Breaking News

Union trade Jack McInerney to Montreal for Andrew Wenger

Photo: Michael Long

The Philadelphia Union announced on Friday morning that Jack McInerney has been traded to Montreal Impact.

In exchange, the Union will receive Andrew Wenger, the Lancaster, Pa., native who formerly played with Union Premier Development League affiliate Reading United.

Per league and club policy, the terms of the trade were not disclosed.

“Andrew is a young and talented attacking player who we think is a good fit with our style of play,” Union head coach John Hackworth said.

“Jack was an important member of our squad over the past four years,” Hackworth continued, “but the reality is our team has evolved and this deal puts our team in a better overall position long-term. Andrew is a Pennsylvania native that we are familiar with from his time as a youth and Reading United player and he will be a great addition to our team as both a person and a player going forward.”

PSP will have more on the news as we learn it.*

218 Comments

  1. I will post my rant on this disaster of a move right after I am done jumping off this cliff here.

      • PLEASE, someone tell me how this is a good move? We saw last season what Jack Mac could do. This was a guy so good, at his young age, he was noticed by the USNT.

        I see fans all over PPL with McInerney kits.

        Who is running this team? the eagles? sure seems like it.

        As a season ticket holder, i will not be renewing next season!

      • Herm – before you drop your season tickets, did you notice what they did this past offseason (Edu, Berry, Nogueira, Maidana)? I’d like to think this latest move makes more sense as we learn more.

      • Yeah really, Herm. You have to be insane not to like the additions. I’m with you, Scott. I think we need to let this one play out.

        Hate to call you out, but Herm, you are an uneducated fool that’s completely overreacting to a very minor move.

      • Gos – i see you posting on this site and other Philly sports sites as well. You are just a homer. play out deez

      • Hi guys we like to keep things a bit more civil on PSP. Thanks.

      • I agree, Osager. But I think we have to get real here. Is Jack Mac putting butts in seats at PPL? No. And what’s worse is that he also hasn’t been putting balls in goals either.

      • Dan Walsh says:

        +1!

        Thanks, Osager.

      • I agree, Osager. how can we not be mad at this though?! getting rid of our starting striker a month into the season. This move is telling the fanbase that we just give up.

      • I’m with you that it seems like a really harsh move right now, for a team struggling to put the ball in the back of the net to trade away a young striker who finished plenty of chances last year. I just think it’s an overreaction to say they’ve given up, or to not renew next year. In the last 18 months, I think Hack and the FO have demonstrated that they do have a sensible vision for how to build a team, and that there are several postive moves to support that. I hope this latest one proves to fit the recent trend there.

      • it’s OK to be angry and I’m all for being real, but let’s not be hostile

      • Okay, I’m going to keep it real right here. Jack Mac is very replaceable. You want hesitation at the front, I’m available. Hell, I’d even take Herm up there.

      • I am known without hesitation to be a quick finisher

      • That’s what she said.

      • Great One says:

        +1

  2. Jack asked out. My first reaction.

    • I remember him alluding to that late last season or during the offseason. Something like that if his contract was up at this time (when he was asked in an interview) would he stay and he said No…

      • He said if he didn’t get a nice pay raise he would be off to Europe if I remember. The Union probably didn’t want to pay what he wanted, so they looked to offload him.

  3. “Better overall position going forward” = “we didn’t want to pay him after this year”. I’m not one to get overly excited but this trade is an absolute joke. So much for the chemistry, so much for developing young talent from within. Just plain stupid. Wenger may be an okay player and he’s from here so I’m sure people will like him, but this is bad.
    .
    On another note, how great does Jack do with Di Vaio?

    • Best Tutor for Jacks style in the MLS

    • Chesterfield Cobblepot says:

      I can’t imagine chemistry was that great. Every time Jack didn’t get a ball he thought he should have his reaction toward his teammates grew increasingly demeaning. I am not going to be too quick to bemoan this move. Wenger has some talent and we’re not in the locker room… let’s give it some time to play out.

