As Brendan Burke addressed the media two days before Bethlehem Steel FC plays its first USL game, the coach made abundantly clear one fact: In just four months on the job, Burke has managed to establish a more cogent ideology around his team than its seven-year-old parent club has yet uncovered.

Burke’s expectations and methodologies seem clear-cut when Steel FC debuts Friday evening at FC Montreal (7 p.m., live stream below).



Burke’s roster is sparse, comprising just 13 players after the addition of Fred as player/coach Thursday. (That’s even less populous than I surmised last fall.) There may be one or two bodies forthcoming to swell the ranks on a permanent basis. But Burke is assured in Steel’s place within the Union’s hierarchy. Instead of stuffing the roster with players just to meet quotas and artificial expectations, the guiding philosophy has been only adding players with legitimate chances of breaking into the Union’s MLS squad.

“I think we’re in great shape,” Burke said. “We’re a small but focused group. … We’ve had a number of trialists through, but I think what we found is that we’re happy keeping a smaller number of players who we really trust and who we really think have an opportunity to move through to the first team at some stage in their developments.”

Most of Steel’s roster fits that bill. Captain Ryan Richter has MLS and NASL experience. Irish midfielder James Chambers adds a wealthy of European games. Young players like Nigerian-born Bolu Akinyode, Canadian midfielder Josh Heard, Jamaican forwards Amoy Brown and Cory Burke and Liberians Gabe Gisse and Seku Conneh have been identified by Union brass for large upsides. Academy product Derrick Jones is the first Homegrown to land in Bethlehem, and he’ll surely be joined by more in the near future.

The roster includes USL stalwarts like goalie Samir Badr, defender Michael Daly and Ardmore native Nick Bibbs, who’ll mentor younger players and contribute to what Burke hopes is a winning side, though that’s not the primary goal.

More important is that the Union’s affiliate reflects a similar playing style as what has finally emerged from the MLS side, all the better to facilitate promotion of high achievers from USL to MLS.

“I think part of our goal is to tactically mirror what the first team does and to reinforce some of the things that the younger first-team players are being taught and what our players would need to know to step into that environment,” Burke said. “So I think if we get it right, we should look very similar to the first team on the field.”

On the personnel side, this week is unique, the FIFA international window giving the Union a bye. More players than usual will be shuttled to Bethlehem, with the Union sending Eric Ayuk, Leo Fernandes, Fabian Herbers, John McCarthy, Walter Restrepo, Taylor Washington and Josh Yaro. Steel will also use Academy players as opportunities arise, though many of those prospects are away with various U.S. age-group squads this week.

Burke didn’t make any promises on a lineup, but it’s a safe bet that playing loaned Union players is a priority. Guys that have made the Union’s gameday 18 in the first three weeks like Herbers, Fernandes and McCarthy aren’t going to Canada to sit the bench. The same goes for Yaro, who’ll likely pair with Daly in a backline that’ll feature Richter and possibly Washington. Burke heralded Jones’s work this preseason, so he’ll likely start as the holding midfielder.

There wasn't a whole lot going on at the first day
of Union training camp at the Bubble at Penn Monday.

As first days go for the Philadelphia Union, Monday’s practice at Dunning-Cohen Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania was stunningly uneventful. To the media throng (ahem) in attendance, there was little of the drama of past years. No established star was told they didn’t have a place on the team, no one walked out, and there wasn’t much in the way of mystery trialists.

Instead, the Union’s lively session consisted mostly of new, unfamiliar faces. With many veteran mainstays cleaned out by the offseason roster cull, there were frankly a bunch of guys no one recognized and whose identities may not be very important unless you’re a devoted follower of USL. Here are a few observations:

- Two important takeaways: Much of the field was populated by current or prospective Bethlehem Steel players. That includes all six signed players signed – Boluwatife Akinyode, Michael Daly (pretty sure on this one, but not 100 percent), Gabe Gissie, Ryan Richter, Derrick Jones and goalkeeper Samir Badr. Many of the other players in attendance are likely vying for USL deals more so than realistically threatening for MLS positions. (Former Harrisburg and Rochester defender Ken Tribbett is an example.) There were also several Academy players training – Andrew Verdi in goal, I believe Auston Trusty was there before he departs for the U.S. U-19 camp later this week. Remember, when the Union are in Florida, there are dozens of players doing the camp-to-camp hop, so trialists are more abundant.

