The Brooklyn FC men's team took a pivotal step on December 8 with the appointment of the experienced Marlon LeBlanc as first-ever head coach.
LeBlanc brings a wealth of soccer knowledge – and coaching licenses – to fill out his extensive resumé. Recently, he spent five years in the Philadelphia Union organization in Major League Soccer, where he served as head coach of Philadelphia Union II in MLS NEXT Pro, leading the team to three consecutive playoff berths and securing an Eastern Conference championship in 2024.
LeBlanc's appointment is big news for the Brooklyn FC men's team, and Hudson River Blue was grateful for the opportunity to speak with him and learn about his plans to build Brooklyn into one of the premier teams in the USL Championship, which will kick off its 2026 season in March.
Andrew Leigh
The challenge of assembling a new team
When asked how he is preparing to approach the challenge of putting together a new USL Championship team in such a short amount of time, LeBlanc's answer was simple but straightforward.
"My team and I are turning over every stone, looking at every corner of the soccer world for a good mix of young talent and better talent. We want players who embody not only the hard-working greediness of the borough of Brooklyn, but we also want players who can play confidently on both sides of the ball," LeBlanc said.
"We want to play a winning style of football. We want to come out and play aggressively, and even if in some matches we get punched in the mouth, we want other teams to know we'll be punching them right back. We want everything to be a full team effort. We want players that want to be here representing one of the best boroughs in the city," LeBlanc continued.
LeBlanc also touched on the evolving landscape of the USL Championship, including the addition of promotion and relegation to the league possibly in time for the upcoming 2027 season, a facet of global soccer that many fans are already familiar with.
Pro/Rel
In March, the USL announced that a large majority of club owners voted to implement promotion and relegation within season play, making the USL the first high-level soccer league in the United States to adopt this international model.
Michael Battista
LeBlanc shared his thoughts on the change, saying "This is great for the competitiveness of the league. The goal for any soccer player and team is to be playing in the best competitive situation, and I think introducing this system into the league definitely adds another thing to be excited for and another reason players should give it their all every game."
With New York City being one of the largest and premier sports markets in the country, we asked LeBlanc how he is preparing to deal with the pressure of being the coaching face of a new franchise in a place that cares deeply about professional teams and their performance.
"That’s such a great question. Coming from another place where fans care deeply about their sports, like Philadelphia, I definitely understand what it means to be here and lead a team," LeBlanc said. "I don't put pressure on myself. I am more confident than anything. I'm a person who has a winning mentality, a person that knows the importance of having the support of a dedicated fanbase, and I will work tirelessly to give Brooklyn our best product on the field."
Coaching in a results-driven environment like New York City and leaving behind what he built with Philadelphia Union II may not be an easy decision for most coaches. For LeBlanc, his familiarity with New York City and his admiration of Brian McBride played a role in his decision to join Brooklyn FC.
"I've been coaching in the sport for 25 years, and I have had so many career-shaping experiences. After having success with Philadelphia and hearing that the club was bringing Brian McBride on board as general manager, a person that I highly respect as a football mind, especially when you add on the fact that I was born in Queens and frequently visited my grandparents who lived in Brooklyn on Flatlands Avenue, this decision definitely felt like a no-brainer," LeBlanc said. "It’s a new challenge in a new atmosphere, and it’s something that I embrace completely, and I’m excited to get to work."
"Building a solid culture"
Understanding that a large part of LeBlanc's growth and evolution as a coach and leader has come from strong mentors throughout his journey, HRB asked how that guidance will play a role in how he leads Brooklyn FC's men’s team during the 2026 USL Championship season.
"I believe the biggest lesson I was taught is that soccer is not about winning and losing. It's not about trophies. It's not about having the glory. What I’ve come to appreciate is that soccer is more about what I can do for my players and the people around me rather than what they can do for me in terms of winning. Creating an environment where people want to be, building a solid culture, and giving back to my players in any way, shape, or form, I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve been taught, and that’s what I hope to carry with me to Brooklyn FC," LeBlanc said.
Coaching mentality, philosophy, and principles are a focal point of any team’s identity. When discussing his own coaching approach, LeBlanc said "You need to show your players that you respect them and value who they are. Many of the players that we are looking at to build this roster for next season come from many soccer backgrounds and places and can offer many things to this team. I want to be a person that players can feel comfortable talking to on and off the field, and I want to be a strong support for them in their lives," Le Blanc said.
"I want our players to know that there will always be a healthy amount of dialogue between myself and them to make sure we are holding a high standard of community and togetherness within the team. As any great coach knows, if a player feels 100% supported, they will be willing to fight and die on the field for their team and their coach," LeBlanc continued.
In any competitive sport, winning and losing sit at the center of it all. HRB asked Coach LeBlanc how he compartmentalizes those outcomes as a head coach.
"At the beginning of my career, I would’ve talked about winning and losing very differently than I would have 10 years ago, and 10 years ago to today would be a completely different answer within itself," said LeBlanc. "I'm a coach that likes to let my players be after a game. I understand emotions are high, so I let them have a moment to themselves to collect their thoughts and support one another. I’ve also realized that getting a good night's sleep, whether you win or lose, and then looking at the film the next morning allows you to see things with clearer eyes and a more adjusted vision rather than diving into the film immediately after the game is finished."
"I do watch a lot of film and I am very critical, but I believe in giving myself time to process everything in order to make the next best decision in preparation for the next game," said LeBlanc. "I make note of everything to see what parts of our identity need to be adjusted as we go from match to match, because all we have to worry about is the match in front of us. That’s how I like to operate."
With the new year quickly approaching and excitement building around the inaugural Brooklyn FC men's season in the USL Championship, beginning with their first home match on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Maimonides Park, fans will soon get their first look at what football and success look like under Marlon LeBlanc.
