AFPWHAT HAPPENED
Following Canada's disappointing Gold Cup quarterfinal exit to Guatemala on penalties, U.S. men's national team legend Landon Donovan shared insider information regarding growing tensions between Jesse Marsch and Canadian Soccer Federation officials. The American coach has been an outspoken figure during the course of Canada’s Gold Cup run - and prior to that as well - and Donovan revealed that conversations with multiple sources inside the federation indicate that initial amusement with Marsch's outspoken style has transformed into genuine frustration.
“I talked to people who are inside the Canadian federation as well, and I speak to players and I speak to people, they are fed up with this BS too," Donovan said on his Unfiltered Soccer podcast with Tim Howard. "And they’re getting to a point now where at first it was fun, and it was funny and it was helping Canadian soccer."
“And now they’re to a point where they’re like ‘Shut up dude,' this is not good. If you’re one of the players on this roster, and he just said, ‘Well, we’re missing half our group, that’s why we lost. ’ How do you feel if you’re a player, right?”
Donovan also added that Marsch has done a lot of good for Canadian soccer, but believes that Marsch needs to tone things down a touch, and hopefully, they figure out a balance.
“I just wonder about the players in that locker room, because we’ve both been around coaches who talk a lot and say a lot, they bring in the attention. And sometimes that’s good because it takes attention away from you," Donovan explained. "But now if I’m sitting in that locker room, you’re getting to a point where you’re like ‘Hold on a sec, dude, hold on a sec. Let’s maybe have an honest conversation here’ and make sure that it’s channelled the right way."
Donovan added, “I think Jesse’s been excellent for Canadian soccer, I do, I really do. But there comes a point where it’s just too much, and people start to turn off, and it feels like we’re at that point. So hopefully, for his sake, for Canada’s sake and for the World Cup’s sake, that settles down, hopefully he learns from this and then going into next summer they can adjust.”
WHAT LANDON DONOVAN SAID
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Marsch's appointment initially brought considerable excitement to Canadian soccer, with his experience coaching at elite European clubs viewed as a major coup. His outspoken advocacy for Canadian players and ambitious public goals initially energized the fanbase and media coverage. However, the surprising Gold Cup elimination represents the first significant setback of his tenure, potentially exposing underlying tensions that remained hidden during more successful periods.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Following their elimination from the Gold Cup, Canada will face Romania next in an international friendly on Sept. 4 and then Wales on Sept. 9.