Peak leaf hasn’t yet arrived in Montreal but the bursts of gold and butterscotch up on the hill that gave this place its name still mushroom out by the hour.
asserted
that → arrive → hour
Sitting in a glass-panelled hotel mezzanine at the foot of Mount Royal, Canada men’s coach Jesse Marsch has his mind on another harvest.
asserted
Marsch → sit → harvest
When this extended autumnal international window ends he will decamp to Italy, where the olive crops at his Tuscan villa are ready for reaping.
asserted
crops → end → reaping
Flight paths between Canada and Europe have been busy lately, and figurative transatlantic distances are closing fast.
asserted
distances → close → Canada
As Canada’s relations with the noisiest neighbour to the south stretch and fray, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney is forging alliances with the EU so close that the bloc is apparently inventing new membership categories.
asserted
bloc → fray → categories
As an American residing in Europe who is also a Canadian leader with robust approval ratings, Marsch is watching.
asserted
Marsch → reside → ratings
To him, it feels right.
asserted
it → feel → him
“I’ve always thought Canada was a little bit more European than the US anyway.
asserted
Canada → think → US
Right?” Marsch tells the Guardian.
asserted
Marsch → tell → Guardian
“But certainly now there’s enough happening politically and economically that you would say, we’re looking much more like that.
asserted
we → ’ → that
There’s talk of [Canada becoming an associate EU member] even actually happening.
asserted
Canada → ’ → ?
I like that aspect.
asserted
I → like → aspect
“There’s a uniqueness to Canada in terms of how truly multiethnic this country has become.
asserted
country → ’ → terms
You can see that Canada is not just a North American country any more, you know?
asserted
you → see → ?
That bodes well for our sport and for the makeup of our team, the makeup of our fans.
asserted
That → bode → fans
Having led Canada’s men to historic highs at this summer’s World Cup, Marsch is feeling his way into his second act in the job.
asserted
Marsch → lead → job
Some of his sideline displays – we’ll get to that meme – may have irked outsiders, especially in his homeland, during the tournament.
uncertain
we → get → tournament
Yet, having extended for four more years, Marsch is someone an overwhelming majority of Canadians are happy to have at the helm.
asserted
majority → extend → helm
“My impression is that first of all, he is a really smart guy, but a really normal guy,” Marsch says of Carney, who attended a number of Canada’s World Cup matches.
asserted
who → say → matches
“Sometimes you meet a US president, and you’re overwhelmed, maybe by their presence, the position itself.
asserted
you → meet → position
I’ve met Clinton, George Bush Sr, Obama, Trump, Biden.
asserted
I → meet → Clinton
Carney, compared to all of them, the closest would be Obama.
asserted
closest → compare → them
I think that that’s perfect for this country and this moment.
asserted
that → think → country
“He has shown great support for us.
asserted
He → show → us
I made a joke with him that ‘I heard you’re an Everton fan?’ and he goes, ‘Yeah’.
asserted
he → make → him
And I go, ‘I’m sorry about that’.
asserted
I → go → that
He replies: ‘Why does everybody say that?
asserted
everybody → reply → that
Everybody has to pick their team and stick by them.’
asserted
Everybody → have → them
I said, ‘I appreciate that you don’t switch from Everton to Arsenal or Liverpool, like everybody else’.
asserted
you → say → everybody
Circumstances, as well as natural impulses, have led Marsch to play statesman during this prolonged cooling of relations between Canada and his home country.
asserted
Circumstances → lead → Canada
He’s been defiant – lashing out at Donald Trump’s “51st state” barbs – then more deft.
asserted
He → lash → barbs
Sometimes, especially when it comes to the US Soccer Federation he said led him on with a job offer only to renege, he finds it hard to hide his disdain.
asserted
it → come → disdain
This window is the start of turning the page to the next phase of his Canada project.
asserted
window → turn → project
He admits, with a chuckle, that the four years stretching ahead feel long but there are imminent goals – a first trophy in 25 years, cracking and consolidating inside the world’s top 24.
A win over Chile in Toronto and 2-0 win over Peru here on Saturday afternoon in games billed as The Homecoming made for a solid start.
asserted
years → admit → start
New caps have been handed out.
asserted
caps → hand → ?
Key players arrived thriving in new surroundings, none more than Jonathan David at Atlético Madrid.
asserted
players → arrive → Madrid
Extended injury absences and the awkward non-attendance of captain Alphonso Davies (skipping the window to honeymoon) have been overcome.
asserted
absences → skip → window
But Tuesday’s clash with the US in Saint Paul means more American questions are coming.
asserted
questions → mean → Paul
Looking back, the Folarin Balogun affair feels absolutely tailor-made for a Marschian verdict.
asserted
affair → look → verdict
He, of course, has thoughts.
asserted
He → have → thoughts
…and 32 more, not listed.
The Aporia
