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Union cut Mendoza and Richards

Photo: Earl Gardner

The Philadelphia Union announced on Wednesday that recent signings Alex Mendoza and Damani Richards have been waived by the team.

4-0 loss to Columbus Crew on Feb. 13 and came on in the 76th minute in the 3-0 win over Toronto.

The release of Richards opens up an international spot on the roster.

The signing of 22-year-old midfielder Alex Mendoza, born in Harrisburg, Pa., 3-0 win over Toronto.

The moves bring into question the Union’s plans at left back—is it now Raymon Gaddis and Don Anding behind Gabriel Farfan—while also underscoring the abundance of central midfielders either already on the roster or training with the team in Orlando.

 

12 Comments

  1. I wonder if Kafes forced Mendoza out. Makes sense considering the log jam in the middle and the positive play of Kafes. I’d say Francis had an impact on Richards being let go, but all indications point to Francis not being part of the team’s plans either. Dumb question, but is Garfan left-footed?

  2. Surprised about Richards, but he must not have been doing well in training/off the field.

  3. Guess Hack changed his mind on Damani’s potential that was “greater than all the left backs in the draft”. He was pretty smug after the draft and all that was written regarding Union needs in that position.

    • GREAT point. Our scouting of international players is always so sketchy.

    • you stealing my name? 🙂 Great point for sure. I guess I need clarification on what it means to “SIGN” a player. I was always under the assumption that meant a contract, which I didn’t think you could just “WAIVE.” I wish the Union would be more clear about books.

  4. John O'Donnell Jr. says:

    So when they loan players to Harrisburg do they count as roster spots or can these two players still go?

  5. Obviously we want the team to have the best players on the squad as determined by actual performance and not being kept simply because of draft position or pedigree, so I will give the team credit for cutting Richards and cutting Okai (or trading or something??)….
    ——-
    However, both passing on a LB at the draft and picking players in slots that shocked just about everyone else — and THEN following it up with arrogant smugness (I seem to remember a comment that any criticism of the draft was “laughable”) — really makes me question the decision making of the front office.

    I’m assuming that PSP will have an update on Okai and how “the most MLS-ready” player in the draft was, apparently, not NLS-ready enough for a team that finished near the bottom of the standing last year….
    —–
    Lastly, and this could be a whole series of articles, do we have the most invisible ownership group in MLS? I’m not counting Nick Sak, who actually has a job and draws a salary.

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