      • Torvald Coolguy says:

        Wenger may also be more suited to playing the style Hackworth wants. I think if we had wanted to make this deal, we should have tried to do it much earlier though.

      • if wegner were suited to play the style hack wants he’d be another DM

      • I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Jack wanted out. He looked increasingly frustrated when he didn’t get the ball when he thought he should and in some cases the passes he probably should have gotten.

  4. I don’t understand this at all.

    • Jack wanted out and the Union wanted to get something for him. So a talented local guy is as good as it was gonna get.

    • Also, this could mean that the Union see Ribero as a striker now which would be pretty exciting for most fans.

      • I was thinking about Pedro, too. But he is still in Harrisburg. Is he ready? Who would you send down from the active Union roster?

    • Wenger might be a bit more versatile — better holdup player, etc. But it seems like the kind of move you make when a guy asks out or is clear he won’t re-sign.

  5. My guess is that Hack and Sack were anticipating that Jack probably wouldn’t want to resign at the end of this year without some ridiculous increase in salary. Probably had the opportunity to make the best of a bad situation and took it.
    .
    I’m not crushed by this for a couple reasons: 1) Jack has always lacked the ability to create for himself. He’s a great poacher, but not a guy you build a franchise around. 2) I can’t stand a 21 year old who constantly complains about bad service from his teammates and throws his hands up when he’s not getting the ball. That can’t be good for team chemistry. 3) Wenger is a local guy who wants to be with the Union. I bet Hack sees him as an upgrade in the “locker room department.” Hopefully he’ll continue to progress on the field. He’s still a very promising player.
    .
    That being said, it will be interesting to see how Jack pairs with DiVaio. If DiVaio ever passes the ball, they could be a very dangerous duo.
    .
    Let’s all pray that Casey stays healthy this season.

    • McMohansky says:

      Completely agree with your 3 points.

    • Yep, I think you nailed it here. This is a “get something before you get nothing” deal that doubles as a locker room upgrade.
      .
      I’m not too torn up about this from an organizational standpoint, but man we are now woefully short at forward. Conor Casey cannot play 90 minutes every game, Hoppenot is not good enough to start (not yet anyway), and Le Toux needs a strike partner to be effective if he’s playing up front. My question is does Wenger fit into this mix somehow? I’m not really familiar with his playing style, can he be a solution up top?

    • Agreed. Jack’s words from a few month’s ago: “Unless they came to me with something a good bit up there, I wouldn’t take it.”

      • Thank You, i was trying to remember this quote whilst reading this article and comments. Thanks for posting this…

    • Well put, spugger.

    • Agreed Spug, I think you got it spot on, no way Jack was going to be a Union player after this contract so why not get something for him now? Wenger is still only 23 and a hometown boy at that. I have also been sick of the pouting and negative waves Jack has been putting off recently, although I will still miss seeing him in a Union Kit.

    • 100% right. Jack isn’t really giving you much when he’s having trouble finding the net. Union need an offensive unit that creates goals among all attacking players. It’s not about funneling to Jack, which is what Jack seemed to want.

    • I agree completely with all three of your points, too. Additionally regarding #3, as someone from Lancaster County, I can’t help but feel kind of stoked about this trade. Plus, look at the sports section of the Lancaster Intelligencer/New Era/Sunday News website right now (http://www.lancasteronline.com/sports) — the Wenger trade is the front-and-center top story on there. I’ve never seen anything pertaining to the Union or MLS that has ever been that prominently featured or covered in Lancaster’s newspaper before.

  6. if there was money involved and the U go out and buy a good striker then I’m fine with it…and how many people complaining about the trade were complaining about JM’s in-game body language only days ago?

    • ebradlee10 says:

      No allocation money involed. Straight swap.

      • I see. So Wenger is 2 inches taller, 2 years older, and far fewer goals scored, but perhaps less of an asshole than JM. Meh

      • Twellman says some there was some more involved.