- The second interesting observation: Everyone, save for Maurice Edu, who is recovering from sports hernia surgery, was a full go. The Union rotated three teams of nine players in the 40 minutes we watched. Two played full-field games, while the other ran. Veterans like Vincent Nogueira, Tranquillo Barnetta, Sebastien Le Toux and Chris Pontius all hit the ground running. The days of Conor Casey sitting on a training table or working the bike for an hour are gone, literally and symbolically. Here’s Jim Curtin on the matter:

“We wanted to set the tone that there’s no pro days or off days for the older guys. We didn’t ease them into it. They were up to the task and were pushed hard. We’re going to be a team that is going to be at the top fitness-wise. We want to be a team that outruns the competition.”

Read more »

The Philadelphia Union made a personnel move Friday, trading reserve goalkeeper Chris Konopka to Toronto FC for a third-round pick in next year’s MLS SuperDraft. Perhaps the most stirring revelation of the trade is that what the Union got in return actually existed.

First, there’s Konopka, the 28-year-old ’keeper who joined the Union in 2012 and for whom Toronto is his fourth MLS stop. He made just one league appearance in nearly two years with the Union, a 1-0 loss to none other than Toronto May 26, 2012. Three days later, Konopka shut out the Rochester Rhinos, 3-0, for the Union’s first ever win in the U.S. Open Cup.

Konopka served as the backup for the first 24 league matches of the 2013 season behind Zac MacMath, who’s played every MLS minute and leads the league in shutouts. A knee injury kept Konopka out of the matchday 18 since Aug. 17, and he has been supplanted by veteran summer signing Oka Nikolov. 

Konopka, who was recently named one of the Philadelphia Daily News' Sexy Singles, was a bit of a fan favorite as backup goalies tend to be. He tweeted Friday morning:

I'd like to thank everyone at the @PhilaUnion for all the support over the past 2 yrs! Ill always look forward to coming back! #PhillyLove
— Chris Konopka (@ChrisKonopka414) September 13, 2013

As for the SuperDraft, which will be held in Philadelphia in 2014, the format has apparently changed. Instead of two rounds with a four-round supplemental draft, the latter has been eschewed for just a four-round SuperDraft this season, a fact that MLS never directly announced (there's even still info on the MLS site touting the supplemental draft).

However many rounds the league finally decides the draft will entail, the Union will be armed with an a bevy of picks. In addition to their four allotted picks, the Union have Chivas’ first pick thanks to the Gabriel Farfan trade, Chicago’s second-rounder in exchange for Bakary Soumare and a conditional pick acquired from Los Angeles in return for Chandler Hoffman.

The Supplemental Draft has been pretty friendly to the Union, as they've managed to extract the likes of Antoine Hoppenot in 2012 and Leo Fernandes in the final round of 2013. (Konopka, it should be noted, was picked in the third round of the 2007 Supplemental Draft by Kansas City.)

The league has jockeyed back and forth with the Supplemental Draft, twice dropping it then reinstating it, the last time being in 2011 after a two-year hiatus. Among the players to come through the Supplemental Draft process through the years: Adam Jahn (2013); Aaron Schoenfeld, Greg Klazura, Brian Rowe and Andy Rose (2012); Ryan Richter (2011); Chris Tierney (2008); Steve Purdy, Kosuke Kimura and Daniel Woolard (2007); Jordan Harvey, Andy Gruenebaum and Daniel Paladini (2006).

It took a tremendous performance from Jack McInerney to earn the Union a point against Toronto FC. Some observations from the match.

