Tranquillo Barnetta was excited at Schalke last season,
but he's looking to move on. (AP)

After several weeks of whispers on both sides of the pond, the Philadelphia Union got as close as it has been to transfer target Tranquillo Barnetta.

The Swiss winger trained with the club Friday and is weighing up interest from the Union against several reported offers in Europe. He was physically at practice (Video evidence here and here.)

“He’s here seeing if Philadelphia and MLS is a fit,” Union technical director Chris Albright said. “It’s a player whose pedigree I think speaks for itself. You look at his resume playing in the last three World Cups and playing in the Bundesliga. We’re hopeful that we can get it over the line, but right now, it’s a feeling-out process.”

Barnetta, 30, has been capped 75 times by the Swiss National Team, playing in each of the last three World Cups. His career blossomed at age 20 with German club Bayer Leverkusen, and in 2012, he moved to Schalke 04, a move that hasn’t worked out quite as well including a loan stint at Eintract Frankfurt. He brings a bevy of Champions League experience.

“He’s a good player,” Jim Curtin said. “He’s making a big decision right now. You can see his quality in training, obviously, and on the world stage for Switzerland and at Schalke in big games. It doesn’t take a genius when you do a scouting report on him, the first game that pops up is against Real Madrid in the Champions League. He’s a quality player, a guy we’ve obviously very interested in and we hope to wear this badge.”

Barnetta’s age makes him an attractive target. He fills a need as providing wing depth, especially now that the trade of Sheanon Williams to Houston Thursday leaves the Union shorthanded at the fullback spot.

The open of the summer transfer window was heralded by a guest to Philadelphia Union training this week: Chilean midfielder Santiago Dittborn.

The 22-year-old spent the last four years on the books at Chilean club Universidad Catolica with two loan stints and has been capped six times by the Chilean national team. He’s on trial for the week with the Union. He seems to have impressed so far.

“He’s a player that came across that we had an interest in. Obviously a guy who has a very good left foot, young player still,” Curtin said around a digression that I’ll get to in a minute. “… Has impressed over the past few days. It’s three days so it’s still early, but he’s been impressive. His ability to make a final pass, and he can strike a ball with his left foot and score a good goal. Again, a young player though. It’s only three days so I won’t get ahead of myself, but he’s done well in the short time that he’s been here.”

Information about Dittborn is fairly limited, although there are a couple of highlight compilations out there worth a look if you can ignore the hideous soundtracks. He’s 22. He measures around 5-8. He’s a midfielder with some versatility – you’ll see him playing on the left wing in a 4-4-2 or centrally in a No. 8 role similar to what Vincent Nogueira would occupy if they Union went 4-4-2. He’s probably not a direct replacement for Cristian Maidana as a No. 10, even in MLS. He’s also extremely left-footed.

Dittborn has been at Universidad Catolica in his hometown of Santiago since he was a kid, ascending through their youth ranks. He rose to the senior team in 2011, which is when he started to get senior national team looks (including making the squad for this game with the U.S. in January 2011). He’s been loaned out twice to teams in the Primera Division in Chile – Cobreloa in 2013 and newly promoted San Marcos de Arica in 2014-15.
Read more »

The Philadelphia Union will be without forward CJ Sapong indefinitely after he was arrested early Friday morning and charged with reckless driving and driving under the influence, requiring that he be assessed by MLS’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program (SABH), per a club release.

Per the rules of that program, Sapong must be cleared by doctors and a league investigation before playing in any games with the club.

“We were alerted to the situation this morning and have been in contact with the league office, law enforcement and C.J.’s family,” Union technical director Chris Albright said in a team statement. “Moving forward, we will continue to work together with the League in following the appropriate procedures. We will have further comment once more information is available.”

The SABH is a long-held program within MLS, though one that’s seldom invoked. It was used in the case of Edson Buddle in 2005 in Columbus, Shalrie Joseph in New England in 2010, Josh Williams in Columbus in 2011 and Philly-area natives Jeff Parke and Jon Conway in New York in 2009.

