Hours after announcing that they were parting ways with club legend and head coach Mike Petke, the New York Red Bulls named his replacement.
Jesse Marsch will take the helm at Red Bull Arena, starting immediately. He previously served as head coach of the Montreal Impact in 2012, that club's inaugural MLS season.
"On behalf of the New York Red Bulls, I'd like to welcome Jesse aboard as our new head coach," Sporting Director Ali Curtis in a club statement. "We're excited to bring someone on who has both MLS and US men's national team coaching experience, and we strongly believe he is the right candidate to lead our team going forward."
Marsch, 41, brings to the Red Bulls a long resume of playing and coaching in MLS and American soccer circles. A graduate of Princeton University, he played 321 regular-season matches in MLS from 1996-2009 for D.C. United, the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA, scoring 31 goals and posting 40 assists. He won three MLS Cups and four US Open Cups.
"I'm honored to be joining a franchise like the New York Red Bulls, and I want to thank the organization for this opportunity," Marsch said in the club statement. "I'm excited to get going with our players and sporting staff as we prepare for the 2015 season."
After retiring in 2009, Marsch served as an assistant coach to Bob Bradley with the US national team, including the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
On August 10, 2011, Marsch was named head coach of the Impact ahead of their debut season in MLS. In 2012, he led Montreal to a seventh-place finish in the Eastern Conference, amassing a record of 12-16-6 in league play. It was the most wins by an expansion club since 1998.
After the 2012 season, Marsch left the Impact "by mutual consent" after a clash of philosophies between him and the club's management.
Since leaving Montreal, Marsch has spent his time traveling the world with his family, acting as a volunteer assistant coach for his alma mater's soccer team and working as a pundit for MLSsoccer.com during last year's FIFA World Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs.
