Charles Jackson
New Canada coach Jesse Marsch reflected on the process he went through to interview for the U.S. men’s national team a year ago, saying he was “not treated very well” by the U.S. Soccer Federation along the way.
Marsch was a candidate for the USMNT job when it became vacant last year, although the federation opted to re-sign Gregg Berhalter after he led the team to the 2022 World Cup. He did not elaborate, but was succinct when discussing their interactions. with those responsible for the hiring process.
“Obviously, growing up in the U.S. and contributing and playing for the national team, playing for the youth teams, coaching in the World Cup with the U.S. national team, my respect for U.S. soccer is great,” he said on the latest episode of Call it whatever you want, a podcast from the CBS Sports Golazo Network. “But I went through a process with them, right? And I’m not going to get into it, but I wasn’t treated very well in the process and whatever, man. .The minute it was done, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m moving on and I’m going to figure out what’s right for me,’ and again, it motivated me again to find the right people.”
Marsch emphasized that the ideas and people present at the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) were aligned with his ideas for the job, which is why he finally said yes after spending more than a year without a coaching role.
“Kevin Blue [the CSA CEO and general secretary] comes from college athletics and the recruiting work he did to get me here was unparalleled,” Marsch said. “I’ve never felt more wanted, more desired and more appreciated, right? And in the end, when it came to executing my contract, he did it in two days, right? This guy has a plan, he knows how to execute it and how to get it done. In this sport you can’t underestimate the value of execution, right, because everyone talks about how they want to do things and can dream big but in the end it’s all about execution and I believe that he and I will make a formidable team.”
The coach’s dissatisfaction with American football is also reminiscent of his feelings on different teams. Marsch hinted that he turned down several jobs last year and moved on because he didn’t seem like a fit, sometimes even at the highest levels of the game.
“It’s almost as if the higher I went, the more disappointed I became with the way things worked,” said the former Leeds United manager. “People think Leeds are such a big club, but you take the veil off, we were a club that was a mess when I got there, very, financially, a mess, and that made managing everything very difficult, but I decided I took it on and tried to do the best I could with it.”
His recent experiences meant he was very intentional about the work he ended up taking on.
“I don’t have to work,” Marsch said. “I love working, but because I love working, I have to protect, I think, the ways that I think about how to work and who to work with, and again, it led me down this path with Canada that made me feel like the people were amazing. and the opportunity to really be able to work and impact things is what inspired me and the people to do it with.
Rivalry with the USMNT
Marsch joins Canada as they step up preparations for the 2026 World Cup, a tournament they will co-host with the USA and Mexico. The head coach admitted he is excited about the group of players, which includes Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Lille’s Jonathan David. It’s arguably the most promising group of talent the Canada men’s national team has ever had, but Marsch acknowledged they need to prove themselves at the continental level – and against regional rivals like the USMNT.
“The US is, at this moment, the measure of Concacaf,” said Marsch. “With the pool of players they have and the players that play for big clubs and the success they have had over the years, the sport has really developed in the US, which we should all be very proud of.
“Who knows? I’m sure we’ll play the U.S. a few times before the World Cup comes around, so I’ll be looking forward to those games. I think familiarity with things brings out the competitive energy and certainly — look, the Canadian team has been compared to the U.S. for years and it’s not going to stop now and it’s not going to be expanded anymore just because I’m here, I think, you know, overall, we want to take this program and continue to establish it.”
Marsch feels, however, that his job is bigger than just taking down the USMNT in regional battles. He hopes to promote the progress of football in Canada, where he believes there is still untapped potential.
“For the most part, I felt like being part of this program would allow me to not only think about how to impact the starting team more, but also the sport in the country and I think there’s a more holistic vision for me being the head coach of the Canadian national team than just ‘ What are the wins and the losses?'” he said. “Obviously I always know that I will be judged on these things and the success of the first team at the 2026 World Cup will be the most important thing for me to manage, but there is so much more of what can be done in Canada to help. The sport continues to grow and I want to make a really positive impact in that way.”
