Five years into his CPL journey, Jonathan Grant's still hungry to win: 'We have a good enough roster to compete'

A dark screen flashes to colour. A microphone comes into light, suddenly, against a backdrop adorned with crests. Atlético Ottawa is splayed proudly. Sounds echo and focus into footfalls.

Reporters — inked out and with mics turned off — wait patiently for the press conference to begin.

Enter three-time CPL champion Jonathan Grant, the man of the hour.

He strides onto screen and takes a seat. Grant is dressed in athletic wear, relaxed, as he begins to field questions about the next stage of his CPL career. Atlético Ottawa, he says, was on his radar from the beginning.

"They were very adamant they wanted me here, part of the team," says Grant, adding he felt it important to be wanted for his abilities on and off the pitch.

Grant is entering his fifth CPL season, having tended the backline — most often as a right full-back— for Forge and more recently, York United. Atlético Ottawa effectively completes his tour of the province's CPL clubs. He says he brings championship pedigree and an attacking mindset; those are some of the reasons Ottawa signed him to a two-year deal.

But make no mistake: at 30-years old, Grant is as hungry as ever to win trophies.

"I think for me, going into a season, to not come out as a champion now doesn't feel as successful because that's where the standard has been set for me playing with Forge for my first three years. Anything short of that is an unsuccessful year for myself, personally," he says.

This past off-season has been one of change for Grant but some things have stayed the same. He says his new club has got the pieces — helped by signings like Matteo de Brienne, Ballou Tabla and Kris Twardek — to make some noise.

"As a team, I think we have a good enough roster to compete," says Grant to a question about expectations. But he allows that the league has gotten better every year since he's been around and 2024 will be no exception. "I think the league is growing very quickly. To me, it feels like there's rivalries between every club. Every game you go into is very intense."

Any player will tell you the regular season is a grind — it takes a pound of flesh through countless flights and training sessions and matches under bright lights — and Grant nods as he is asked about his injury history. Previously, he's struggled with muscle injuries but last year saw him sustain a concussion and facial fracture through a scary collision with Wanderers forward Théo Collomb. He's played 54 CPL regular season matches with more than a dozen extra appearances split between playoffs and CONCACAF but he's missed plenty, too.

The reporter points out he's no longer a kid.

"I think the biggest thing, it starts in the off-season," explains Grant, detailing his training and how he feels his fitness levels have improved year after year. Be it his trainer in Toronto or acupuncturist, Grant's doing the little things he thinks will make him better on the pitch.

"These are people who have been helping me behind the scenes the last few years and have changed a lot in my physical game. I've seen a lot of improvements," he says.

Injury history aside, Grant is a player who prides himself on his athleticism and it'll be no different in the nation's capital; he wants to help on the offensive end.

“I’m a very athletic player, I like to get up and down the pitch,” he says. “I’m a defender, so that comes first, but I’m a very attacking-minded defender.”

Time will tell how head coach Carlos Gonzalez opts to deploy his veteran defender but one thing is for sure; Grant's signing helps set the standard for success in their locker room.

And with that, the reporters are thanked for their time and are disconnected. The screen says the session has ended but Grant and Atlético Ottawa's season is just about to start.

Cover Photo Credit: Atlético Ottawa