THE CANADIAN PRESS
MONTREAL — The Montreal Impact are staying in touch with their past as they prepare for the jump to Major League Soccer.
The club announced Friday that Mauro Biello will be kept on as an assistant to coach Jesse Marsch when the Impact join the MLS in 2012.
Biello has been the team’s assistant coach in the North American Soccer League since November 2009, following a career that spanned 19 seasons as a professional player. He played in Montreal for 16 years.
"I am very proud to follow the club to Major League Soccer," Biello said in a release. "This is an historic moment for the club and I am pleased to have the opportunity to help build the team for 2012. After being a part of the club’s evolution starting in 1993, I consider myself lucky to be a part of this new chapter."
Biello played 389 games with the Impact, scoring 77 goals and adding 67 assists. He ended his career as the club leader in games played, games started, minutes played, goals scored, assists, points, game-winning goals and shots on net.
He also won the Giuseppe Saputo Award as Montreal’s MVP four times (1997, 1998, 2001 and 2005). Biello helped the Impact win three NASL championships (1994, 2004, 2009), five regular season titles (1995, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2006) and the Nutrilite Canadian Championship in 2008.
Biello was also the last remaining player to don the Impact jersey from the club’s inaugural 1993 season and was captain from 2001 until his retirement.
Biello joins Preston Burpo and Mike Sorber as assistant coaches.