Thierry Henry fleshes out Impact coaching staff, Bernier returns as an assistant

MONTREAL — Thierry Henry fleshed out his Montreal Impact coaching staff Wednesday with former Canadian international Patrice Bernier returning as an assistant.

Bernier, who played for Montreal from 2000 to 2002 and 2012 to 2017, joined the Impact academy as a coach in 2018. He served as an assistant with the first team the last two months of the 2019 season. The club says he will “work closely with the club’s young players and their transition from the academy.”

Henry, a former star striker with Arsenal, Barcelona and the New York Red Bulls, was appointed Impact head coach in mid-November.

Henry is reunited with Ireland’s Kwame Ampadu, who was his assistant at French club AS Monaco in 2018-19. They previously worked together at Arsenal. Ampadu’s playing career included stints with Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion, Leyton Orient FC and Exeter City FC in England, and Swansea City FC in Wales. He retired in 2006.

Wilfried Nancy, goalkeeper coach Remy Vercoutre and fitness coach Jules Gueguen are all returning.

Nancy has been an assistant coach the last four seasons. Vercoutre begins his second season as goalkeeper coach. Gueguen joined the Impact academy in 2016 as assistant fitness coach, before taking on the role of senior fitness coach in 2018.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2020.

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The Canadian Press