

Posted by

Steve Bottjer ,

October 21, 2014 Email

Steve Bottjer

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@BottjerRNO

Even though he is now at an age at which many professional players consider retirement, Montreal Impact captain Patrice Bernier is adamant that he is not planning to hang up his boots any time soon.



In fact, the accomplished 35 midfielder is both feeling good physically and looking forward to several different competitions in 2015.



“I feel great and I don’t feel like stopping for a while,” Bernier told RedNation. “That’s for sure. I will be playing for sure next year. I don’t think I will be stopping even the next year. Now I’m going to just enjoy these last few days and then rest up and we’ll see you next year.”



With the Impact having struggled through a poor league campaign this year, the Brossard, Quebec native was quick to state that he does not see any overarching reason why Montreal can’t be back at the top of the Eastern Conference league table next year.



“Anything is possible in this league,” Bernier explained. “If you look at the performances we have had as of late, if we had played like that earlier in the season, I think we could have been right there in the hunt for the playoffs. So we know the potential is there. I’ve seen a lot of teams – not just D.C. United (this year) – that didn’t have a great season and then the next year they had a good year.”



“There is always hope,” he added. “This isn’t like Europe. You are not going down, so next year you can finish first.”



Outside of a return to form at the Major League Soccer level, the veteran central midfielder is also very excited to be a part of the Impact ongoing run in the CONCACAF Champions League.



“That was the highlight of our season,” Bernier stated. “Unfortunately, our league performance wasn’t great, but we managed to fight and qualify for the Champions League quarterfinals next year, which will allow Montreal and the club to have a great game at home. Of course the fans will all remember 2009, so it is going to be great.”



In addition to competing at a high level at the club level, the classy veteran was also open in admitting that he would like nothing more than to continue to represent Canada at the International level as well.



“I was supposed to go to the last game (against Colombia), but I was injured and I could not go,” the long time Canadian International explained. “But I enjoyed my time when I was there (in September) and right now the word from me is that I believe in Benito. He has the team playing the football that I want to play. We saw it in the last game against Colombia – the team is building and it is a process and you want to be part of that even if it short-term.”



While many have expected Head Coach Benito Floro to start phasing out some of the older players in the program ahead of next summer’s Gold Cup and the next round of World Cup qualifying, the Spaniard has also admitted that he does not put a significant onus on the age of a player and that he is mostly focused on the form and quality that a player can bring to the Canadian squad, regardless of whether they are young or older.



To his credit, Bernier delivered a very effective performance in his last appearance with Canada in a 3-1 victory over Jamaica in September. That said, he also admitted that if that match was to end up being his last one in a national team kit, it would end up having been a positive manner in which to finish his national team career.



“If it was the last one, it will have been (a good way to finish),” Bernier explained. “We won at home, I got an assist and I earned my 50th cap.”



Outside of his own personal role with both his club and the national team, the two-time Canadian Championship winner also admitted that he is looking forward to watching the progress that all of the young homegrown players on the Montreal Impact roster make both next season and in the coming years.



“There are about eight of them and they are growing and it is great to see them on the team,” Bernier said. “They still have to learn and work hard and win their places in the starting eleven and the squad. But it is nice to see and it is good news for Quebec soccer and Canadian soccer that there are eight professionals who can help the Montreal Impact and hopefully the Canadian National Team one day.”