Canada head coach Jesse Marsch has discovered the “stark reality” that the country’s Soccer Association simply cannot afford to fund a January training camp – in contrast to rivals including the United States.

The Maple Leafs will next play on March 21, with a crunch CONCACAF Nations League semi-final clash to come against Mexico. However, unlike their next opponents, the Canadian men’s national team’s stars will not meet up this month for a training camp due to the financial malaise facing the country’s governing body.

The United States will also put on an international training camp in January, with 24 players set to descend on Fort Lauderdale as they prepare to be put through their paces by Mauricio Pochettino and his staff. Due for duty on Jan. 7, the majority of participants in the camp are based in MLS.

However, any prospect of their Canadian peers joining up this month for a training camp was deemed an impossibility by Canada Soccer Association chiefs due to finances. Speaking about the situation, head coach Marsch said: “The stark reality is just financially we are not in a position as a federation to support a January camp yet.

“It’s a bit of a shame that we weren’t able to accomplish that this year. But I’m hopeful that by next year we’ll have that in place. Obviously a lot of teams, when we need matches, are trying to qualify for the World Cup. So we’ve had to be creative at kind of understanding which teams can be available.

“And then how to create a schedule and then still find ways to play in Canada, to play in different spots in Canada. Kevin Blue and I have been tirelessly trying to fundraise to help elevate financially what we can achieve with the entire national team program, for men and women.”

Mauricio Pochettino has named an MLS-dominant roster for January's exhibition games

Mauricio Pochettino has named an MLS-dominant roster for January’s exhibition games ( 

Image:

2024 Joe Puetz/ISI Photos)

This comes after Wisconsin-born coach Marsch previously distanced himself from taking the reins of the country of his birth in the near future. The former Leeds United helmsman said back in June: “I’m not leaving this job, I have no interest in the U.S. job.

“And to be fair, unless there’s a big shift in the organization, I don’t think that I’ll ever have any interest in that job in the future. So I’m really happy here, I couldn’t be happier actually in terms of what it’s like to work with the leaders in this organization and what it’s like to work with this team.”

He also previously told BS’ “Call it What You Want” podcast: “My respect for U.S. Soccer is big, but I went through a process with them, right? And I’m not going to go into it, but I wasn’t treated very well in the process.

“And so, whatever, man, that’s in the past now. The minute it was done I was like, ‘OK, I’m moving forward, and I’m going to figure out what’s right for me.'”