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 men91裸聊视频檚 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 Soccer91裸聊视频檚 battered bottom line. On Monday, he delivered on that score.
Marsch91裸聊视频檚 hire was facilitated by 91裸聊视频渕ajor philanthropic contributions91裸聊视频� from the owners of the three Canadian-based MLS clubs 91裸聊视频� Vancouver Whitecaps, CF Montreal (Joey Saputo) and Toronto FC (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment) 91裸聊视频� and supplemented by other private donors, according to Canada Soccer.
It91裸聊视频檚 likely the appointment wouldn91裸聊视频檛 have happened without it.
Marsch91裸聊视频檚 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.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 been a while for me since I91裸聊视频檝e worked and it91裸聊视频檚 given me a lot of time to reflect and have a lot of conversations,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淚n the end I was looking for something that inspired me,91裸聊视频� Marsch added. 91裸聊视频淏oth from a perspective and from a football perspective. 91裸聊视频� Honestly it was relatively an easy decision. Once we could see that the fit was really good then it was just a matter of 91裸聊视频楬ow do we make this happen?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�
Marsch said the quality of the Canadian players 91裸聊视频� he cited their 91裸聊视频渞aw athleticism and team speed91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� helped him make the decision.
91裸聊视频淲ithout the talent in this group, it would be a different conversation,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎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 it91裸聊视频檚 already been and it91裸聊视频檚 already been very successful.91裸聊视频�
His first games at Canada91裸聊视频檚 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 it91裸聊视频檚 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 men91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频渁dditional consultation91裸聊视频� 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.
91裸聊视频淚n recognition of their significant philanthropic support, Marsch91裸聊视频檚 position will be formally titled as the MLS Canada Men91裸聊视频檚 National Team Head Coach during the term of his initial contract,91裸聊视频� Canada Soccer said in a statement.
91裸聊视频淭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 91裸聊视频� for example, with the Stollery Family Women91裸聊视频檚 National Team Head Coach support at Golf Canada.91裸聊视频�
The search for a permanent replacement to Herdman has taken time.
Canada Soccer looked to hire a general secretary first, then a men91裸聊视频檚 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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