Parke, Conway and Williams were suspended for performance-enhancing drugs. In those cases, the penalties were set at 10 games and a 10 percent docking of salary at the announcement of entering the program. Sapong’s appears to be more in line with Joseph’s and Buddle’s given the open-ended nature of the announcement.

New Union striker Fernando Aristeguieta, left,
is one of two designated players on the Union's
2015 roster to start the season. (AP file)

Despite a lot of disagreement at the bargaining table, MLS’s 2015 season will begin in a matter of hours Friday. While details of the new collective bargaining agreement have leaked out, there hasn’t been much concrete info on the topography of the new CBA’s budgetary structure, with only figures and dollar amounts trickling out thus far.

In the absence of major alterations, it’s likely that the new arrangement will look a lot like the old one, which is what many MLS clubs were forecasting in the days and weeks before Wednesday’s pact was finalized. Union technical director Chris Albright offered Tuesday that, “Everybody’s got their guesses” about the roster ramifications that will emanate from the new CBA.

Regardless, the Union have a more-or-less finalized roster. In addition to their acquisitions in February, the Union this week announced the signing of Dzenan Catic (though that was actually old news) and came to agreements with trialists Eric Ayuk Mbu and fourth-round SuperDraft pick Raymond Lee. 

Those moves indicate that clubs likely have been given a good idea of how to prepare for the new season. As a guide, let’s utilize last season’s roster rules, which is likely what most clubs have done.

As a reminder, here’s what MLS’s Roster Rules and Regulations say about the composition of a roster:
Read more »

The Philadelphia Union’s season is slated to start in four days. The team running through its drills for the better part of two hours at the Bubble, the University of Penn’s Dunning-Cohen Champions’ Field, Tuesday morning didn’t seem like it was preparing for anything else. There’s uncertainty league wide, with the pall of CBA negotiations hanging over the start of the season. But on the field, there were a few notable points to the Union’s first training session in the Philadelphia in a month.

- First, the absences. Fernando Aristeguieta was in Venezuela tending to visa issues (something Union fans recall all too vividly from last summer.) Technical director Chris Albright said that the club expects Aristeguieta back Thursday at the latest. Also absent was the injured Andre Blake and Eric Bird, who remains with the team. It’s a groin injury on Bird, a problem that dogged him in college. Both of the Union’s MLS Players Union reps, Danny Cruz and Brian Carroll, remained in Washington for CBA negotiations.

- Among those present were trialists Eric Ayuk and draft pick Raymond Lee. It sounds as though the Cameroonian winger and the fullback from Saint Louis may hang around for a while.

- Conor Casey didn’t take part in half-field 7-on-7 drills getting his legs attended to. The striker did start in the final preseason game against

- On the field, Zach Pfeffer continued to look impressive, looking a bit more physical and sporting a beard. Sebastien Le Toux scored several goals on 7-on-7, while Union practice was plenty loud thanks to how vocal new signing Steven Vitoria is, complementing well with Ethan White and Rais M’Bolhi. Manager Jim Curtin was impressed by his team's sharpness after a couple of days off. It was likely one of the more intense practices of the week, with snow threatening Thursday's session.

For the better part of three months, the most notable date on the Philadelphia Union calendar has been the MLS Expansion Draft, the point at which the Union see if they lose anyone to the incoming MLS franchises, NYCFC and Orlando City. Full protection lists are due later today after the close of an eventful trade window, but here’s a look at who the Union should protect.

First, the Union have 24 rostered players to consider after Monday’s declining of options on five players, the announcement that Brian Carroll’s contract is up and the trade for C.J. Sapong and of Amobi Okugo. Exclude the two remaining Homegrown players (Jimmy McLaughlin and Zach Pfeffer) and Andre Blake, who is a member of Generation Adidas, and that leaves 10 players to be potentially unprotected.

