ROAD TO 2026: Jesse Marsch on next steps for CanMNT 🇨🇦 | THE SIT-DOWN by Visa 🎙️

On this episode of THE SIT-DOWN presented by Visa, Kristian Jack welcomes back CanMNT 🇨🇦 head coach Jesse Marsch to discuss January's Camp Poutine as he builds toward a final World Cup roster.

We also discuss what Jesse expects from Alphonso Davies' return as captain, taking on a tough group this summer, and his own long-term future with the program.

Here are some key highlights:

THE GOAL OF CAMP POUTINE

Jesse Marsch called up a number of new faces to the Camp Poutine roster, including Noah Abatneh and Tiago Coimbra from the Canadian Premier League. While this was partly due to availability as players in Europe are still mid-season and MLS players aren't playing at the moment, Marsch clarified the vision here is longer-term:

"Yeah, this was my idea and I fought for it pretty hard," Marsch told OneSoccer. "My reference point was being in the January camps for the U.S. as a player, and then doing them as a coach. It was my first introduction to the U.S. national team and it was also my first introduction as the assistant coach, and it was a perfect integration process for me to understand all of the things that are required for international football as a young player, as a young coach, and so I used that to create this.

"I said there are three buckets of players: Guys who I think are ear-marked to go to the World Cup; guys who are on the bubble that are fighting for spots; and then there's young players who are being integrated into what we do and learning what the national team is, how we play with the national team and so from all levels, I think it's been really effective so far but the test will be on Saturday against Guatemala."

MATCH TIER & SERVING SUSPENSIONS

Marcelo Flores was originally called up to the CanMNT for this window, but Marsch provided an update on Tuesday, informing media that the Tigres UANL midfielder would not be available to play without filing his one-time switch with FIFA, and as a result, he chose not to travel. But, with suspensions still to be served from the last window, Marsch clarified the status of Saturday's friendly vs. Guatemala.

"It is not a tier one – I wanted it to not be a tier one from the beginning because I wanted to include Marcelo (Flores) and give as many players as possible the opportunity to play," Marsch explained.

"With tier one, you only get six subs, but if it's not, you get more – and obviously, Marcelo. So, because of that, it will not function as a suspension-served match for Ismael (Kone) or Ali (Ahmed).

"We have not been notified that it's a two-game suspension for either Ali or Ismael, and from everything we understand, it's only a one-game, so Ali should be cleared. Ismael will have to serve his one-game suspension for the first game in March. So that's where we sit with this."

AN UPDATE ON GK BATTLE 

Both Dayne St. Clair and Maxime Crepeau made moves to new MLS clubs over the offseason, with St. Clair joining Inter Miami out of Minnesota United, and Crepeau joining Orlando City SC. As such, here's what Marsch makes of the goalkeeper battle:

"I actually look at it and there's been different times along the way where I've felt like, ah... maybe I need to make a decision now. And given the fact that they've both made moves now, I'm glad that I didn't, because I think they will each need time to get their feet underneath them.

"When Max didn't have a team, we actually had the plan to bring him here to make sure that we're keeping him sharp, and when he did go to a team, he could be ready to establish himself. But now that they both have teams, we've given them the opportunity to get started with their team, and a lot will be determined by how they start their seasons, how they're performing and what kind of fitness and form they're in. This will be the case for a lot of our players, especially guys coming back from injury.

"There's a lot of competition in our squad. This is the deepest the Canadian national team squad has ever been. There's more high-level talent than there's every been. It's an exciting time to have the home World Cup and I think all the guys know that I'm here to support them and that the challenge that they have is one that's actually been fostered naturally within the fact that there's been a lot of talent, opportunity and really good performances."

BACKLINE INJURIES & MARCH AVAILABILITY

Of late, Canada has been without a number of key defenders, including its entire starting four in Alistair Johnston, Moise Bombito, Derek Cornelius and Alphonso Davies, in the last window. Here's the latest on their status and availability for the next international window in March:

"It's unfortunate, what's happened specifically with our backline, our defenders. But, Alistair's back on the grass. Moise is on the grass. Derek's rehab is going well. Very unfortunate with Alfie's situation... then Shaff had the surgery, and that's a two-month surgery. Theo just got injured 6-8 weeks. But, I would say Theo's on the edge of seeing how it goes and maybe likely to be able to get ready for March, and Alfie's probably unlikely.

"So Alfie, right now, I would say is the only one who is probably out, but we may use March as well as the last chance to kind of bring a bigger group together. We've got to get through this camp and then talk about what March will look like. It will be in Toronto. We're going to start naming opponents soon. But, you know, I think we need to have that camp to really bring all of the key people together before we get ready for June."

ALPHONSO DAVIES: LB or LM?

In December, we asked Alphonso Davies where he saw himself fitting into the CanMNT lineup, as Richie Laryea's emergence at LB complicates the starting XI decision-making. Alphonso made clear he'll play anywhere he's asked. Here's what Marsch said of the choice:

"We're going to look at different things. Even when we use him as a left-back, we still use him, with the ball, further up the field, you know? Not just like a guy who stands in the back; we want him to be an attacker. Very similar to how Kompany– I started using him like that before Kompany, even. But, there will be, I think, opportunities to think about using him further up the pitch; in pressing situations, transition situations, certainly he puts the fear in opponents with his talent and his exposiveness.

