CF Montreal: new responsibilities for Patrick Leduc and Marinos Papageorgopoulos
MONTREAL – CF Montreal announced Monday that Patrick Leduc has accepted a new role within the organization as Director, Soccer Culture and Stakeholder Relations, while Marinos Papageorgopoulos has accepted the role of Academy Director.
Patrick Leduc will act as an expert and resource person for the marketing and communications department for all development and promotion activities of the culture of soccer with the Club’s stakeholders, thus leveraging his vast knowledge of soccer, the culture of CF Montreal, for his expertise in the media and his passion for sport. Patrick will report to Samia Chebeir, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. He will continue to work closely with the Academy during the transition.
« It is essential for us to promote soccer culture and continue to reconnect with the community, » said CF Montreal President and CEO Gabriel Gervais. Patrick Leduc takes on these new responsibilities, as the Club enters a new era in MLS with the arrival of Apple. Patrick’s dynamism, as well as his knowledge of the world of soccer and the culture of the Club will allow him to act as a vector of change in the way our brand will be delivered to our supporters. It will be a homecoming for Patrick who has extensive communication experience. »
Marinos Papageorgopoulos will assume the role of Director of the Academy and will report to Olivier Renard, Vice President and Chief Sports Officer.
“Marinos takes over after working closely with Patrick and successfully leading various external Academy projects over the past year,” added Gabriel Gervais. His approach, his professionalism and his expertise in the world of soccer has not gone unnoticed within the Club since his arrival. We are happy and excited to see him take on this new challenge. »
A former club player from 2000 to 2011, Patrick Leduc returned to the Impact on December 6, 2018 as the club’s administrative director of soccer operations. He was then appointed director of the Club Academy on July 7, 2020. Under his leadership, the network of partner clubs of the Identification and Development Center (CIP) was created and four young talents from the Academy of Club have signed contracts with the first team. Patrick Leduc also has extensive experience in the media, notably as a soccer analyst at the Sports Network and a columnist in the sports section of La Presse and La Presse +, from 2011 to 2018.
Papageorgopoulos joined CF Montreal on June 23, 2021 as the Academy’s Director of External Program Development. Papageorgopoulos, a 48-year-old Montrealer, has been the director and associate head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps Academy since October 25, 2016. Previously, he was the technical director of the Manitoba Soccer Association (MSA), starting in 2014. He then became the head coach of Whitecaps FC Manitoba, when the club’s academy center was launched in 2015. In Vancouver, Marinos was also in charge of the Super REX women’s soccer program.
Before leaving Quebec, he trained on the local scene as co-director of the Laval Regional Soccer Association, technical director at the Chomedey Soccer Club, then coach of the U15 and U17 men’s provincial teams.
