Photo: Paul Rudderow

Philadelphia Union

Danny Califf was surprised by the Nowak departure but he thinks John Hackworth can turn things around for the Union—if Hackworth is given the power he needs to do so.

“I was pretty well in shock and I was hoping that it would be John who would get a chance to take over and run the team. I hope that he’s going to be able to have the power to make the decisions that he needs to make.

“You never want to see anyone lose their job, but I think that now that John is the head coach, it’s going to be a more stable and honest environment. I think that will bode well for the future of the club.

“Not only is he a very good coach who knows the game, but he’s just an incredible person. I think that he was a guy certainly when I was there when Peter and I had some issues or things like that he was the guy that I could speak to and I knew he would shoot me straight. It was really a unique thing so there’s that part that will be good and refreshing. But also, you have a guy whose approach to the game is professional and it’s a really going to be good for everyone involved.”

Danny Mwanga said of Nowak’s exit, “He made a lot of decisions that the fans didn’t agree with. That put him in a tough situation.”

Marc Narducci writes that John “I’m not Peter Nowak” Hackworth shouldn’t expect a lengthy honeymoon from Union fans. “Make no mistake. This season will be judged to be successful only if the Union can get back into the playoff race.” Chris Vito agrees.

Goal.com’s Kyle McCarthy says, “The primary objective for Hackworth at this point: finding some way to restore some of the lost goodwill between the club and its fans with attractive and incisive attacking football.”

US Soccer Players examines the practical questions of how the Union’s fortunes can be turned around. After expressing doubts related to John Hackworth’s lack of experience as the head coach of a professional team, further doubts are raised about what can be expected to be gained during the upcoming summer transfer window.

“Turning things around in-season in MLS isn’t easy. Trades are difficult in the best of situations, and Philadelphia is operating with less than a stellar reputation in the market. Why would any MLS team risk moving a necessary player to the Union? This is a club now hampered by the reputation for getting rid of valuable players and not getting like-for-like in return. For that matter, who do they really have left to move out?”

Scotland’s Daily Express says Nowak’s sacking makes him a more attractive prospect for Hearts. “The dismissal of the former Poland international is likely to make him a more attractive proposition for the Jambos given no compensation would now have to paid to clinch any deal.” Hearts are expected to make a decision in the next two weeks.

Kerith Gabriel writes that among the many problems during the Peter Nowak era, the most fundamental may have been that he took Philadelphia fans for granted:

“Given the team’s expansion status, I think he believed this would be a place where his words and actions reigned supreme and that everyone would believe (with virtually no explanation, in many cases) that his decisions were in the club’s best interest.

“But that cake don’t bake here.

“Philadelphia had soccer fans long before there was a team and most of them can sniff BS a mile away, something I think this experience also made the Union front office realize.”

Attempting to parse the meaning of the “philosophical differences” that Nick Sakiewicz described as the root of Nowak’s dismissal, Dave Zeitlin says,

“Ever since being named the executive vice president of soccer operations at the beginning of the 2011 season, Nowak had too much control. And combined with a habit of making moves as often as people change their socks, and an attitude that screamed I can do no wrong, it was a dangerous recipe, one that had the Union plowing ahead, but not in the direction Sakiewicz and the franchise’s investors wanted.”

Soccer America asks,

“So what the hell happened? How did Nowak take a successful and ambitious franchise and flush it down the toilet? Rarely has a team with real promise collapsed so quickly, but in this case, the cause is clear: for whatever reason — personality differences, stubbornness, clashing egos, impatience, arrogance – Nowak jettisoned far too much talent that could be replaced short-term while barreling ahead with a bid to coach Scottish club Hearts.”

Earl Reed writes at MLS Talk, “Long since time for Nowak to go.”

Noting Nowak’s dismissal comes on the heels of the departure of Aron Winter from Toronto, ESPN LA says getting rid of Nowak was the right move of the two.

The Brotherly Game worries that Hackworth is too much Nowak’s man for real change: “Hackworth is the Riker to Nowak’s Picard.”

Unholy Union just wants to know if the Union will now start scoring goals.

Turning to Saturday’s game, DC United’s trip to PPL Park will mark the first time they have played a game as the No. 1 team in the league since 2009.

Goal.com predicts a draw.

JP Dellacamera has some storylines ahead of Saturday’s return to league play.

Tony Meola speaks the Goalkeeper’s mind when he says the key to success in MLS is lineup consistency.

Chris Albright talks about what he wishes more people knew about Philly in this installment of a series at uwishunu.com.

Union Dues considers xenophobia and racism among Union fans. “When you couple a losing season with getting rid of fan favorite players who look like a majority of the people in the stands and replacing them with people who don’t look like the people in the stands, it creates a social petri dish where racist and xenophobic opinions can apparently grow and flourish. Why does this seem to matter to so many people?”

Philadelphia Fever

The Philadelphia Fever will host Western New York Flash on Sunday at Washington Township High School in Sewell, NJ. Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

In other Elite League news, the Flash gave Chicago Red Stars their first loss of the season on Wednesday, winning 3-0 at home.

Former Philadelphia Independence coach Paul Riley discusses the state of the women’s professional game:

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders will host Rochester Rhinos tonight at 6pm. It’s Victory Microbrew night at the Skyline Sports Complex and the first 100 people at the stadium will receive a free pint mug. You can buy tickets here. It will be the last home game before a five-game series of games on the road, including the US Open Cup match against the Union on June 26.

First place Reading United will host second place Jersey Express at Albright College’s Shirk Stadium on Sunday afternoon at 4pm. You can order tickets here.

MLS

Andriy Shevchenko on MLS: “I’m very interested in playing there.”

Sporting News has some storylines for the re-start of league play this weekend.

What do you know, Andrew Jacobson is “proving to be the glue holding Dallas together.”

More on that aggressive ball retrieving incident.

Team Great Britain manager Stuart Pearce is flying to the West Coast to watch David Beckham play in the next two LA Galaxy games.

Montreal will finally play at the newly refurbished Stade Saputo when they host Seattle Sounders on Saturday.

US

US Soccer has announced that Universal Sports network will broadcast the USWNT matches in the Volvo Winners Cup against Sweden (Saturday, June 16) and Japan (Monday, June 18). The match against Sweden will be live on TV and online at UniversalSports.com from 10am. The Japan match will be live online at 7am with a delayed broadcast at 10am.

Elsewhere

In today’s group stage action at Euro 2012, it’s Ukraine vs France at noon and Sweden vs England at 2:45pm (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3, ESPN Radio).

From the Department of “How Lovely” Spoken in a Sarcastic Tone of Voice, Croatia fans burned a European Union flag, displayed banners evoking the pro-Nazi Ustasa regime from World War II as well as photographs of convicted war criminal Ante Gotovina before their their team faced Italy on Thursday.

The AP reports that fast track trials in Poland have resulted in the conviction of 23 soccer hooligans. “Sentences range from three to 12 months in prison, but many of them are suspended sentences or subject to appeal.”

Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov has incurred the wrath of the opposition for drinking a beer with a Swedish fan at his government offices in Kiev after Ukraine’s win over Sweden earlier this week. Drinking is forbidden in government office buildings in Ukraine.

Reuters looks at how indebted countries such as Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland (cough) and Portugal are hoping the Euros will “at least for a while – deflect attention from unemployment, homelessness and failing banks.” Good luck with that.