Here are the players the Union likely will end up protecting, in no particular order:

1. Rais M’Bolhi
2. Sheanon Williams
3. Ethan White
4. Carlos Valdes
5. Ray Gaddis
6. Cristian Maidana
7. Vincent Nogueira
8. Sebastien Le Toux
9. Andrew Wenger
10. C.J. Sapong
11. Zac MacMath
The keepers: Read more »

It’s been an atypical start to the Union offseason tinged with tumult and confusion, and with the Union’s coaching situation up in the air, the season lacked the customary concluding status update between the first-team staff and the media.

Both counts were resolved Friday when Jim Curtin was named the Union’s permanent manager. As part of the festivities, Curtin was made available to discuss some of the bigger issues the Union will face this offseason, offering the transparency that he touted to the media during his introductory presser.

So let’s go down the line and get Curtin’s take on some of the key talking points of the Union’s offseason.

On the top offseason priority:

“We are looking to bring in a striker. That is something that we’re actively pursuing. Chris Albright is tireless working. He’s been overseas a couple of times already. It’s a piece that we know we need. In MLS now, you look at the type of forwards that are working, it’s the Dom Dwyer, Quincy Amarikwa, kind of pain-in-the-ass, can-run-forever, stocky and fast and just annoying to play against. Those are things we want to add. We need to get bigger, stronger and faster. I know it sounds cliché, but a lot of times when you look at the national anthem and our group is lined up against the other team, we’re a lot smaller than the other team. I think we need to get bigger, a lot faster and a little bit stronger on the ball so we’re not getting pushed around a little bit.”

On Amobi Okugo’s contract situation:

“He’s in a unique one. Amobi is a guy that I had a conversation with three years ago when I was in the academy but I would come and help out at training sessions, I said to him ‘you’ve got to give Europe a try.’ It’s something I believe in his career. I’ve seen guys that play out their contracts, they go overseas and it goes great. Carlos Bocanegra comes to mind, guys that I played with that did it the same way Amobi did: Put in his time here, did a great job here. We’re still going to make him an offer so that we can maintain his rights, but at the same time, he’s going to try overseas. It’s not a secret. And I encourage it. It’s a great opportunity for him. He’s a guy that’s good enough to play overseas.” Read more »

It’s been a busy week for the Philadelphia Union, and that’s just the club’s participation in the rumor mill.

Rumors have been swirling particularly swiftly this week over the possible appointment of a new coach full-time. First, there was this report by Soccerly.com’s Kevin Kinkead about a possibly imminent hire:

I'm hearing more rumblings that Rene Meulensteen will be the next head coach in Philadelphia. @MLSTransfers @UnionRumors

— Kevin Kinkead (@KevinKCBS3) September 9, 2014

Then there was Union CEO and Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz quickly distancing himself from those reports to ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle, adding the name of Rene Meulensteen to the list of potential replacements on the record for the first time:

Sakiewicz confirms Meulensteen candidacy, but says "no decision has been made" about next Union manager: http://t.co/1mEkaGZaCf #DOOP #mls

— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) September 10, 2014

(It should be noted that Meulenesteen’s visit(s) to PPL Park had been reported prior to Sakiewicz’s confirmation. This would also be a good time to point out my column on the matter, as published last week.)

The topic obviously came up in interim manager Jim Curtin’s weekly press conference on two occasions Thursday. Read more »

Jim Curtin, alongside Nick Sakiewicz, took the podium for the first time as the Union manager Thursday morning and patiently addressed a number of topics for the better part of an hour. This is hardly the whole thing, but allowed me to post a few of the highlights. (Note: There are plenty of less-than-relevant asides in here that, for the sake of brevity and sanity, I didn't transcribe. I've tried to preserve the context here as best possible.

