Jesse Marsch may carry an American passport, but the Canadian soccer coach left no doubt about where his loyalties lie after a big win on Saturday.
After Canada beat the Americans 2-1 in a friendly in Kansas City for the country’s first win in the U.S. since 1957, the Wisconsin-born Marsch was asked how he felt about topping a program that overlooked him for a coaching opening last year.
“I’d much rather coach Canada than the U.S. right now,” said Marsch, per AP.
“You can see the mentality that’s been developed. You can see the way this team plays. You can see how much they love playing for the national team and they’re willing to put their careers and lives and the way they play on the line to be the best they can be for each other and for the team.
Marsch was hired by Canada earlier this year and led the country to an impressive fourth-place finish in Copa America.
The host Americans, conversely, were eliminated in the first round of Copa America and then fired head coach Gregg Berhalter.
Mikey Varas moved up from assistant after Berhalter was fired following the Copa America flop. The U.S. Soccer Federation has been trying to reach an agreement for Mauricio Pochettino to become the team’s 10th coach in 14 years but has not commented on the talks, which began in mid-August.
Marsch interviewed with the U.S. before Berhalter was rehired last summer.
“I’m not bitter,” Marsch said. “Most people, if they ask me a question, I answer it. That’s how I operate in the media.”
Varas, meanwhile, had direct words for his players.
“The mentality is on the players. Sorry, they know it,” Varas said. “That mentality to fight and to run and to sacrifice, I can’t do that for them. I can’t do that for them. That’s on them.”
— with files from AP.
