better keeper option? He's competing for an MLS contract with MLS keepers as well as ones from Europe and South America who want to make the jump. I dunno what the expansion draft looks like, but maybe St. Louis sees him as an option? Other than that, his best option would be going to the CPL, being the best GK in the league and maybe TFC or Vancouver give him a shot the following year.

 

He has established himself as a starter in MLS, eventually winning the job permanently from Breza. Montreal's defensive fortunes improved after this switch. He may not be the best starting keeper in MLS but I don't think he's the worst either. There may be a job for him in this league, especially if he continues to improve as most keepers do at his age.

If not, there are plenty of leagues, both in Europe and North America, with a playing quality between the level of CPL and MLS.

[DeRo_Is_King]

I really don't get the hate this guy gets. He's made blunders, but he's also made some ridiculous saves. I think he could easily play in MLS, and there's nothing wrong with that. 

[InglewoodJack]

5 minutes ago, jonovision said:

If not, there are plenty of leagues, both in Europe and North America, with a playing quality between the level of CPL and MLS.

Such as? I don't know that there's much of a foreign market for a Canadian GK who hasn't shown potential that he can take a big leap forward.

[P-O]

1 hour ago, InglewoodJack said:

Such as? I don't know that there's much of a foreign market for a Canadian GK who hasn't shown potential that he can take a big leap forward.

I'm not even sure he would crack the lineup of a Championship club in Scotland.

[InglewoodJack]

4 minutes ago, P-O said:

I'm not even sure he would crack the lineup of a Championship club in Scotland.

My first thought in writing that post was "he's better than Leutwiler for sure, but how much better?".

[Kent]

On 11/15/2022 at 12:56 PM, InglewoodJack said:

Such as? I don't know that there's much of a foreign market for a Canadian GK who hasn't shown potential that he can take a big leap forward.

There are 55 top tier leagues in Europe according to the UEFA coefficients, plus of course some 2nd and maybe even 3rd tiers of the better nations to consider. There has to be some out of those 55+ leagues that are a lower level than MLS and a higher level than CPL.

As for in North America, Honduras has outperformed CPL in CONCACAF League, so that is likely a higher level than CPL (and lower than MLS). Possibly Costa Rica too. I have no idea what the lower teams in those leagues are like though. He might also be alluding to USL, which at the top end at least might be higher level than CPL, but it's tough to know for sure.

[Cheeta]

Yeesh.  Tough crowd.

Man is a project.  Watch very little MLS so not a qualified opinion but sure, in my mind he's flakey.  But he's a 'keeper and that comes with the territory.  There is enough talent there that if he shows he can outgrow some of that then I'd think he'd be well worth the investment. 

Wretched business being a young keeper.  Starving for minutes but no-one trusts the kids so how to get minutes?  Right place, right time I guess.  Not easy to come by is it?  

[jordan]

Expects to be back in MTL next year 

 

[InglewoodJack]

I’m surprised. With all that transfer money coming in, surely they could’ve brought in someone.

[narduch]

32 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I’m surprised. With all that transfer money coming in, surely they could’ve brought in someone.

I'm not really surprised. 

He will probably be the back up 

[Ruud]

Kid has a head in his shoulders.  Loved his dads interview on the radio about 2026 and being part of the team 

“that depends on James and how hard he works”

[Cicero]

On 11/15/2022 at 12:42 PM, jonovision said:

Pantemis has obviously had some good fortune getting him to WC, but he is far above the level of other CPL keepers, including Sirois.

I'm not necessarily arguing, but I'm wondering on what basis you say this? I wouldn't say GK has been the CPL's best position talent-wise, but judging keeper potential seems like a crap-shoot. Did he stand out at Valour? I don't remember his stint there, but his numbers weren't great. But that's the problem with judging keepers in a low chance sport like soccer, numbers tend to be all over the place and are highly dependent on how the team is playing.

Triston Henry is a good example of this, his numbers are always at the top of the CPL, but he certainly wouldn't be my first choice. But it's mostly just a feeling, too many gaffes, he makes me nervous, but he does make some great stops.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Cicero

[VinceA]

I could see him and Sirois battling it out with Sirois perhaps being the favoured #1.

[jonovision]

Just now, Cicero said:

I'm not necessarily arguing, but I'm wondering on what basis you say this? I wouldn't say GK has been the CPL's best position talent-wise, but judging keeper potential seems like a crap-shoot. Did he stand out at Valour? I don't remember his stint there, but his numbers weren't great. But that's the problem with judging keepers in a low chance sport like soccer, numbers tend to be all over the place and are highly dependent on how the team is playing.

I am mostly drawing a comparison between Pantemis and Jonathan Sirois, who many talk about as if he was the best or one of the best keepers in CanPL. I don't believe it to be true, but in my viewing of both keepers, Pantemis was by far and away the more complete player. Better distribution and judgment of corners and crosses (a major weakness for Sirois) in particular. Pantemis didn't seem to be prone to the sort of bonehead error you see too often from players like Triston Henry and a few of the other regular keepers at CPL level (one of the guys from HFX comes to mind). 

[BearcatSA]

57 minutes ago, jonovision said:

Pantemis didn't seem to be prone to the sort of bonehead error you see too often from players like Triston Henry and a few of the other regular keepers at CPL level (one of the guys from HFX comes to mind). 

There must be a ton of bonehead errors by keepers in CPL because I think focus and decision making is an area of weakness for him in MLS.  I saw two such errors in the playoff loss.

He's a big guy with physical presence and that helps in a number of ways and he is also pretty good with his on the deck distribution so long as he doesn't think he's Ederson out there.  It is good to see that he might be back with Montreal next season.

[Obinna]

1 hour ago, VinceA said:

I could see him and Sirois battling it out with Sirois perhaps being the favoured #1.

I know Sirois is highly rated, but I would be surprised if Pantemis (who just returned from the World Cup) is not first choice. He ended last season as Montreal's no. 1 and for the moment he is 3rd choice for Canada. Sirois meanwhile is at best 7th, maybe 6th if we think he's ahead of Breza.

Speaking of which, is he back in Italy now?

[narduch]

It's official.

 

 

[K Edgar]

Gets the start and is injured in CF Montreal's 1st game of the season.  Hoping the injury is not major and for a quick recovery.

[GasPed]

Gotta be honest, he wasn't horrible, but he certainly wasn't good either.  First goal was not his fault, but second goal he really should've grabbed it rather than punched it.  And then on the play he was injured, it was because he spilled the ball in front of him, and then had to dive into traffic to try and recover it.  It was not an easy ball, but a pro keeper should do better...

[costarg]

Sirois has a great opportunity to steal #1 from Pantemis.  Pantemis just isn't showing any development, still makes the same mistakes from 2 years ago.  The brain farts between he and Camacho are just too costly.

[jonovision]

Sirois will have to seriously step up his game from what he showed last year or else Montreal will be in big trouble. He lost his job with Valour last season, and when he went back in he basically sunk Valour's season by giving away a win vs Ottawa by comically allowing a goal directly from a corner. He's not on Pantemis' level, at least with what he has showed so far. Decent shot stopper but hopeless on crosses. Hopefully he shows some improvement.

Edited February 27, 2023 by jonovision