      • yeah! his tweet is
        “Hearing @MLS trade being announced soon with @PhilaUnion shipping Jack McInerney to @impactmontreal for Andrew Wenger and more.”
        .
        so “and more” could mean money

  7. Just when I thought this team was going in the right direction…So Jack hasn’t been scoring a goal a game, but who has? Instead you panic after a few games and trade away your leading scorer for a player who could not put the ball in the net playing with a talent like Di Vaio??

    And the whole “Reading United” bit has started to wear thin as well. Sure there is a little familiarity from his days there, but does that warrant a drastic move like this??

  8. Hopefully we get this one right like we did with Mwanga.

  9. The Black Hand says:

    I like this trade. Sure, Jack is talented but he wasn’t a good fit for our style of play. My bet is: Jack was going to test the waters once his contract was up. Front office had to get something and, honestly, they did well. Wenger is a talented player, who will fit our system better…I hope. I wonder if Jack got ‘caught’ putting Jack before the club. No room for that!! This is far from the end of the world!!

  10. Love this move. I’ve probably been one of Mac’s biggest detractors. To me, we’re getting something for a guy who had one hot stretch and has shown, to me, little ability to do his job properly. We pretty much can’t downgrade considering his goalscoring rate since the first half of last season. Hoping we insert somebody who knows how to make a run, finish, or at least not spend more time whining and showing up his teammates than playing.

    • +1
      ——–
      Everyone keeps on assuming that the “Real” Jack is the guy who had 3 hot months over 3 years. I’m not so certain.
      ——–
      That being said, I can’t believe that we couldn’t fleece DC in another trade, maybe for Eddie Johnson?

      • I still don’t see how Pajoy-for-Cruz is considered fleecing them. Pajoy wasn’t great, but we left him on an island by himself with no good midfield service. I look at that trade more as a guy who couldn’t work magic traded for a one-man wrecking ball.

      • Maybe the fleecing was Parke for Ethan White and the top allocation draft spot (Edu)? or the draft day trade to move up and get Blake? Not sure either is a fleecing, though both look pretty good initially.

      • John Ling says:

        Or getting the #7 pick (McInerney), Fred, and allocation money for the top spot in the allocation order, which DC turned into… Troy Perkins.

  11. I wonder who will play forward tomorrow. Wenger is on red card suspension, right?

    • I still think that’s hilarious. The guy can’t start his first game because of a foul he committed against what is now his own team. I bet there’s at least one or two people whose reaction to the foul went from “That’s a red plus additional games” to “Eh, ref could have gone with a yellow there.”

  12. Dan C (formerly of 103) says:

    Simple answer is that the U traded Jack because they couldn’t get a transfer fee for him from over seas. I don’t know for sure, but I’d be surprised if Wegner isn’t a G.A. and the U won’t be on the hook for their salary.

    I’m not happy but I’m not surprised at all. Now they better take every red cent that the league is willing to give them in retention funds to sign Amobi or there may be a full scale riot.

    Last point is that I could care less that Wegner is from Pa. or Noguera is from France, I just want to see good soccer and could care less where someone hails from.

    It’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re at!!!!

  13. Love the trade. I think Wenger better fits in our 4-3-3. Plus he can learn from Conor Casey. I’m not sure the Impact even view Jack as a starter. They play alot of 4-5-1 and they ain’t benching DiVaio.

    • But at 38, DiVaio is nearing the end. Will that make jack Mac a starter in a season or 2? Not too shocked by this move. Let’s be honest, Jack Mac was a bit overrated. One hot streak does not make a player.

  14. Wenger has good size and athleticism… should do really well with the mid-fielders and other attacking options we have in place.

    • Dan C (formerly of 103) says:

      Why would you come to this conclusion? The U are playing some of the most sophisticated soccer since their inception and you feel that a tall, strong, fast guy is the answer to our scoring woes? We don’t need a big guy who is really good at kick and run to move this team forward.

