Canada and Hull City winger Liam Millar owes a debt of gratitude to Jesse Marsch and their relationship is not the normal player and manager type.
The former Leeds United head coach displayed a real human touch when Millar’s devastating ACL knee injury sustained in October 2024 threatened to put his hopes of participating in a World Cup on home soil in jeopardy.
During his lengthy 11 month rehabilitation, which represented a mental and physical ordeal, Marsch kept in contact with the winger on an almost daily basis. He even invited Millar and his family over to his home in Tuscany.
‘He was one of the first people to reach out’
Ahead of Canada’s Group B opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina in his home city of Toronto tonight, Millar has cause to be especially thankful.
Millar, who could line up against Tigers teammate Amir Hadžiahmetović, who spent last season on loan at Hull, said: “He (Marsch) is great. He’s helped me so much in so many moments.
“With my knee, he was one of the first people to reach out to the doctor who ended up doing my surgery and what not.
“He was really, really honoured to help me and I think from a personal level, he’s done so much for me. I always feel like I will run through a brick wall for him because of what he’s done for me outside the pitch.
“And on the pitch, he’s obviously transformed us into a completely different team. We’re very electric, high press with a lot of counter attack.”
Canada’s pace is their biggest asset
Millar believes that Canada’s pace represents their biggest asset as they bid to make history by reaching the knockout phases. They bowed out in the group stages in their only two previous World Cup appearance, in 2022 and 1986.
That said, the Maple Leafs have enjoyed previous competition success under Marsch, who led them to the semi finals of the 2024 Copa America.
Millar, who made one brief substitute appearance at the last World Cup, added: “I am quick and Alphonso Davies is very, very fast. Tajon Buchanan is also very fast and Jonathan David is quite quick too.
“To be honest, we have such a high paced, powerful front line and I think we can use it to our advantage with transitions and whatnot.
“It’s just been great and you see a real difference from last cycle to this cycle where we are now.”
‘People underestimate us’
Alongside potentially advancing from their group, Canada have the capacity to be one of the tournament’s surprise packages, according to Millar.
They might be one of three co hosts, but they are not here just for the party. Should they top their group, they stay in Canada for the knockouts.
“No chance. I think many people underestimate us and don’t understand our quality, which is fair enough,” Millar said.
“A lot haven’t seen us play before, so they obviously won’t know. Our goal is to set the standard where Canada wants to be going forward.”
The bottom line
An ACL injury that could have ended a World Cup dream. A manager who called every day. An invitation to Tuscany.
This is not a normal player manager relationship. This is something deeper.
Millar would run through a brick wall for Marsch. That’s not hyperbole. That’s loyalty born from genuine care.
Canada have pace. They have quality. They have a manager who treats his players like family.
And they have a winger who will give everything for the man who helped him through the darkest moment of his career.
Watch out for Canada. Watch out for Millar. And watch out for a bond that goes far beyond football.
