'Lay off ridiculous rhetoric' - Canada coach Jesse Marsch to U.S. President Donald Trump on idea of nation becoming '51st state'

Ahead of the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League Finals, Canada men's national team manager Jesse Marsch addressed the relations between the United States, his home country, and the nation of the team he currently coaches.

"Lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state," Marsch said at a news conference, referencing recent comments from President Donald Trump. "As an American, I'm ashamed of the arrogance and disregard we've shown one of our historically oldest, strongest, and most loyal allies."

Trump has repeatedly said Canada should be the 51st U.S. state as he proposes to erase the 5,525-mile-long border that separates the two countries. Marsch took issue with the concept, calling it "insulting."

"Tournaments for Canada mean something different now. And you know, I as an American, I'd like to address the 51st state discourse, which I find unsettling and frankly insulting," Marsch said. "Canada is a strong, independent nation that's deep-rooted in decency, really, and it's a place that values high ethics and respect, unlike the polarized, disrespectful, and often now, hate-fueled climate that's in the U.S. And look, Canada values a lot of fairness and unity. It's a place that I've learned as the national team coach, where people really believe that their differences make them stronger, and honestly, it's one of the things that I've enjoyed the most about our team, is that they exemplify this as human beings and as a team.

"And look, they're almost all first and second-generation Canadians coming from different heritage and cultures, but they uniquely are incredibly proud to be Canadian, to represent their country, to give everything to each other and the love that they have for each other and playing for their country. And to me, this sounds very familiar to years past, right? So for me right now, I couldn't be prouder to be the Canadian national team coach, and I found a place where that embodies, for me, the ideals and morals of what not just football in a team is, but what life is, and that's integrity, respect and the belief that good people can do great things together.

"So if I have one message to our President, it's lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state as an American. I'm ashamed of the arrogance and disregard that we've shown one of our historically oldest, strongest, and most loyal allies. But one thing's for sure, okay, when I look forward to a month from now, I know that this will fuel our team. The mentality we have, the will that we have to play for our country, the desire we have to go after this tournament in every way, and to show on and off the pitch exactly what Canadian character is. So obviously, I really look forward to the to the challenge of playing Mexico, but the tournament as a whole and I guarantee that our team will be ready."

Les Rouges will face Mexico in a semifinal match in the Nations League tournament on March 20. The winner will advance to the final, playing the winner of Panama vs. the U.S. on March 23.