By Canadian Press

Canada soccer coach Marsch hopeful future funds will be available for a January camp

Jan 9, 2025 | 10:09 AM

Canada coach Jesse Marsch says he hopes to hold a January camp in the future after plans for such a gathering this year had to be scrapped.

“We tried to have a January camp. The stark reality is just financially we’re not in a position as a federation to support a January camp yet without having the kind of opponents to help support that,” he told MLS Media Day on Thursday in Miami.

The U.S. traditionally holds a January camp to eyeball young talent, something Canada Soccer has also done in the past.

“It’s a bit of a shame that we weren’t able to accomplish that this year. But I’m hopeful that by next year we’ll have that in place,” Marsch said.

“(Canada Soccer CEO and general secretary) Kevin Blue and I have been tireless in trying to do fundraising to help elevate financially what we can achieve with the entire national team program for men and women.”

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The Canadian men, currently ranked 31st in the world, will be competing for two trophies this year with the CONCACAF Nations League final four in March and CONCACAF Gold Cup in June-July.

Marsch reiterated that Canada Soccer is also working on friendlies against sides from South America, Africa, Asia and Europe.

“Obviously a lot of teams, when we need matches, are trying to qualify for the World Cup. So we’ve had to be creative at kind of understanding which teams can be available. And then how to create a schedule and then still find ways to play in Canada, to play in different spots in Canada.

“So there are so many variables. But I feel like we’re in a good place … I think we’re on track for some really good opponents.”

Marsch said he sees the 2026 World Cup, which Canada is co-hosting with the U.S. and Mexico, as akin to the 1994 tournament in the U.S.

“Without (the) 1994 World Cup, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to become a professional after college. I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to pursue being a professional coach. And what we need to do is make sure that we’re providing more opportunities like that for players and for coaches, so that in the future we can continue to elevate the game in the country.”

Marsch, who was named Canada coach in May, says 2024 was about getting to know his team — with more work to come this year.

“So much of it will still be about establishing exactly how we’re going to become who we want to be for 2026,” he said. “And everything from incorporating a few more dual nationals to incorporating a few more individual younger talents into the player pool and making sure that we’re addressing everything we need, so that by (the) summer of 2026 we know exactly which players we are going to need and who we are, so that we can do the best that we can to represent Canada in a home World Cup. That will be the most important.”

Asked about his current squad’s scoring ability, he said the Canadian men are creating chances and “the goals will come.”

“But clearly this is still an area of emphasis in making sure in the final third (of the field) that we can be more clinical.”

Asked about the Canadian Premier League, Marsch said while the league was “vital” to developing the sport in the country, he had challenged it to “get younger.”

“I’ve seen that there’s good coaching in that league and there are good players and good teams,” he added. “But I also am looking for the right kind of young talent to be thinking about how it can fit within the national team program. And that’s not just with the first team, but also with some of the youth teams.”

He pointed to 16-year-old York United winger Shola Jimoh and 21-year-old Kwasi Poku, a former Forge FC player now with Belgium’s RWD Molenbeek, as players with “incredible talent and potential” who will be part of the national team’s future.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2025

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press