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For the second time in three days, Albertin Montoya threw up a stop sign when asked about the National Women’s Soccer League’s recently opened investigation. The Bay FC head coach is at the center of the investigation which was launched last week after reporting by the San Francisco Chronicle regarding the working environment at the club.
“Right now it’s an open review,” Montoya said during media availability early Thursday. “Out of respect, I’m not gonna talk about it.”
Montoya gave almost the exact answer in a scrum with local media earlier in the week.
In response to the investigation, which is being conducted by an independent third party, Bay CEO Brady Stewart said the issue were the result of communications challenges. Asked about his communication process with the players during preseason, Montoya said: “We’re always touching on how we can get better.”
From there his answer veered immediately into soccer and ways the team can be better prepared in its second season on the field.
Caprice Dydasco, one of the first players acquired by Bay, said nothing has changed within the locker room.
“Our team has been always so positive, really close,” Dydasco said. “Nothing really changed our team or with our team dynamics. Our full concentration is on this weekend and focusing on our season opener against Utah.”
Montoya has been allowed to continue coaching while the investigation takes place. This contrasts with prior investigations into Amanda Cromwell and James Clarkson. Neither Cromwell nor Clarkson ever coached their teams again.
An NWSL spokesperson referenced NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman’s press availability last week as having addressed the Bay FC investigation. She did not mention the inconsistency of Montoya being allowed to continue coaching.
Bay FC opens the regular season Saturday in Utah. After a slow start to their expansion and debut season, they climbed into the top half of the league and made the playoffs, nearly upsetting the Spirit before losing late.
“Like every expansion team, there’s going to be 30 girls that came from all different backgrounds, different teams, different coaching staffs. It’s going to take time to get to know each other,” Dydasco said about the evolution of team culture of the last year. “Like you saw throughout (last) season, we kept meshing and gelling, even getting closer together. Our team on and off the field was getting so close. We have our same core group of girls coming back this season. So we’re only going to be better and stronger this season. We have big goals, and I can’t wait for us to get on the field this weekend.”
