When Jesse Marsch was announced as the new head coach of the Canadian men’s national soccer team on Monday, the press release contained a fact that raised eyebrows. March’s official formal title would not be simply “head coach of the Canadian men’s national team,” or even “Manager of the Canadian men’s national team.”
Rather, he will be on the books as the “MLS Canada Men’s National Team Head Coach.”
Why is MLS named specifically in the job title of a national team head coach? The answer is multifaceted and has more people up in arms than you might think.
Why did Canada Soccer include MLS in the job title?
In its hiring announcement, the Canadian federation notes that Marsch’s hire was made possible due to “major philanthropic contributions” from the country’s three MLS clubs – CF Montreal, Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps. It also says that similar naming conventions for official jobs are common in other areas, specifically citing that the head coach of the country’s women’s golf team is in fact known as the Stollery Family Women’s National Team Head Coach.
It is also common for colleges, universities and hospitals to name positions after certain donors. However, it is all but unheard of in soccer. It is difficult to imagine, for…
