No. 2 ’keeper Crépeau has lofty goals

ST. PETE R SBURG, FLA. As Maxime Crépeau talked to the media on one side of the pitch at Al Lang Stadium, fellow goalkeeper Evan Bush could be seen across the field contorting his body atop a water cooler in a post-practice solo workout.

Bush, the Montreal Impact’s No. 1 keeper, is both Crépeau’s mentor and competition. For the 22-yearold Crépeau, it is do as Evan does.

Bush’s exhaustive workout regimen is already rubbing off.

Every time Crépeau went to the Impact’s training centre back home, he noticed the 30-year-old Bush was already hard at work in the gym. Now Crépeau joins him.

“As a young guy, I was a little bit less in the gym before,” Crépeau said. “Now maybe three, four times a week I’ll be in the gym with him before the (training) sessions and work on what we have to work (on) outside of football.”

Crépeau will be showcased Wednesday against the Philadelphia Union in a pre-season game in nearby Clearwater. Head coach Mauro Biello says the young keeper will play the full match.

Biello plans to rotate the rest of his squad, so his starters will be fresh to play the full 90 minutes of Saturday’s pre-season finale against the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL in St. Petersburg. Montreal opens the regular season March 4 in San Jose.

“I’ll mix up the team. Maybe some probable starters may not play in the game (Wednesday),” Biello said. “At the same time, it’s an opportunity for a lot of players to play against an MLS team and show what they can do.”

Fullback Ambroise Oyongo worked out by himself after arriving late to camp following the Africa Cup of Nations. Forward Dominic Oduro also was not part of the main training session, saying later it was a precautionary measure.

Crépeau moves into the backup role this season because former No. 2 Eric Kronberg is beginning the transition into coaching with the Impact. Kronberg will train with the team and coach the young players left behind when Montreal goes on the road.

“Max has done a great job,” Kronberg said at the time. “He’s ready, and I don’t really want to be No. 2 anymore.”

Neither does Crépeau, who has ambitions to be No. 1 for both the Impact and Canada.

“I’m not happy with the No. 2 spot,” he said. “I’m going to push for Evan’s spot, for sure. He knows and that’s the reality of it ... We’re both winners, Evan and I and also Erik. We’re winners and we want to play.”

Bush has not exactly left the door open, playing 72 regular season and playoff games the last two years.