Opening statement (yes, it's this long):
First, I’d like to thank Jay Sugarman and Nick Sakiewicz for giving me this opportunity. It’s one I’m very excited about, one I’ll take with great pride, being from this city, it means a lot to me. I’d also like to thank John Hackworth and Rob Vartughian. Those are two guys that were able to give me my chance in the game with this club. Those are two guys that put in a lot of years here and left the club better than when they started. …
To the team, I’d say to put it simply, we’ve had a bunch of very good players have poor first halves of the season. We have 18 games left; that’s the good news. We have 18 games to get this ship right. We have the U.S. Open Cup, which we’re going to take very seriously. This club needs a trophy. There’s only two that you can lift, and that’s one of them, so we’re going to take that very seriously.
The big thing with me, the results haven’t been there this year. We all know that. We only have three wins in 16 games, so the results haven’t been here. But the resources are here to win. I’m confident in my staff that’s being formed right now, it’s getting pieced together, it’s a very strong one, it’s one that I trust. As an assistant coach, I have Mike Sorber, a guy who I respect a great deal, I’ve connected with very quickly, I’ve known from the past, times in Chicago. He’s a guy in a lot of ways who is more qualified as an assistant than anyone in MLS right now. He’s a guy that has World Cup experience. He’s a guy that’s played in a World Cup, so again a guy I’m going to lean on heavily. I also have a bright young technical director who’s very progressive in Chris Albright, a guy that I have a great relationship with. Again, has done everything that you can do in this game, an all-Star, he’s played in a World Cup, He is a guy that I’m going to lean on heavily to make decisions personnel wise, along with Nick….
On to the players, right up the middle, you talk about a Conor Casey who right now is in very good form, scoring four goals in his past two games. He’s a guy that just needed a run of games, and now he’s got that and he’s going to get that with me. He’s a guy I trust. We have a Vincent Nogueira right up the middle again, a guy that every coach in this league wants on his team. He’s special. We have Maurice Edu, who in my mind should be in Brazil right now, but he’s not. Has it been tough for him mentally? Yes it has, but we’re going to get him going the way we know he can be, and he’s a special player, one of the top players in this country and one of the top players in this league. When we talk about the things behind the scenes that are going on with this club, we talk about the resources that we had, the little things that you might not see – again I said the results might not be here, but the resources are. ...
We have the most passionate fans in the league, I believe. I’m a Philly fan as well. ... I know the passion that the fans have, I know the emotions that they have, and I know that the thing that they want is winning. That’s what this is about. We need to win. And we’re going to do it with accountability, accountability from the players on and off the field. That sounds like a simple message. I could sit up here and talk tactics and formations and all that stuff, but at the end of the day, what matters in this town is winning, that’s what I believe.
Read more »

When Maurice Edu’s number 7 was put up on the board at the University of Phoenix Stadium Wednesday night, it marked a return from the international wilderness for the Philadelphia Union midfielder, his first cap in 372 days, just over two months away from the open of the World Cup Finals.

Maurice Edu, left, battling with Mexico's Miguel Angel Ponce Wednesday,
made his return to the U.S. Men's National Team after over a year,
the first USMNT appearance for an active Union player. (AP)

Edu played the game’s final 19 minutes as a replacement for Kyle Beckerman in the United States’ 2-2 draw with Mexico in an international friendly. He didn’t do anything to adversely affect his chances of getting on the plane to Brazil in his 46th cap, making a few key interceptions in midfield and helping the U.S. stem the tide of Mexico’s comeback from a two-goal deficit. (If anything, increased uncertainty in the U.S. backline might benefit Edu, who can also play in central defense.)

Edu  also supplied the pass to Clint Dempsey in the 85th minute that allowed Dempsey to play in Eddie Johnson for what should’ve been the game-winner, incorrectly denied by an offside call.

The occasion also marked an important distinction for the Union as their first active player to be capped by the U.S. National Team. They’ve had players called into camps that didn’t make appearances in games (Jack McInerney for the 2013 Gold Cup, Jeff Parke for the 2013 January camp) and players with USMNT caps to their names before arriving in Philadelphia (Chris Albright, Justin Mapp, Brian Carroll, Danny Califf and Conor Casey among them).