      I’m not saying Mac was the answer, but at least be realistic on what we got in this deal, an underwhelming first round pick that grew up in Amish country and played for Reading. If fits the BullShit mantra that Hack has concocted since he has been here. I’ll take Fernandez all day in Macs role because at least he knows how to play the game. Andrew Wegner is the FWD corps answer to Croben Bone.

      • Abram Trequarista Stoltzfus says:

        Don’t be taking shots at us Amish, Dan C. We learn tiki taka pretty early out here and Brother Andrew is a prime example of that.

        Soccer is as popular as bowling out here in Amish country.

      • The guy played at Duke, won the Hermann trophy as a forward and was ALSO nominated for it as a CB. This idea that he is some kind of Amish barefoot kickball player is a bit harsh don’t you think?
        .
        .
        via wikipedia:
        .
        “Wenger made an immediate impact in his freshman year at Duke University. He started in all 21 matches, and finished with four goals and three assists in a team leading 1,896 minutes of action. In 2010, Wenger started in all of Duke’s matches at center back and was a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy.

        In 2011, Wenger moved from center back to forward. He led the ACC with 17 goals and 42 points and was ranked fourth in the nation in total points and sixth in total goals. On January 6, 2012, Wenger was named Hermann Trophy winne”

      • Dan C (formerly of 103) says:

        I by no means meant to insult the Amish community. I was strictly making the point that Hacworth likes to sell the faithful on sub par players by constantly touting that they are “hometown” or played for Reading. As far as his college stats, I could care less since the Union play in MLS!!!!

        If you would have continued to quote his wikipedia page you would have shown everyone that he has scored 6 goals in 51 games. Not exactly world class….. his college results and production have no bearing on how we should perceive his value or ability as an MLS player.

  15. this has been coming for a long time. I don’t think the Union and Jack had plans for one another for a while now.

    Jack was on his way out and Wegner was a nice consolation a pretty good player who is a local player.

    I suspect the Union think that Fernandez and Wegner can be a good more versatile approximation of Jack Mac.
    Or not.
    It’s what they got now.

  16. From a MTL fan: “He’s not bad at headers. Besides that, he hasn’t really shown any progression since he’s been in Montreal. He’s got a very bad first touch, and for all his athletic skills, he doesn’t really seem to get in the right spots to make the defense pay. Montreal is just so much more dangerous when Di Vaio is playing. Wenger just doesn’t really have what it takes to be an effective forward in MLS, unless he drastically improves his ball skills.”

    Fuck me.

    • I am thinking of him as a winger to replace Letoux. That might be a net gain.

    • The Black Hand says:

      In all honesty, that assessment could be used for Jack. Take away the hot start, last year, and McInerney has been a pretty ineffective player.

      • I agree. Since the Gold Cup, has he had a run of poor form? or a regression to the mean? He’s not bad at headers. Besides that, he’s got a bad first touch, modest athletic skills, and a petulant streak that absolutely must irk his teammates. He acts like he’s Luis Suarez, no, wait, even Suarez is more supportive of his mates.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Suarez has been wonderful this year!!!

      • +1

    • Montreal fans are probably reading some of the above comments about Jack and saying ‘fuckez-moi’.

    • Bob Rigby. says:

      Sounds like Danny Cruz. Oh wait, that’s insightful. Doesn’t go with this handle.

  17. I hope Danny Cruz knows a good Realtor because he is looking really really disposable what with a huge need in the Union line up.

  18. From a tactical stand point this move makes sense Jac likes to sit on that last defender where Wenger is more of presence who can hold up the ball and keep our midfielders involved in the build up in the attacking third. Looking forward to seeing Wenger hold up play and layoff balls for Mo and Noc.

  19. Former Season Ticket Holder says:

    WOW the Union rollercoaster never seems to stop. By the way Union I don’t care if the guy played at Reading or is a local…..I just want good players that can score! If Wenger can do that he could be from Mars for all I care.

  20. I’m fine with this if Jack made it clear he had no intention of coming back next year. And he basically said as much in that interview in the offseason.

