Jesse Marsch has revealed that it was Celtic that helped him take his first steps into coaching.
As an American the goal of coaching in Europe required a UEFA Pro Licence which involves extensive study of one club at a variety of levels.
Celtic has an extensive coaching network across North America that shares coaching ideas and exchange trips that gives the club a profile in every state, more than just the traditional ex-pat areas.
Marsch is a graduate from that network, working his way up through the RB clubs in New York, Liepzig and Salzburg.
Discussing his first steps on Radio Scotland tonight he explained:
I needed to be educated in Europe, Red Bull had a relationship in Scotland, specifically Celtic, Celtic sponsored me to be in the course. From 2018 I had to fly over on a Saturday night after our game on a red-eye o straight from the airport to the course that lasted 8-9 hours that day, get a little sleep on the Sunday night then wake up and go through the course again on the Monday morning, sometimes Tuesday as well then fly back and coach my team. I did that probably fifteen times.
What I learned was not just about Scottish football but about Scottish people and how welcoming they were to me, how open they were to the ideas that I had. There was a strong sense of togetherness within the course that I found unique. It impressed me, when I did my courses in the US I didn’t find that as strong with the instructors and the other students. Jack Ross was on the course with me, I thought that he was really good. Martin Canning was on the course.
.@CelticFC fans tune into @BBCSportsound tonight at 6pm to hear an extended interview with Jesse Marsch as he reveals his interest in the managerial vacancy at the club.
— Kenny Macintyre (@kennymacsport) March 17, 2021
Since moving to manage Salzburg in 2019 Marsch has been in the Champions League twice, finishing third behind Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid this season, and behind Liverpool and Napoli last season.
This season Salzburg are five points clear in the Austrian Bundesliga and on course for another tilt at the Champions League.
Full interview is available in Podcast form.