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After two years in the USL, Montreal Impact’s USL affiliate FC Montreal are set to cease operations. After many speculations in the past couple of days about FC Montreal shutting down and Ottawa Fury becoming the new USL team affiliate, it seems the rumors were true.
BREAKING: @fcmontrealusl is no more. Told @impactmontreal TD Adam Braz met with players today & advised them. 3 options for players (contd)
— Tony Marinaro (@TonyMarinaro) December 8, 2016
Tony Marinaro said that players who sign with Ottawa Fury FC that their rights will belong to the Montreal Impact as they will be the team's new USL affiliate.
Technical Director of the Montreal Impact Adam Braz told players on Monday morning that they had 3 options.
1. They can play in the PLSQ and if they had enough players who wanted to go to the PLSQ they would keep the Montreal FC name.
2. They would have a professional tryout with Ottawa Fury FC but no spot would be guaranteed.
3. They would be released by the Montreal Impact but the team would own their rights for one year. So if a team would be interested in a player who didn't make the Ottawa team or to play in the PLSQ, they would have to contact the Montreal Impact in order to get the player.
(1)Players can play @PLSQ1 (2)Tryout @OttawaFuryFC spot not guaranteed as have @ 15players on roster (3)Released but IMFC own rights for 1yr
— Tony Marinaro (@TonyMarinaro) December 8, 2016
Football-wise, how will the Impact’s best prospects grow and develop? We might go from 20+ players from the Academy , composing FC Montreal, to a handful that would be sent on loan to the Ottawa Fury, that has just joined the USL.
Ottawa Fury becoming the Montreal Impacts affiliate also has its positives. When some of the Impacts young players do make the team they will be surrounded by a much better and stronger team out in Ottawa.