    Wenger does not equal Jack, but I do like him quite a bit and am happy to have him on the team. If money is involved as well, maybe we go shopping for a striker in the summer window. I’m not terribly surprised and surprisingly not that upset.

    • You could probably get a striker from someone with a combination of Cruz/Hoppenot, Blake/MacMath, Carroll, and Allocation Money.
      Anyone have a glut of strikers?

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        Yeah I agree that they need to package some guys together and get a striker from an MLS club… Like right now. As in, NOW.

      • Chelsea have a glut of strikers. And evidently, José Mourinho isn’t happy with any of them.

      • Lukaku is tearing it up on loan with the Toffees. Anybody got a spare £25 million laying around?

  21. This is 100% about money, I don’t get why people are happy about it. I’m not mad about wenger, he’s okay, but he is by as talented about Jack, older, and has less performance history. Jacks not incredible right now but it’s been 4 games, with three new supporting players, 2 played in rain. There’s no way u can argue he was given enough chance to say he doesn’t work in this system. It’s purely money, 100%. Wenger is a throw In.

    • The Black Hand says:

      We are freeing up space for Kaka…I wish!
      .
      Jack’s overall showing hasn’t been that great. He had a golden boot for the start of 2013, but it cooled dramatically. Aside from that, the job wasn’t getting done. I thought that Casey was far more valuable, to the club, last year. Plus, Jack had an awful attitude, or at least thats how it was projected.

      • I don’t necessarily disagree with anything you say about Jack at all. The thing is I want to win THIS year. Jack gave us a better chance then Wenger. I know you have been calling for him to play with Casey for a while now. It’s not like Wenger is goign to be our starting forward for the next 3 years. So realistically we got some underwhelming depth at our teams current biggest need area (goals), in exchange for not losing Mac for nothing AFTER the season.

      • The Black Hand says:

        Agree. I want to get after it NOW, as well. I don’t think that this hurts us, really. Jack offered little and was, very much, overvalued (in my view). I think that Casey is some time from being fit. Wenger gives us a better fit, in the meantime. He’s a better target (in the box). I think that we would have been worse off sticking with McInerney, as he had struggled mightily to give us any presence. Wenger may bridge the gap, between now and when Casey is fit. Then we will have a solid option to go along with the big man. Tomorrow’s lineup should be interesting…

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        Kaka is basically already contractually obligated to Orlando from what I understand.
        .
        I think you meant to say, we’re saving money for Altidore. 🙂

      • The Black Hand says:

        Yeah…Thats what I meant…Jozy. I like!!!

      • +1

    • I’m not upset even though I agree it was about money. Jack didn’t want to stay without a huge salary upgrade and the Union didn’t think he was worth whatever kind of money he wanted.

      While I don’t know the actual figures, I believe I’d agree with them. I think Jack is good but not as good as he’s often made out to be, and I don’t think he fits well in a single-striker system. I’d rather bring in someone who’s a better fit for that big money than use it to keep Jack around.

      That said, while I think the move is good for the future. I’m very worried about the now. I have nightmares of seeing Hoppenot starting up there…agh.

      • This is exactly my point. Casey can’t start every game, and Le Toux/Hop don’t fit at all in a 4-2-3-1 (this is really our formation) up top. So we have to pray Casey lasts a whole year and doesn’t lose steam like last year, and hope that Wenger becomes excellent all of a sudden.

      • Or that we’re planning to make another move, which wouldn’t surprise me. Hack said that there was money left over if a transfer needed to be made in the summer. Maybe he was thinking ahead to this.

  22. I hope Conor Casey is ready for a solid 60+ minutes this week. And that Wenger knows how to apologize in French for that studs up tackle on Nogueira last week. The trade makes me nervous about scoring goals this year, but I agree with many other posters that is likely has much more to do with Jack’s contract situation for next year and beyond.

  23. Saw this on the Twitter machine:

    “@GolazodelGringo: Hearing that one of the reasons McInerney was moved was that he had become a disruption at practice.”