But Edu’s appearance was somewhat of a landmark occurrence for the club, a fact that manager John Hackworth mentioned in his Wednesday press conference some 10 hours before kickoff (hence the speculative tenor).

“That would be fantastic for Mo, and we’re extremely proud of him for being in that position,” Hackworth said. “But it would mean something to our club because I think it would signify the fact that we have players now that re getting those opportunities, and to be the first one currently would be important.”
Read more »

Any conversation about the demise of the Philadelphia Union’s season seems to inevitably arrive at the same impasse, as far as John Hackworth is concerned. Yes, the Union won some games they probably shouldn’t, the coach will relent, but there were certain calls that went against the Union that hampered their chase of a playoff spot.

At the risk of the going down that same road – and trust me, that drum has been thoroughly beaten at PPL Park in recent weeks – the Union’s season does boil down to a few key moments. The team’s fate was ultimately sealed but its alarming propensity to turn wins into draws (or worse). (As a quick editorial note: I think it was a fair fate; teams that have to scuffle for draws against Toronto and D.C. United a total of three times this season don’t deserve postseason soccer. There are certainly an equal number of breaks that shouldn't have gone the Union's way that did. )

Below are five moments, a cumulative matter of inches, that stood between the Philadelphia Union and the playoffs … perhaps, the Supporters’ Shield.

A big (Le) miss



It was a long, long time ago, however similar the weather Saturday may have been to opening day March 2. The opener for the Union against Sporting Kansas City goes down as a 3-1 loss, but what is missed in that score line is the fact that the Union not only scored first, but had a chance to score several more times. The most clear-cut opportunity was this miss by Sebastien Le Toux, 1-v-1 against Jimmy Nielsen, one of several times this season the Frenchman’s finishing has been less than spot-on (plus more later). I won’t pretend that this miss would’ve somehow turned the Union into world-beaters. But up 2-0 inside of a half hour against the eventual runner-up in the East would’ve certainly made a strong case for three points in the opener, and then who knows…

The hand of Gonzalez(es)



Yeah, there’s no way we get out of this without validating at least some of the woe-is-me rhetoric circulating PPL Park. Let’s set aside for a moment that the Union squandered a second-half lead in this one, or that they allowed a significantly weakened Seattle side to squeak away with a point at PPL Park, or the fact that the two Danny Cruz goals scored in as many minutes accounted for 67 percent of his offensive production and a staggering quarter of the goals from midfield all season. Had any of those issues been rectified, that May 4 afternoon or as the season wore on, this analysis might be academic. As it is though, the Union were wrongly denied a penalty in this case, the ball clearly striking the outstretched arm of Seattle defender Leo Gonzalez off a Conor Casey shot. Referee Jorge Gonzalez didn't see it that way, though. Little did they know it would be the start of the fifth penalty-free season in the last 14 MLS seasons.
Read more »

For the first 94 or so minutes Wednesday, this was going to be a post about the Union’s resilience, the prolificacy of Conor Casey, the development of Zac MacMath and a couple of digs about the officiating. I guess that will have to wait for another day.

As Union fans have come to know all too well, things change quickly, so instead, here goes.


There are a variety of late-game strategies the can be employed by soccer teams. Some go big and burly. Some go for possession. Some for aerial proficiency. Whatever you want to call the plan from the Philadelphia Union at the moment, it’s not working. It’s certainly creating exciting soccer, as the dramatic 2-2 draw with Real Salt Lake Wednesday reinforced.

But while the fans may be glued to their seats, the sight of points flying out the window as they did again at altitude against 10-man RSL is anything but encouraging.

Read more »

If there was one question for which Philadelphia Union John Hackworth was looking for clarity in last week’s friendly with Reading United, it was if he had the kind of defensive depth that he’d hoped, the kind that made the trades of Bakary Soumare and Gabriel Farfan in the last month workable.

