Posted by

Aaron Nielsen ,

June 7, 2017 Email

Aaron Nielsen



Twitter

@ENBSports

Read this on your iPhone/iPad or Android device





As a follow up to my League1 Ontario top prospects list for the CanPL, I now look at the PLSQ: the top level of senior soccer in Quebec. It should be noted that I live in Ontario and attend League1 Ontario games, so while I'm aware of players in the PLSQ and have seen some play live, my knowledge of the league is not as extensive. I'm sure there are Quebec locals who could add to this list and provide names I may have missed, and I would encourage you to do so. What I do know about soccer in Quebec is that the structure in the province is much more developed than in other provinces around the country. Quebec has a provincial elite league played throughout the province for both boys and girls at U14, and this continues until the PLSQ, with many players also playing College and University soccer in the province. What should also be acknowledged is the effort Joey Saputo has put regarding youth soccer in Quebec, from offering scholarships and awards, to the development of the Montreal Impact Academy who play in the USSDA. Most players on this list have had some experience with the Impact Academy team and it should be noted that despite FC Montreal folding, many ex-players from that team are playing professional soccer now outside of Canada, but are also prospects for the CanPL. A final scouting note regarding Quebec is how the province’s soccer community has embraced new Canadians, especially ones coming from African countries. As we have seen with the play of Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla, this can provide an x-factor for Canadian Soccer Development and I imagine when the Canadian Premier League starts players like Tabla in Quebec, and across Canada, will be great source for future pro players . 10. Mouhamed Touré, CS Longueuili Toure is a former Montreal Impact Academy player who has been invited to Canadian Youth Camps at the U-16 to U-20 level. He was identified as a prospect at young age, moving from his U14 side Fabrose into the Impact's USSDA Academy side. Toure played 40 plus games with the USSDA U16 and U18 sides and was scheduled to move up to the USL team this year before FC Montreal was folded. He is regarded as an athletic defender who can play either in a center back or full back position, and at 19 years of age, still has a lot of time to grow into a sold CanPL player. 9. Adam Malekos, FC Gatineau



A sturdy defender who started to garner attention with Hull in the Quebec Elite League. Malekos was eventually brought in by the Ottawa Fury and given a squad number for the 2016 NASL season. He spent most of his time with the Ottawa Fury reserve side in the PLSQ and since has joined FC Gatineau. Malekos has good size 6'1/175 and mostly has played Center Back but also has the ability to play in a holding midfield role. 8. Rida Aboulhamid, AS Blainville



A strong athlete, Rida has won a number of youth awards in both soccer and hockey. As a soccer player, Aboulhamid scored over 100 goals moving up the Quebec Elite youth leagues playing for Monteuil, Boisbriand, and Ahuntsic. He was also seventh in scoring in the PLSQ last season with Blainville. He has also represented Quebec at the Canadian games and has been a key contributor at National tournaments for his club team. A compact winger/forward, the 20 year old uses his speed and dribbling ability to beat defenders and is also a good finisher. 7. Jonathan Vallée, FC Gatineau



A history with both the Montreal Impact and the Ottawa Fury, Vallee was first indentified as a potential prospect almost 8 years ago with Hull in the Quebec Elite League. Vallee was eventually part of both Montreal initial USSDA side and was one of the first players signed by FC Montreal, where he played five professional games in 2015. Vallee then moved to Ottawa where he played with the Fury's PLSQ side, eventually being called into the Fury's first team although he never played. At 22, Vallee has more experience than some of the younger Quebec players and his combination of grittiness and technical ability should make him a strong candidate for a CanPL opportunity. 6. Pierre Lamothe, CS Longueuil



Lamothe is a possession midfielder who played with CS Longueuil’s youth team before being brought into the Montreal Impact Academy. He would play close to 100 games with the Impact's USSDA U16 and U18 side and was eventually promoted to FC Montreal last season. The 19 year old was also called into the Canadian U20 Development Camp in 2015. Lamothe is on the smaller size but has a good touch and works well in distributing the ball. His awareness of the game is also good, including the ability to find spaces where he has been able to score goals from distance. 5. Samuel Duffek, AS Blainville



Even though he is 20, Duffek has the same stature as many L1O prospects I mentioned as a player who would already be identified as a professional soccer player. Samuel first grabbed attention with his youth side Ahuntsic, which lead to a call up to the U15 Canada Identification camp and eventually and opportunity with the Montreal Impact Academy. He quickly moved up the ranks playing for the Impact's USSDA U18 side as a 16 year old and making his pro debut in 2015 with FC Montreal in USL. Duffek has had trouble establishing himself in a specific role but has the ability to play both as a defender or midfielder and a few years with a CanPL side could see Samuel grow into a quality player. 4. Pierre-Rudolph Mayard, AS Blainville



At 29 years of age there will certainly be questions whether Mayard is a prospect. He has also been given pro opportunities in the past playing for the Montreal Impact, Rochester Rhinos and Ottawa Fury in NASL, however no player has been more dominant in PLSQ then Pierre-Rudolph Mayard. The winger has good speed and strength has scored 50 PLSQ career goals, including five this season in three games. With CanPL being an expansion league, players of all ages will be offered a shot and Mayard’s experience may give him an edge over some younger players. 3. Marco Lapenna, FC Lanaudière Lapenna is one of the best known Quebec players of this generation from a Canadian National Team perspective. A starter for both the U17 CONCACAF Championship in 2011 and the U20 CONCACAF Team in 2013, he would eventually move to Germany where he played for FC Erzgebirge Aue’s reserve side. Technically-gifted, Lepenna was playing at levels four years above his age while with St-Leonard in the Quebec Elite League and trialed with both the Montreal Impact and Ottawa Fury. Now playing soccer with Cape Breton in CIS and PLSQ, the left-back is still only 23 years old and should be highly sought after by a CanPL side. 2. Alexander Kulic, FC Gatineau



Alexander is another player who went from Hull in the Quebec Elite league to the Montreal Impact Academy team. The 20 year old, tall striker played well in the U18 USSDA league against the top Academy players in Canada/United States scoring 19 goals in 29 games and helping the Impact to two playoff runs. Along with playing with FC Gatineau in the PLSQ, Kulic recently announced he will be attending Carlton in CIS this year where Carlton's head coach Kwesi Loney said he's a player with great instincts, pace and finishing ability. 1. Badreddine Boulajoul, CS St-Hubert



A different type of player, although Boulajoul’s story reminds me of Toronto FC's Raheem Edwards. Overlooked at a young age, Boulajoul’s dominant play in the Quebec Elite Youth League included 39 goals in 23 games in the U17 League with Monteuil, which got him an invite into the Impact Academy. Boulajoul continued to perform with the Impact quickly moving from the U18 USSDA side to FC Montreal in USL. My view was if FC Montreal had kept their USL side Boulajoul would have made the move like Edwards to MLS and in my view will be a hot commodity for a CanPL club.



Aaron Neilsen is a co-founder of Prospect XI (Prospect Eleven), a scouting network and online magazine dedicated to tracking/highlighting young players that refer to as "prospects" as well as their development pathways both within North America and worldwide. Follow PXI via www.prospectxi.com or on twitter @ProspectXI.