  24. OneManWolfpack says:

    I don’t think the season is over and I’m sure as hell not jumping from the Commodore Barry, but this does hurt us right now. I like getting something in return, but we’ll see if it was a decent trade or not. First thought is we got a “Berry from Chicago deal” pulled on us by Montreal but we’lll see.

  25. Frankly I thought this trade or something like it would’ve happened before the season started. Hope we learn the real story soon enough.

  26. I don’t hate the move. I don’t love it, either. Just a few thoughts.
    .
    Those who are falling back on, “OMGZ! The Union are so f’ing cheap!” need to give it a damn break. That argument no longer holds water. At least in my opinion.
    .
    Those saying, “They had to, he was leaving anyway” are probably right as to part of the motivation. I have no problem with getting something for an asset before the asset “expires.”
    .
    Wenger, I think, could slide in nicely as one of the outside forwards in our system.
    .
    Does Le Toux go back to wearing #9 now? 😉
    .
    Who starts at forward now? Casey? We’re all pretty sure he can’t go 90, so if you commit to starting Connor Casey you’re also committing to using one of your three subs to get him off around 60-70.
    .
    As an alternate, I think you could move Le Toux inside but have him not pushed as far up field as Jack has been. That allows some linking with the wings and mids and still gives a player who is dangerous enough to slip behind the defense if they get lazy. You can then get Leo on the field over on the right wing and give him the freedom to tuck inside when he sees space; you’ll have Williams patrolling the right touchline soon enough, and Nog has been over there quite a bit as well, so having your right wing tuck in won’t hurt.
    .
    My hunch for tomorrow, though, is they start Casey and just bring in Hoppenot at 65-ish like usual. But I think going forward there are some interesting options.

  27. So I have to think going forward that Casey can’t play every game. I’m willing to bet Seba moves inside now and they put Leo out on a wing. I still think our best bet is to have Casey AND another striker up top.

  28. OneManWolfpack says:

    This is definitely a “time will tell” move… especially if Jack throws a fit up there about playing time, or decides to leave MLS because he thinks he deserves better or more money. However if the U can get a proven striker, either via trade or trasfer window, this move becomes fantastic. But right now we do suffer a bit. Overall I’m not too mad, but not happy either.

  29. I’m with Spugger. I don’t know if Jack was a flash in the pan or a player with amazing potential – but if I were in Hack’s shoes, with a young striker who isn’t giving me production and is giving me attitude, I would probably make this trade now rather than waiting it out. It seems pretty obvious that getting the ball in the back of the net is the missing piece for the Union this season – our midfield woes seem to be history and we have great depth for our back line. Either Jack gets hot again – in which case he’ll be too expensive next year – or he doesn’t – in which case Hack will have other worries for next year. Given what Jack’s shown in the first 3 games, I wouldn’t wait around any longer to find out.

  30. I have a feeling we see Fernandes in Jack’s place, and we play the Barcelona 4-6-0 formation.

  31. You guys are acting like Jack Mac was the second coming of Suarez. Dude was overrated from the get-go and it showed the second half of last season and so far this season. I will agree that there’s something to be said about a forward being in the right place at the right time, but we need a finisher and Jack Mac isn’t the answer. I’m not sure Wenger is either. I think we shouldn’t overreact though because time will tell.

    In other news, is Le Toux getting the #9 back?

  32. Casey will start and Wenger (when available) will be fairly close to a like-for-like sub. Both are hold-up, target forwards in our 4-3-3. Leo will get playing time but not as a striker. Hoppy will continue to be the speed option off the bench.

  33. Guess it’s time to start the rumors again of #ZlatanToUnion

  34. The body language on the game field leads me to believe that is not the only place he has exhibited that behavior. Maybe if you’re Thierry Henry you can get away with that. He is not.
    ——
    I will give the Union FO some more leeway after their display this summer. I believe they may actually know what they are doing. I cannot recall a player they have traded away who has excelled after his trade.

    • harvey, jacobson, soumare, salinas…

      • ok so salinas was an expansion draft release but there’s something to be said for not protecting him and then there’s also the not keeping orozco-fiscal who has surely excelled since his departure.