The answer originally looked murky. And then, thanks to one of the unlikeliest of sources, it showed shocking clarity.

An injury at the last minute meant that fans were forced into a bit of double-take when reading the starting backline: Don Anding, Matt Kassel, Chris Albright and Aaron Wheeler.
Wait, that guy who made his MLS debut just days earlier as a striker and darn near picked up his first career assist? Yeah, that guy.

The ability of the 6-4, prototypical center forward Wheeler to deputize in the center of defense was at the tip of the tongue for Hackworth four days later when reviewing the takeaways from the friendly at his weekly press conference.

The performances in the 2-0 win over the Union’s developmental partner in the USL Pro division may not have changed who will be on the pitch Wednesday when the Union travel to D.C. United for the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, but they certainly change the equation moving forward, Wheeler being among the main catalysts for that change. Read more »

Despite a relatively sedate period in the Union's schedule, gaffer John Hackworth had plenty to say about the upcoming Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup date with D.C. United and last week's friendly with Reading United. Video and highlights below:


On the expectations about this meeting with D.C.:
Before I talk about maybe the personnel, I expect this game to be a typical game that we play down there are the SoccerPlex. I think it’s going to be a hard game. I think it’s going to be a really emotional game. I think that D.C. will absolutely put everything they have into winning the game. We have to make sure we match or exceed all of those things. I know D.C. is not in the best form right now in terms of their league play. I know they had a good result on the weekend and they may be turning things around. They’re positive about their result against New England. I just know that it’s going to be a tough game no matter what.

On what fuels this D.C.-Philly rivalry:
I don’t know. (D.C. coach) Ben (Olsen) and I were joking about it in preseason that we can’t figure out why our teams get so emotionally charged against each other. Usually head coaches that have little grudges against each other, they seem to fuel a little of that fire. But Ben and I get along pretty good, even when it’s pretty emotional along the sidelines, usually we’re respectful to each other and obviously being very competitive and saying what we need to say, but it’s different when we’re across the white lines for sure. I think that’s a good thing because we certainly look forward to it, and whether you’re playing in an Open Cup game or in the league, this rivalry between D.C. is real. And I think that’s what it comes down to, that no matter what game, whether it’s a preseason game with your second team playing or an Open Cup game or a league game, it’s always going to be feisty when we play.

Read more »

While the frankness with which the news of Bakary Soumare’s desire for a move away from the Philadelphia Union was delivered Monday may have surprised some, the content of the message shouldn’t.

For Soumare to have gone from key acquisition last summer to starting XI frontrunner to persona non grata this young season raised some eyebrows, though mostly over doubts about his fitness. The suddenness of his trade request after not taking part in any of the team’s first three matches is startling to say the least.

Manager John Hackworth’s press conference Wednesday presented an interesting juxtaposition between the fervent search for closure in the transfer of Freddy Adu and what seemed like reserved hope that Soumare’s Union days are not over.

“I think what we need to do is make sure that we make a good decision for the Philadelphia Union and this organization, and this would include saying, 'is this good for us in all ways?,'” Hackworth said of the process of accommodating Soumare’s trade request, which it must be said is much different from the one involving his fellow West African former teammate Adu.

“I can’t tell you that it’s for money or for a trade or for a player. We would explore all those options, and have, to be very fair, for the last two weeks. It’s not like this is something new. It’s been going on. We’ve had some talks. We’re in a good position because we feel comfortable that Baky is still an important part of our team right now and will remain so until something happens.”

Part of the reticence to see Soumare go no doubt stems from a sense of a missed opportunity. Seeing a former MLS All-Star who played in Germany, is in his prime at age 27 and has height at 6-4 you can’t teach play only one game in nine months is cause for regret. Read more »

As promised in my daily coverage, let’s start with highlights of that Carlos Valdes goal, plus a write up of the game so the Spanish speaking readers can correct my interpretation.


Here’s Valdes’ tweet from Sunday night as well.