"The best part is that he's feeling really strong and he's feeling like he's back to himself. It'll still take time for him to really develop the rhythm to be at 90 minutes fit and in top form, but he has time. Alphonso wants to play a big role in the impact of what the team can be at the World Cup, and the way I think of him is as a total two-way player; whether he plays in the midfield or at left-back, it will be the same. He'll be ready. He'll be great. He's excited.

"I'm going to go see him in February and we've been in contact. I'm really happy that he's feeling great. We've been talking a little bit about making sure that he doesn't have any setbacks at Bayern, but he's feeling strong and he'll be ready to go."

THE CAPTAIN'S ARMBAND IN 2026

While Alphonso Davies was named captain of the CanMNT, he did miss a large part of 2025 due to an ACL injury. Is Marsch ready to re-integrate Davies as captain?

"I don't think of him not being the captain. He is our captain. I've said this from the beginning; he's still a young captain and establishing himself, and he has a lot of support from some really good leaders within the team as well, but Alphonso's locked in to what it means to be the Canadian national team captain.

"With all those guys – Moise, Alistair, Liam (Millar) when he was out – there's a little bit of a catch-up. It's not so much the football as the evolution of the identity of the team and how that continues to move forward. Alphonso's our captain so we really need to make sure he's on the pulse of all of that and that he contributes to that in the best ways. He will.

"I've already talked to him about a lot of the things that have moved forward, and when I visit him in February we're going to really talk about where we are with the whole group, each individual, and what's necessary for him to re-insert himself in the best way. He'll be excited and he'll be ready."

HOW BEST TO USE J. DAVID AND I. KONE?

Jonathan David's time at Juventus has seen him used further up the pitch than he may regularly play for Canada, so we asked Marsch if he's considered different tactical approaches to his forward duo. Here are his thoughts:

"There's ways we can Ismael and Johnny to put them forward up the field and continue to help be dangerous but the role that Johnny plays in the team is a really important one. And the role of him playing with another striker is really important for me as well. It's not like we haven't thought about it or worked on it in training, but Ismael, I still think, is better running with the ball in midfield than receiving the ball further up the pitch.

"This is more of a natural quality for him, and he's able to break teams down that way. Of course, we have really good centre midfielders so putting on Saliba, Choiniere, these guys can be helpful, but now you look at the overall balance of the team like... almost at every position, you could be comfortable going with what anyone would argue is our first choice or our second choice. It's very tight and very competitive." 

WHAT DEFINES SUCCESS AT WORLD CUP?

"Success is getting out of the group. Real success is winning the group. And it's a bold statement, but that's still the goal," Marsch offered, when we asked him about this summer's tournament.

"We're going in, game by game. Tournament play is like this, but World Cup tournament play is really having the ability to being laser-focused in on one game, one moment and one second at a time. That's what we'll do, but we like our team, and we're playing at home, and we're going to go after opponents and games ready to be at our best. Since I've been here, this has been the entire focus: Preparation for what the best games are like, not for qualifying in Concacaf, all due respect – but the best games in the world against the best opponents. That's everything I've done from day one: To prepare for that."

WILL MARSCH STAY ON AFTER 2026?

Managers at the international level often stay for World Cup cycles, but Jesse Marsch is already looking ahead to post-2026. Does he plan to stick around with Canada after the World Cup?

"I love this job, I love this team and I've really grown to love Canada," Marsch said.

"I understand the responsibility of being their coach and representing the Canadian national team for the home World Cup. It's a team who really responds to who I am, what I think about football, and even life. And it's a team who I respond to really well and I really enjoy and whether it's been visiting these guys at their clubs, having people come to my house, the impression that I think we've made together on the Canadian community and the international footballing community, I think that we've caught people's eye in terms of now understanding that Canada can be a football nation and that this team has really good players and plays really good football.

"It makes me enjoy the process with them and know that it's an important role that I'm fulfilling. That makes me proud to be part of this. But... talk to me in August!"

He went on to clarify:

"I do (expect to stay on). Kevin (Blue) and I are having these kinds of discussions every week, right? But there's no real pressure. We're calm. I'm calm about all of this. I'm calm about this camp, the preparation, my future here, and the reason is because I have full confidence in everything that's being done.

"I have full confidence in Kevin Blue's ability as a leader, in the foundation of what's already been built in this country and what we're going to continue to build in this country for this sport. I have full confidence with the relationships I have inside the CSA, the relationships I have in the media, with the players, with the agents, with everything going on with this sport in the country. I have full confidence with what's happening. And at the core of it all, I have full confidence with this team.

"What a great feeling to have as a coach. I still insist that this team has never played poorly for me – 27 games, we have had 27 above-average performance. Not always perfect, but games where I can walk away and go 'Yeah, I'm proud of that group. This feels like my team. This feels like a team that represents what we want to be.' It means that I can just go about my business and be confident in what we're establishing."

Does Marsch miss club management?

"People ask me if I ask the daily routine. If I could have this team full-time, I would do it. I would love it. But it's not that I just miss the daily routine – I was on a search to find something meaningful for myself that I felt was going to be rewarding as an experience. I'm so thankful that I found it here. I'm so thankful that I took time (to find it), and that certain dominos fell in place the way they did.

"I feel really fortunate to be here. I feel really thankful. The whole part of me being here is I want people to feel positive about the impact that I'm having on these players, on this team, and on the sport in this country.

"You can't do a national team job forever because at some point you have to turn the reigns over to a different custodian. However... six years doesn't seem too long from where I sit right now."