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Princeton University Athletics
ESPN.com Story on Jesse Marsch '96 and his mentor Bob Bradley '80
April 06, 2012 | Men's Soccer
Bob Bradley by Another Names
Leander Schaerlaeckens, ESPN.com (4/5/12)
The first clue is Jesse Marsch's stoic stance along the sideline. He coaches actively but refuses to show emotion, neither when his expansion Montreal Impact twice go ahead away to the New York Red Bulls nor when their hosts run up the score to a 5-2 loss. At most, a barely visible pumped fist or two will poke out from the long sleeves of his overcoat to celebrate a goal or good defensive effort. After the game, Marsch strolls out onto the field, gazing at nothing, his hands resting on the hips of his suit.
"On the sidelines, I try to be a pillar of strength for our team," said Marsch, the Impact's first-year coach. "That if they look over at me there's no sense of panic or concern but it's just about how now we're pushing the game."
The resemblance to another coach who came up in Major League Soccer is uncanny. Marsch is in many ways the coaching progeny of former U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley, who now manages Egypt. They share a philosophy, a style and a tactical view. They even talk the same way. Slowly, inflecting for emphasis, pausing frequently to consider what to say next -- and what not to say -- often using the word "now" without referring to a specific space in time. For all the world, Marsch comes off like a young Bradley -- only with a great head of hair.