      • Mapp ain’t doing bad either if we are counting expansion releases.

    • Besides the players below, I think this comment speaks more to the players that they draft or bring in…Other than Nogueira and Edu, this club has been defined by the mediocre caliber player.

  35. JUST ONE TIME I WANT THE FO TO TELL THE TRUTH! It is not because “we’ve evolved.” Money money money money.

  36. Andy Muenz says:

    Is it too late for the Union to appeal Wenger’s red card from last week? I mean it seems like a team should be able to say that an opponent didn’t deserve a card…

  37. What? Jack is the greatest striker in the MLS . . . just ask him!

    No heartbreak over this one, just think they should have gotten a little of Albert’s Location money for him as well.

    As long as this means more Fernandes in the lineup I’m all for it

  38. (Jack’s slow end to last year) + (Jack’s slow start to this year) + (Union midfield that is showing improvement in balls through to the front) – (Jack throwing his hands up once too often for the midfield and coaches) – (Jack failing to convert a few balls that were RIGHT THERE for him) = Airline ticket to Montreal and initial applications for Canadian Work Permit.

    Frankly, I think that Hop should be worried about showing up the midfielders providing service as well. I wish Jack well, and hope that he matures enough to recognize that even the best cannot sustain a good working relationship when they bitch about co-workers, even when things are going well. For him, I hope that this turns out to be a good thing. For us, I hope that it doesn’t turn out to be the equivalent of the Phillies trading away Ryne Sandberg.

    • How many grat balls up front were there really?
      We improved in almost every area but that one.

      • Not a huge number, but there were certainly a couple. This early in the season, I am glad that the midfielders remember their new teammates’ names. And you are right, there haven’t been many, but they have been starting to go through. Maybe I am too optimistic, but it has looked better to me.

    • how is hop showing up? cruz?

      • misread that. my apologies, tim. though i don’t think hop has much to worry about. he’ll continue to be a bench player for a while yet regardless.

      • No worries. Hop did give Le2 a hard time the week before last when he was just in to the game, between the offside calls and ref baiting that he started just off of the bench. I like both of these guys, but really hate to see them getting into bad attitude habits so young. Guys, wait until you are old and cranky. like me.

  39. This was tough news to swallow at first, but it does make sense if there was real doubt that McInerney wasn’t going to re-sign after this season.
    .
    I think Klinsmann’s recent comments about wanting USMNT players to play at the highest level is going to make it difficult to resign top young players. McInerney has an out after this year and will probably try his luck in Europe.

    • Yes, I agree it makes sense.
      .
      No, I think that players will go where the money is. Nobody will take a pay cut for a better chance to play for country; it doesn’t work that way. I wouldn’t be happy if I had Jurgi’s job, but MB took the money and good on him. He could have rode the pine at Roma or skipped on back to Chievo, but he got mad money to move to TO. McInerney will go where he thinks he can get PAID, as he should.

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        I don’t Mac will ever honestly play for the USMNT anytime soon. He’s not big enough and not nearly consistent enough. I see him as a Wondolowski who might get his one shot late in his career.

  40. On one level I am sorry to see Jack go. I’ve enjoyed watching him use his very high soccer IQ to compensate for average physical ability. But defenses seem to have figured him out and his lack of speed/size are a problem if he’s not finishing, which he hasn’t been. Finally, his body language had become a negative distraction (for fans, anyway; I can’t say for players).

    But this is what’s supposed to happen when you load up on young players. Some of them pan out spectacularly (Williams, Okugo), some don’t work out at all, and some do ok, but only at a certain price. I take this move to say that Jack thinks his price is higher.

    What calls will be made regarding the other young players?

  41. If I were in charge at Soda Drink FC, I’d have made a call to Nick about Jack. Leadership there wouldn’t tolerate his petulance – imagine him trying to big-time Henry on the practice field when the Frenchman took on his own head coach last year – and they’re in dire need of a forward with his skillset. I doubt the return would have been satisfactory for the Union, however.

