Former goalkeeper Brad Friedel has backed Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch to one day become head coach of the United States Men's National Team.
Marsch has quickly become popular at Elland Road after helping Leeds avoid relegation last season before guiding them to 11th in the Premier League table with eight points from six games this time around.
Given his success, it's unsurprising to see Marsch - who has USMNT stars Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson within his ranks - often touted for the national team job. A role Friedel thinks he'd be perfect for in days to come.
“Could I see him coaching the US National Team some day? Absolutely, the way that his trajectory has gone,” Friedel said (via Lehigh Valley Live). “Whether he wants to or not at some stage in his career, that is another question, because a national team coach is far different than a club team coach. You have a lot of time off.
"I have spoken to Gregg Berhalter about it, because he has obviously been a club coach as well, and Gregg is still really young in terms of being a national team coach. You have a lot of downtime compared to what you do with club coaching day-to-day.
“I know Jesse, but I am not a close, personal friend where I talk to him all the time to know what he wants to do. But I could see, if the job ever came up again, and he put his name in the ring, or I could see US Soccer wanting to go interview him, yeah. In the group of 45-55-year-old coaches in the US, he is right up there with the best.”
For his part, Marsch has already expressed his 'hopes' to one day manage the USMNT in the past.
“I would hope so,” Marsch told ESPN’s Futbol Americas in September 2021. “I would hope there's timing where it comes together, that there’s people that believe I’m the right person to lead the national team, that believe my coaching philosophies and my leadership philosophies are what we need. I don’t know when that is, I don't know what that would mean in terms of timing again.”
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Source : 90min