Canada Soccer has found its successor to John Herdman in Jesse Marsch, a coach with experience at the highest club level in England, Germany, Austria and North America.
And in hiring the 50-year-old American to run the menB次元官网网址檚 national team through July 2026, the much maligned governing body showed it has a new way of doing business.
New CEO and general secretary Kevin Blue drew a skeptical response from many last month when he pointed to philanthropy as a way to help Canada SoccerB次元官网网址檚 battered bottom line. On Monday, he delivered on that score.
MarschB次元官网网址檚 hire was facilitated by B次元官网网址渕ajor philanthropic contributionsB次元官网网址� from the owners of the three Canadian-based MLS clubs B次元官网网址� Vancouver Whitecaps, CF Montreal (Joey Saputo) and Toronto FC (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) B次元官网网址� and supplemented by other private donors, according to Canada Soccer.
ItB次元官网网址檚 likely the appointment wouldnB次元官网网址檛 have happened without it.
MarschB次元官网网址檚 coaching resume includes Leeds United, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls and the Montreal Impact (now CF Montreal). His last job was at Leeds, which fired him in February 2023 after a year in charge.
Marsch exuded enthusiasm and confidence in a virtual availability from Tuscany, Italy, saying the fit is right with Canada.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a while for me since IB次元官网网址檝e worked and itB次元官网网址檚 given me a lot of time to reflect and have a lot of conversations,B次元官网网址� he said.
B次元官网网址淚n the end I was looking for something that inspired me,B次元官网网址� Marsch added. B次元官网网址淏oth from a perspective and from a football perspective. B次元官网网址� Honestly it was relatively an easy decision. Once we could see that the fit was really good then it was just a matter of B次元官网网址楬ow do we make this happen?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Marsch said the quality of the Canadian players B次元官网网址� he cited their B次元官网网址渞aw athleticism and team speedB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� helped him make the decision.
B次元官网网址淲ithout the talent in this group, it would be a different conversation,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd the way that I think about football and the qualities of this player pool, I think, fit really well and will allow us to develop the team even further than where itB次元官网网址檚 already been and itB次元官网网址檚 already been very successful.B次元官网网址�
His first games at CanadaB次元官网网址檚 helm will be big ones.
The 49th-ranked Canadian men take on the ninth-ranked Netherlands on June 6 in Rotterdam and No. 2 France on June 9 in Bordeaux. Then itB次元官网网址檚 on to Copa America as one of six CONCACAF guest teams.
Canada has been drawn in a pool with No. 1 Argentina, No. 32 Peru and No. 42 Chile at the 16-team Copa America, which runs June 20 to July 14 in the United States.
A former U.S. international, Marsch played 14 seasons with D.C. United, the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA from 1996 to 2009.
Marsch, who becomes the 20th Canadian menB次元官网网址檚 head coach, has a 170-66-103 managerial record, according to Canada Soccer.
That coaching resume should help earn the respect of a Canadian team that has been at odds with its governing body and has yet to settle its ongoing labour dispute.
Blue also scores points for involving former Canadian internationals Tosaint Ricketts, Atiba Hutchinson and Rob Friend during candidate interviews. Canada Soccer said B次元官网网址渁dditional consultationB次元官网网址� during the search came from the likes of former Canadian internationals Josh Simpson and Julian de Guzman and veteran coaches Valerio Gazzola and Tony Fonseca.
Former York United CEO and president Angus McNab was also involved.
The Canadian men have been without a permanent coach since Herdman stepped down last August to take over Toronto FC.
Assistant coach Mauro Biello has been serving as interim coach since then. The former Canadian international was a candidate for the permanent job.
In hiring Marsch, Blue clearly drew on lessons learned as chief sports officer at Golf Canada, athletic director at the University of California, Davis, and senior associate director of athletics at Stanford University.
B次元官网网址淚n recognition of their significant philanthropic support, MarschB次元官网网址檚 position will be formally titled as the MLS Canada MenB次元官网网址檚 National Team Head Coach during the term of his initial contract,B次元官网网址� Canada Soccer said in a statement.
B次元官网网址淭his type of donor recognition is common at universities and hospitals, in NCAA sports, and is starting to be used in the Canadian sport system B次元官网网址� for example, with the Stollery Family WomenB次元官网网址檚 National Team Head Coach support at Golf Canada.B次元官网网址�
The search for a permanent replacement to Herdman has taken time.
Canada Soccer looked to hire a general secretary first, then a menB次元官网网址檚 coach. But the timeline was delayed when former MLSE executive Allyson Walker was hired but never took up the general secretary job in January, citing undisclosed personal reasons.
The search resumed after Blue was appointed in late February.
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