We’ve got some clarity of Jesse Marsch’s new gig with the Red Bull organization.
Marsch left his head coaching position in MLS to take a gig with RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, which was wild considering the German side had already announced the hiring of Julian Nagelsmann... for the 2019-20 season.
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So while Chris Armas slides into Marsch’s seat in New York, we know that Marsch is going to be an assistant for caretaker boss Ralf Rangnick.
Rangnick is the sporting director at RBL, and has been first chair at a number of Bundesliga clubs: Schalke, Hoffenheim, Hannover 96, Stuttgart, and, yes, RBL.
Marsch has a 2-year deal at RBL, where he’ll continue as an assistant under Nagelsmann in 2019-20.
It’s not a traditional assistant role, though, as laid out by Rangnick:“We have now come to the conclusion that I will take on the role of head coach, supported by the best coaching staff at our disposal. Ultimately, it came down to carrying responsibility - I know the league, the team and I speak the language. That isn’t the case yet for Jesse Marsch, so that’s why he will be working as an assistant coach
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“The coaches will receive special tasks so that everyone can make their mark. Jesse Marsch and Robert Klauß, who knows our youth setup very well, will play important roles in our training development and implementation.”
So there’s a language and familiarity barrier, and Rangnick needs to run a season in an unorthodox way as the club prepares for Nagelsmann (who will fulfill his final year at Hoffenheim).
It still feels odd that he’d leave his first chair unless there’s something major in the offing beyond this, but it reads like he’ll have a good deal of responsibility and continue to raise his stock in the Red Bull group.
