Toronto ¨C With upcoming matches against the Netherlands, France and World Cup champions Argentina, for Jesse Marsch there will be no easing into his new post as head coach of Canada¡¯s men¡¯s national team.
On the job just two weeks, Marsch will receive a baptism by fire with away friendlies against seventh ranked Netherlands on June 6, followed by No. 2 France three days later with Lionel Messi and top ranked Argentina waiting to take on Canada in their Copa America opener on June 20 in Atlanta.
¡°If I have a preseason with a club team, we would schedule a first game or two against opponent where it was a little bit easier, where we could have success,¡± conceded Marsch, after announcing his 26-man roster for the June training camp and friendlies. ¡°What a massive challenge.
¡°Even when looking at all the different challenges in my career, trying to get this little 10 days right will be difficult.
¡°I want to give them enough information for them to understand how we¡¯re going to move forward but I don¡¯t want to overwhelm them that when they step on the pitch, they¡¯ve got a million things in their mind.¡±
One of the main things Marsch said he hopes to do is establish a team identity, but his first selection had a familiar look, with 20 of the 26 names having suited up for Canada¡¯s last contest under interim coach Mauro Biello.
The squad will once again be led by Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies, Lille¡¯s Jonathan David and Tajon Buchanan from Inter Milan.
For Marsch it has been a hectic start to his tenure spending the first weeks having conversations with players and Canada Soccer leaders while filling out a coaching staff that will be confirmed on Wednesday before coming together on Monday for a training camp in Rotterdam.
¡°It¡¯s been a lot of work and a lot of discussion, but all really good and helpful for me to have a good assessment as to where we are and where we need to go,¡± said Marsch. ¡°What will be really important here is to develop an identity within the team and engage multiple people that we feel like can ultimately be a benefit to what we¡¯ll try to achieve with the national team now, in a month from now, six months from now and certainly two years from now.¡±
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