Primero la gloria para Dios por esta gran bendición... y por supuesto agradecimiento para esta gran familia santafereña twitter.com/carlosvaldes5/…

— carlos valdes (@carlosvaldes5) January 27, 2013

Onto some impressions from practice today:

- Kind of hard to find fault with manager John Hackworth's delineation of players into squads for 11-on-11 mini-games. The first team reads:

MacMath

G.Farfan-Albright-Soumare-Williams

M.Farfan-Carroll-Okugo

Le Toux-Casey-McInerney

With the exception of perhaps Jeff Parke for one of the central defenders, I see this as a likely opening -day starting XI.
Read more »

(MLSsoccer.com)

Welcome to the final match of the regular season. Here's a look at John Hackworth's starting lineup for today's match against visiting New York Red Bulls:

• GK ... MacMath
• DF ... Gaddis, Okugo, Valdes, Lahoud
• MF ... Albright, Carroll, M Farfan
• FW ... Daniel, Cruz, McInerney
• Bench: GK Konopka; MF Torres, Gomez, Pfeffer; FW Hoppenot, Hoffman, McLaughlin.

A note or two about the lineups:

Albright gets the nod. The season's ending the way it began, with defender Chris Albright getting a start. The veteran back, who hasn't cracked the starting lineup since March 24, got the nod. The lineup card says he'll be in the midfield, but it might be a more defensive role, with Ray Gaddis and Michael Lahoud stretching the field on the wings.
Adu, where are you? Midfielder/forward Freddy Adu did not make the starting XI, or the gameday roster. Adu will finish the season having started only one of the final six games, playing only 58 total minutes
Le Toux --- remember him? The Red Bulls will bring ex-Union player Sebastien Le Toux off the bench, if he plays at all. The MLS Best XI choice in 2010 has gone from starter to sub in NY.

(Times / COLIN KERRIGAN)

Freddy Adu played 50 minutes. He scored two goals.

Call it a coincidence, but good things -- like scoring goals -- tend to occur when Adu gets consistent playing time. 

For the better part of two months, he hasn't with Union manager John Hackworth going as far as saying it's not the Union's mission as a team to make Adu a 90-minute player.

Take from that what you will, but Adu -- the Union's highest-paid player -- wants to be on the field. He said Thursday he thinks he has to play the rest of this season as though his job depends upon it. His performance Sunday, which featured a brace in the Union's 3-1 win over the Houston Dynamo, certainly showed it.

On top of that, Adu's not content just to play. He wants to play the forward position, not at midfield, where he gets a majority of his PT.

 

“Personally, it feels good. It means a lot. Getting two goals in league play, it’s good for your confidence," Adu said after Sunday's game. 

"Especially when the coach puts you at forward, to reward the coach with two goals and for Josue (Martinez) getting the start today and getting the goal, it’s a good feeling. The team won, everybody’s happy and it just feels like it’s been a while since we won a game. 

"It’s definitely a good feeling and hopefully I’m able to stay in that position and play hopefully the rest of the games in that position."

If Adu can score a goal, or at least create goals, out of the forward position -- well -- let the man do his thing.

Extra notes from Sunday’s game:

• Captain Carlos Valdes said he and Brian Carroll called a brief team meeting Saturday to hash out any lack of cohesiveness that was present in Thursday’s loss to D.C. “It went well,” Valdes said. Added Sheanon Williams: “Sometimes people need a kick in the (rear).”
• Veteran defender Chris Albright, who had played only 10 minutes in MLS play since March 31, got nine minutes against Houston. “I’ve got my young kids in the stands, so it’s always fun when they get to see their dad on the field,” said Albright, who entered for Danny Cruz in the 81^st.
• John Hackworth got his first win as the full-time manager, with the interim label having been lifted from his job description earlier this month.
• Josue Martinez scored the first goal of his MLS career.
• Carroll’s teams have qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in each of his first nine seasons. Sunday, the Union were victorious, staving off playoff ineligibility – for now.

