Derided by Leeds, snubbed by USA - but Marsch becoming Canada hero

Jesse Marsch's name will forever be in the history books.

>He has earned sporting immortality by leading Canada into the knockouts of a World Cup for the first time - and on Sunday they will look to go further when they face South Africa in Los Angeles for a place in the last 16.

>It is an impressive achievement for a coach who has overcome some difficult moments in his career.

>The American lasted less than a year in the Premier League as Leeds boss and was snubbed for the role as United States head coach, despite feeling he was certain to get it.

>But by guiding Canada through the group stage, overseeing a 6-0 thumping of Qatar, Marsch is well on the way to achieving his goal of making Canada a footballing nation.

>Jesse Marsch has developed a close bond with his Canada players

>When Marsch kept Leeds in the Premier League on the final day of the 2022-23 season, he could hardly have envisaged he would be sacked a few months later.

>But that is what happened after a run of seven games without a win, with Marsch later describing the decision as "foolish".

>It was a significant setback for the 52-year-old, who had long held an ambition to coach at the highest level. But another chance came in 2024, with the USA job.

>The chance to manage his home country would have been a dream come true but, despite believing the job was his, the USA hierarchy decided instead to go with Mauricio Pochettino.

>Marsch was offered the position in May 2024 and he took it with the promise he would "unite the Canadian soccer community", with the goal of having them ready to be competitive for the 2026 World Cup.

>"I think what happened with the USA role burns with him, but it burns with him in a way that helps him now," Soccer America's Scott French, who has previously worked with Marsch, told BBC Sport.

>Marsch threw himself fully into the role, travelling to nine cities in 10 days, holding meetings with fans and taking in as much Canadian culture as he could.

>He also worked on developing deep personal connections with members of the Canada squad, making individual visits or inviting the players and their families to his home in Italy for holidays.

>There is little doubt that the hard yards he put in during those early days has paid off, with a close bond between him, the players and the fans having developed.

>One example of his influence on the players involves Liam Miller, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in late 2024.

>At times the midfielder questioned whether he would be able to return to anything like the player he was before, but Marsch - as he does with anyone who has suffered a bad injury - spent a significant amount of time visiting him and checking in on him.

>When Miller was undergoing rehabilitation in Italy, Marsch invited the midfielder to spend time with him and his family at their home there.

>Miller not only returned to full fitness but helped Hull City secure promotion back to the Premier League at the end of last season, and is now an important player for Canada at this World Cup.

>"I've got to know all the players but Liam I have got to know really well and I think our relationship has become something that he has come to rely on," Marsch said.

>Canada six-goal win over Qatar marred by serious injury

>Life with Canada is not all perfect for Marsch, though.

>Defeat by Switzerland in their final group game cost them first place in their group and - crucially - staying in Canada for their last-32 fixture.

>Marsch attempted to play mind games before the Switzerland match by including Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies on the bench, but that backfired as he revealed afterwards that the national team captain was never fit enough to play anyway.

>"I wanted Switzerland to have to think about him," he said.

>"I listened to their news conference and they had three questions about Alphonso Davies, so they at least had to prepare for that."

>Marsch is the sort of manager fans love if he is in charge of their team - but not so much if he is in the opposition dugout.

>After Canada beat Qatar 6-0 in their second group game, Marsch paraded around the pitch in celebration at full-time, holding up six fingers to the Canadian fans to whip them up even more, but those histrionics can rub people up the wrong way.

>"Some people think it is an act, that he is just using that," added French. "I don't think it is an act at all, I think Jesse is always Jesse.

>"He is an emotional guy and I think that emotion really carries with his players - it helps bring them into that emotion as well.

>"He was like that as a player. I covered David Beckham for a number of years at LA Galaxy and one thing we always knew with him is that if someone fouled him in a way he felt was a bad foul, he would get a yellow card within a few minutes because he was going after him. Jesse has that in him as well, maybe even more than David did."

>Marsch is very self-aware and knows that people - including his own players - either love him or hate him and there is little in-between.

>"The players know now either they have confidence in me or they are stuck with me," he joked earlier this week.

>"Either way I think the relationships we have and the kind of team we have has been a reflection of all of us giving everything we have - and the pride we have - in representing Canada. That I think has really galvanised everybody."

>This is unknown territory for Canada and Marsch and while he has already overseen a history-making run to reach the knockouts, he knows progression to the last 16 will elevate this World Cup run from a very good one, to a great one.

>"We are ready to rise to all the challenges and be our best," he added.

>"We live for these moments where we are tested and can show how good we are."

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