MLS Focus: Departure of Jesse Marsch turns the spotlight to Chris Armas
- by Ridge Mahoney @ridgemax, Jul 7, 2018
First up for head coach Chris Armas: a big derby game Sunday at
Yankee Stadium against New York City FC.
The former MLS All-Star and U.S. midfielder is in the crosshairs following a Red Bulls’ announcement Friday that former head
coach Jesse Marsch is joining sister club Red Bull Leipzig of the German Bundesliga in an unspecified role. RB Leipzig does not have a head coach though it has already
hired Julian Nagelsmann to lead the team starting next year, and nothing has been heard from the German outpost of the Red Bull empire as to what it has in mind for Marsch, who was
Armas’ teammate on the Fire and coached Montreal during the 2012 MLS season.
“We are fully supportive of Jesse and his decision to pursue a new opportunity,” said Red
Bulls sporting director Denis Hamlett. “Jesse played a large role in establishing our club identity, but the culture here is the result of the dedication and hard work of many.
“We are confident in Chris Armas. We know Chris and the coaching staff will have our team ready to compete each week, and they will continue to find ways to improve and work towards our
ultimate goal of winning MLS Cup.”
The Red Bulls are second in the Eastern Conference behind Atlanta United with a record of 10-4-2 (32 points) but are slightly ahead of that rival
in points per game (2.0-1.95). This midseason move is a jarring one to the MLS team and its fan base, yet a crucial phase in the aspirations of Marsch, an avowed devotee of the European game anxious
to try his hand in that environment.
Leipzig finished sixth last season in the German Bundesliga, a significant drop from its sensational runner-up placing in 2016-17 yet still a solid
showing from a team that was mired in the fifth tier of German soccer when it was bought and renamed by parent company Red Bull GmbH in 2009.
It rose up through the lower divisions and
fulfilled management’s target of Bundesliga play three years ago. Last month it parted ways with Austrian head coach Ralph Hasenhüttl and agreed to wait a year while
Nagelsmann completes his obligations to Hoffenheim. Leipzig will begin its Europa League schedule next month.
So where does Marsch fit in? Apparently, at the side of sporting
director Ralf Rangnick, the team’s sporting director who coached Leipzig in its 2015-2016 promotion season. Rangnick coached several German teams prior to his stint with
Leipzig -- Schalke 04, Stuttgart, Hannover, Hoffenheim – and stepped aside two years ago to make way for Hasenhuettl, but is expected to return and fill the role for the 2018-19
campaign. When Nagelsman arrives, so goes the theory, Marsch stays on as his assistant and possible successor.
Marsch joins his former counterpart Patrick
Vieira as MLS head coaches to bolt midseason for another job. Last month, Vieira left New York City FC to take over French club Nice of Ligue 1. Unlike Marsch, Vieira left a parent
organization to take on a new challenge. NYCFC is operated by City Football Group, a holding company owned by Abu Dhabi United Group that owns clubs in several countries,
including Manchester City of the English Premier League.
Despite Hamlett’s words of encouragement regarding Armas, he steps into a huge hole. In three and a half seasons
Marsch compiled a record of 58-35-35 (W-L-T) and led the Red Bulls to a pair of Eastern Conference regular-season titles, including the 2015 Supporters’ Shield for best overall record in
the league.
A former teammate of Marsch with the Fire and his chief assistant coach since 2015, Armas has no professional experience as a head coach. After ending his playing career
in 2007, he worked one year under Hamlett as a Fire assistant coach and four years as head coach of the women’s team at his alma mater, Adelphi University. Armas, 45, was born in the Bronx and
grew up on Long Island, so his local ties are unquestioned.
“On behalf of the entire organization, I'd like to thank Jesse for what he helped build here over the last few
years,” said Red Bulls general manager Marc de Grandpre. “Chris has emerged as a leader in his own right, and embodies our core values on and off the field. We are excited for
him to take this opportunity and know he will perfectly represent our club.”
Interesting just a few months ago PG wrote how bad Marsh would be as USMNT coach. Such poor reporting and so many quick to drink the the lemonade.
Turns out it's not just the players that want out of MLS.
This is among the many reasons why MLS can't be taken too seriously by serioius soccer fans who are not obsessed with anything that has to do with American soccer and only looking for quality, culture and serioiusness in the game. Jesse and Viera were probably the two most exciting coaches in the league who built two VERY exciting teams to watch at the MLS level and bam they walk away in the MIDDLE of very promising seasons for both teams. That shows you how the managements of both clubs do not care enough or value the MLS Cup or the league in general. There's no other wise to explain that except that both owners are in this for money and to supplement their other clubs overseas. It's really becoming hard for me to follow this league and to take it seriously.
Ron: Oh ye of so little faith!!!
I don't think it's fair to judge the whole league by what happens in one club.
If so, why not choose positives, Seattle, Atlanta...
Making changes in a team/club happens all the time.
Can you say, Spain.
Any one has the right not to follow, any league.
Can you just go away quietly...please.
TO COACH/PROFESOR CHRIS ARMAS: FELICIDADES!!! SI SE PUEDE!!! ALL THE BEST TO YOU!!!
Nothing wrong with a desire to test yourself at the highest level. MSL is coming a long well, but has a ways to go. For whatever reaason there is little reporting about his career ambitions and reasons for his move - maybe b.c. fear to upset MLS which want so project itself as top league - which it is not just yet - who knows - I couldn't find anything - but here is a link (if it's allowed) to a brief peice from budesliga.com summarizing Marsch and his ambitions.
<https://www.bundesliga.com/en/news/Bundesliga/jesse-marsch-5-things-on-rb-leipzig-s-new-american-assistant-coach-509649.jsp>
Cheers!
Good luck to Chris Armas, after two years as assistant, he deserves a shot. Make it happen! I like the attitude of RB, giving folks a chance to move up and show what they can do.