CARSON, Calif. - Montreal Impact head coach Jesse Marsch will seemingly be forever linked with Bob Bradley.
Having had a player-coach relationship in college and at various MLS stops, Bradley did indeed play a large role in Marsch’s career.
So too did Dave Sarachan. The LA Galaxy assistant and Marsch spent three years together in Chicago, making one MLS Cup appearance together in the process.
As Marsch ascended into the coaching ranks, Sarachan hopes that some of the years they had together in Chicago rubbed off on him.
“We all have this journey. Bob and Jesse started out in college together and then at D.C. United and then I took over in Chicago and we had four years with Jesse,” he said. “I’d like to believe it is a mutual thing, that I learned some things from Jesse and I’d like to believe Jesse learned a few things from me.”
When Sarachan took over for Bradley following the 2002 season, Marsch was part of a veteran core that helped make the coaching transition a seamless one. Even back then, Sarachan said he knew Marsch was a unique person.
“He’s a cerebral guy on the field. His soccer IQ was quite high and he was one of these guys who really analyzed him and got to a deeper level of the game,” Sarachan said. “I figured at some point it would translate into his career if he decided to coach.”
Marsch helped take a Sarachan-led Fire squad to MLS Cup 2003 as well as the US Open Cup final that same year. Their last season together saw the Fire get to within one game of MLS Cup. Marsch departed after the ‘05 season to join Bradley at Chivas USA.
Like Sarachan, Marsch took the assistant coaching route to an MLS job. Both were assistants with the U.S. national team before landing their first MLS gig. And while Marsch was seemingly been groomed to take a head coaching position somewhere, the position is challenging nevertheless.
“He’s learning quickly that... it’s not that easy,” Sarachan said. “All first-year coaches come in with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. I think what he’s done is, he’s understanding that it’s a long process. He’s tinkering with guys here and there and I think he’s trying to put together a good core and they have a pretty good understanding of how they play.”
Did Montreal choose the right man for the job?
“It’s not always the case that players who played in the league can coach but in the case of Jesse I think it’s a good hire,” Sarachan said. “He had the background as a player and then obviously with the national team and studied the game and it seems to be the right choice there.”
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Luis Bueno covers the LA Galaxy for MLSsoccer.com and can be reached by email at buenodad@gmail.com and on Twitter: @RunnerLuis