Along his trailblazing path as an American manager in Europe, Jesse Marsch is hoping to prove some stereotypes wrong.
Marsch enjoyed great success in his first season as manager of RB Salzburg, winning the Austrian Bundesliga, Austrian Cup and winning plaudits for his team's play in the Champions League.
"I know that the pedigree of the American player and the American coach isn’t at the highest level here in Europe," Marsch told Nicole Auerbach of the Coaches Clubhouse podcast. "But I know that everyone over here is working as hard as they can to earn that respect every day and almost prove everybody wrong and help us step-by-step as Americans here in Europe in this massive sport to establish ourselves."
Marsch believes that perseverance from players and coaches will drive them forward. The likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and many more are at huge clubs in Europe, while Marsch himself continues to push Salzburg onwards.
"For the American player over there, and certainly the American coach because it’s such a new theme, we’re very undervalued and under-respected," Marsch said, "but that’s almost an area that Americans can thrive in, this idea that we can be the best, and it doesn’t matter what anyone says and we’re going to work as hard as we can because our self-belief and our grit is so strong."
You can catch March's full interview at the Coaches Clubhouse.