(PhiladelphiaUnion.com)

The numbers don't lie: Chris Albright has been a ghost. 

Since joining the Union in the offseason, the veteran defender has played in only four matches -- including starts March 18 vs. Colorado and March 24 at Chicago. But since March 31, he's played twice for a total on 10 minutes.

Still, Albright's made the matchday 18 more times than not and he's staying humble about his chances.

I caught up with the 33-year-old Philly native Wednesday at PPL Park, following training. Here are Albright's thoughts on this season, next season and staying up on pop culture with the kids in the Union's locker room.

On reduced playing time

“Obviously, I think I can still play at this level. That’s why I’m here. I’ve definitely taken on more of a leadership role by default because I’m one of the older guys. I think that was demanded of me anyway, and I enjoy that. We have a team that’s incredibly young. And any of the experiences I can impart on these guys, I will. I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms and hopefully I have a good sense of what is needed at the right times and I’ve enjoyed that role."

On his contract for next season

“I don’t know what the plan is. I’d like to keep playing, and I guess we’ll see what happens."

On being on the bench, listed on the matchday roster as an ‘administrator’ for a match last month at PPL Park

“That was fun. Hack (John Hackworth) has been good about giving me a voice with the team. He understands I’ve been around and they lean on me for certain things, as well as Brian and Carlos and other guys with experience. It’s fun to have an important role even when I’m not on the field.

On feeling old at times, with MLS' youngest club

“I’d like to think I can keep up with the pop-culture stuff. I have kids, so I can bridge that gap. But when the years get tossed out, like, ‘He’s a 91 or a 92.’ What the hell does that mean? Then someone says, ‘He’s a 95.’ Just hearing years like that, with when they were born, I’m a 79. I’m a kid of the 70s. That difference is vast, but it’s fun. I give them a lot of crap and tell them they need to grow up. Then they call me the Old Man, so it’s fun."

On leaving Philly, if an opportunity to play more frequently came up

“No, I want to be with this organization. I’m committed to the Union and to the staff. That situation is evolving and John’s doing a great job. I’m a Philly kid and I’d love to stay involved here."

A couple notes from today:

• Ivy League guy Antoine Hoppenot was walking through PPL Park wearing a 'Princeton University Dodgeball Tournament 2011' T-shirt.
• Michael Farfan sat in on Jack McInerney's press conference, trying to get the kid to crack a smile.
• Bakary Soumare is available for the week, though Hackworth said there's no need to rush anything. Doesn't sound like he'll be a go Friday vs. Real Salt Lake.

(MLSsoccer.com)

WASHINGTON --- Remember this guy? It's Lio Pajoy, former Union striker who will tonight against his old club.

Here's who John Hackworth is going with tonight in the starting XI against host D.C. United:

GK ... MacMath
DF ... Williams, Okugo, Valdes, G Farfan
MF ... M Farfan, Carroll, Lahoud
FW ... Cruz, McInerney, Adu
Bench: Harrison, Albright, Gaddis, Daniel, Torres, Hoffman, Hoppenot

A few notes about the lineup:

• New guy gets the nod. Midfielder Danny Cruz, who the Union acquired midweek from D.C. in exchange for Pajoy, is in the starting lineup. Conversely, Pajoy will play in United’s attack, alongside Dwayne De Rosario and Chris Pontius.
• Disappearing act. After starting last weekend, in his Union debut, Bakary Soumare didn’t even make the 18. Instead, Roger Torres – who had been a ghost in the gameday roster of late – is listed as a reserve. Hmm…
• Firepower off the bench. Well, if Hackworth’s lineup doesn’t produce any goals, maybe the Union reserves will. They include the aforementioned Torres, and explosive rookies Chandler Hoffman and Antoine Hoppenot.
• Real head-scratcher. Chris Albright made the 18. The veteran has played 10 minutes since March 31. The guy’s a good influence on the young kids, so you figure that’s Hackworth’s way of repaying him.