- “That has to be a game that we win, and looking back on it later in the season it’s going to be disappointing. It might feel good now, but it’s going to be disappointing later.” McInerney gets the goal, and he also gets to the heart of the matter. The Union were not good in the first half; they weren’t much better in the second. Yes, they forced nine saves from Joe Bendik and controlled possession to the tune of 63 percent. But let’s forget the process for a moment: There’s no reason why the Union need Toronto to go down to 10 men and get into stoppage time before they score. It was said by several players in the locker room afterward that this wasn’t a playoff-team performance, and they’re right on the money.

- That said, McInerney’s goal still looms large. It’s a big point, even bigger for what it does momentum-wise. The Union know they need to improve, and at least they got something from Saturday’s game on which to build. And there’s not enough to say about the development of McInerney. Not only is he the second-leading scorer in MLS, he’s already halfway to his total of last year. In six games! Read more »

Toronto (4-3-1-2)
Bendik
Russell-Agbossoumonde-O’Dea-Morgan
Silva-Hall-Lambe
Ephraim
Braun-Earnshaw Philadelphia Union (4-3-1-2, I’m assuming)
MacMath
Gaddis-Okugo-Parke-Williams
Cruz-Carroll-Daniel
Le Toux
Casey-McInerney

- Buckle up: These are two attack-minded squads. Toronto names a squad with Hogan Ephraim, normally a forward tucked in behind single frontman Robert Earnshaw, in the side behind Earnshaw and Justin Braun. The Union meanwhile choose to employ Sebastien Le Toux, Jack McInerney and Conor Casey. We’ll see if that’s a 4-3-3 or it holds as a midfield diamond with Le Toux in the hole behind the forward pair.

- The flip side of this: It’s a narrow formation. Ray Gaddis and Sheanon Williams will have to get forward, especially if Le Toux tucks in instead of playing the wing. There are a lot of offensive players on the field, but it could easily descend into bombing long balls if there’s not enough midfield continuity.

- The Danny Califf homecoming story will have to wait. Though he is listed as being over the flu that kept him out of last week’s game against Dallas, he starts on the bench with Darren O’Dea and Gale Agbossoumonde preferred in central defense.

- The Union again name a defender-less bench, the closest thing to one being Gabriel Farfan. Kleberson joins the usual cast of Michael Lahoud and Roger Torres as well as Michael Farfan.

- The Union name the same back four: Gaddis and Williams at fullback, Amobi Okugo and Jeff Parke in the center. Also, the sky is blue.

- Both Gabriel and Michal Farfan start on the bench today. The last time that happened in an MLS game? July 2, 2011, though Gabriel came on as a sub in the 66th minute. The last time neither played in an MLS game was June 25.

- Some changes on the Toronto side. John Bostock isn’t in there as usual. I’m interested to see what Luis Silva can do in the midfield.

- Should be mentioned that former Union player and Southampton native Ryan Richter is on the bench for Toronto.

- I see like a 3-2 game here, Union on top. There will be some offense.

(PhiladelphiaUnion.com)

A familiar face was seen at PPL Park twice this week.

Ryan Richter, the La Salle product from Southampton, Pa., is back with the Union as a trialist for the last two weeks, two sources confirmed.

“He’s here,” one said. “He’s a fun guy, and it’s been fun having him around again.”

A midfielder/forward, Richter spent the 2011 season with the Union despite playing only in friendlies and never in MLS competition. The Union did not pick up the 2012 option on the contract of Richter, the fifth overall selection in the 2011 supplemental draft. He was with D.C. United in February and March of this year as a trialist, though he was never signed.

Richter signed later in March with Charleston Battery, which went on to win the USL PRO championship this season. At Charleston, Richter played in 29 games with 19 starts, two goals and four assists in 1792 minutes, helping the Battery take down the Wilmington Hammerheads for the fourth title in franchise history.

It’ll be interesting to see whether the Union ink Richter to another deal. He’s got the flexibility to play any field position on the pitch and he might be worth taking a risk on.

“He just wants to play,” said one Union player. “He’ll do anything to get on the field and he wants to stay here with us.”