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Canada boss Jesse Marsch has aimed a brutal dig at Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT after their heavy 4-0 defeat to Switzerland this week.
Ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the United States and Canada are among the favorites to win continental bragging rights, American coach Marsch made a point about how his best players are on the roster for the tournament, unlike their rivals.
The United States is without several key members after busy club seasons, or for other reasons, in one of the last true chances in a competitive atmosphere before being co-hosts for next summer’s World Cup.
Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Giovanni Reyna, and others are not playing for the Stars and Stripes with morale appearing to be at a low ahead of such a momentous time for the program.
Canada may be trending up, as it looks to win its first trophy since 2000 with arguably the deepest roster in North America.
‘However many games I’ve been with this team, they still deliver, right? They never lay an egg,’ Marsch said this week. ‘They never lack intensity. They never lack understanding and commitment and discipline. They’re all in all the time, and they they train hard, they play hard.’
Canada boss Jesse Marsch (right) has taken a dig at the USMNT and Mauricio Pochettino (left)
The USA were destroyed 4-0 by Switzerland earlier this week in a historic defeat for the nation
Many of Pochettino’s best players, including Christian Pulisic, are skipping the Gold Cup
‘Their mentality is straight, so that part is again, makes it a fun team to coach, and this is the internal pressure we kind of put on each other. There’s no time off. Not one guy called me and said, “Coach, I don’t know, it’s been a long year. Maybe I don’t come to the Gold Cup?” Not one guy, even not even close to that conversation.’
The United States is coming off of two friendly losses at home to Turkey and Switzerland, with the latter being a 4-0 loss.
Despite recent bad form, the Americans are expected to do well in the Gold Cup, as Group D also has special guests Saudi Arabia, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Canada drew Curacao, Honduras, and El Salvador into its group, with a likely matchup between the countries not taking place until the semifinal or final.
In the past, Marsch has been linked with taking the USMNT job during times where former manager Gregg Berhalter was on thin ice.
Americans such as Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Brendan Aaronson will play at the Gold Cup and have a legitimate chance to see the field in the World Cup.
