Canada's Jesse Marsch has 'no interest' in vacant USMNT job — now or maybe ever
A little more than a year after narrowly missing out on the chance to coach the United States men's national team, Canada boss Jesse Marsch said he can't see himself leading his country in the future under the U.S. Soccer Federation's current leadership.
Marsch just led Canada to the semifinals of the 2024 Copa América. On Friday, a day before the Reds and Uruguay met in the third place playoff in Charlotte, North Carolina, he was asked if he's still interested in taking over the USMNT. Former U.S. boss Gregg Berhalter was fired on July 10 after the U.S. became the first Copa América host nation not to survive group play since the current tournament format was introduced in 1993. Berhalter, who led the Americans from 2018-2022 before being rehired over Marsch last June.
The 50-year-old Wisconsin native didn't mince words.
"I have no interest in the U.S. job," Marsch – the only American-born coach to helm teams in England's Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League – told reporters during his pre-match press conference at Bank of America Stadium.
"And to be fair, unless there's a big shift in the organization, I don't think that I'll ever have any interest in that job in the future."
Back in May, the former Leeds United and RB Leipzig manager told his former CBS Sports colleagues on the "Call it What You Want" podcast that he didn't believe he was treated well during the USMNT's coaching search last year. Marsch was one of USSF sporting director Matt Crocker's finalists and went through a lengthy interview process before ultimately being passed over for the position.
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Marsch was an assistant coach with the USMNT under Bob Bradley at the 2010 World Cup, a position he held until beginning his head coaching career with MLS club CF Montreal (known then as the Montreal Impact) the following year. Marsch also coached the New York Red Bulls before jumping to Europe in 2018.
"I'm really happy here – I couldn't be happier actually in terms of what it's like to work with the leaders in this organization and what it's like to work with this team," he said of the Canadian setup on Friday.
Canada's next match is against the Americans on Sept. 7 in Kansas City. After Berhalter was dismissed, Crocker told FOX Sports and other outlets that he hoped to have a new coach in place by then. U.S. Soccer reportedly had former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp at the top of their wish list, only for the German to turn them down. The U.S., Canada and Mexico will co-host the next men's World Cup in 2026. Marsch is under contract with the Reds through the end of that year.
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports who has covered the United States men's and women's national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him at @ByDougMcIntyre.