  42. I don’t think there’s really anything to be upset about here. I usually prefer a 4-3-3 and with our midfield, its a no-brainer. I was never really that impressed with JM. If you have no physical presence as a striker, you had better be able to create and dribble around people. He does neither. I can’t count how many corners I’ve seen where no one gets a head on the ball and it just sails through or is easily cleared away. Since JM has basically offered us nothing since last June, lets shake it up and give this guy a chance. What’s the worst case, he only scores 2 goals this year? Well, that’s all JM has done over the last calendar year. But as a Tottenham guy, I wont be buying a Wenger jersey no matter how many he scores.

    • If you think Jack has offered nothing, the past few games then you are lost. Should he have played better? Yes. But he played well enough.
      Basically, this trade says, “We screwed up and are now scrambling.”
      He was our starting option the first four games of a season where we expect a strong playoff run and now he’s gone! What does that tell you? It tells me they had no plan for forward.

  43. Howie Roseman says:

    I heard Jack Mac has gang affiliations.

  44. Union Jack says:

    I wanna get paid, bitches! I’m going to Europe next year and play 90 minutes a match for a Champions League team as I prepare for World Cup 2018. I was just counting the days until my last game at PPL Park. The Union did me a favor so I can work on my language skills while playing in Quebec.

    Au revoir!, Adieu!, À bientôt!, À la prochaine! See you all when I come back for a friendly with my ass kicking Euro team.

  45. There is a slight advantage to having someone from the local area. Being happy off the field often translates to better play on the field. And, knowing that a player wants to stay and play for a local team gives the franchise a little leverage when it comes to contract negotiation. Obviously, play on the field is paramount, but you shouldn’t completely discount benefit of a hometown player.

  46. This has to be getting close to the great Chk-Fil-A throwdown or the Soumare slugfest as the most replies ever. Are we getting close?

  47. The Chopper says:

    Jack is not even a faint blip on the USMNT radar. They got a look, didn’t play him a minute and sent him home. Hack has never been much of a Jack fan. Did not start him on more than a few occasions last season and is quick to sub for him. He is a very one dimensional player and he has not developed his other dimensions.

    I am fine with this. We can argue tactics all day long, but John Hackworth has handled the roster and available money very well since taking over. It will either be the summer window or next season when a true front line striker arrives, but they have more than enough now to make up what we were getting (and not getting) from Jack. He was not in the long term plans.

    • I don’t agree with this at all.
      A. Hack is the one who put Jack and Amobi as the face of the team.
      B. He has actually developed his possesion and passing. It’s not fantastic, but he’s a forward.
      C. I could care less about a new FWD next year. Edu, Nog, Chaco won’t all be here then. Probably just one. And Amobi is as good as gone with what he’ll command.
      D. Wenger is the next Chandler Hoffman or Danny Mwanga… MacInerney has been head and shoulders better. Maybe Wenger picks it up, but evidence doesn’t look good.
      MAC showed and still does have more potential. So he was gonna leave on a free? We’ll probably cut Wenger next year or he’s serviceable at best.
      We don’t have anything other than Casey that can make up for what Jack offers. And that’s not a complement to Jack. Our fwds are crap and regardless, Hack still can’t coach the final third on either side of the ball.
      This was a pointless move with more downside.

      I hope I’m wrong, cuz I admit Mac was annoying as hell.

      • OneManWolfpack says:

        I think you made a lot of assumptions and passed them off as fact.
        .
        Let me start with – I’m not jumping for joy over this trade. It makes us immediately worse, which is always a bad thing. However, it is another trade that should help in the long run. Jack, no matter what you feel about him as a person/player, was not going to get and/or be worth what he wanted to be paid after this season. Did the Union make a move too soon? Maybe, yes. But they got something in return. That we can not fault them for. We basically traded the potential of Jack for the unfulfilled potential of Wenger. Time will tell.
        .
        As for your assumptions: Assuming only one player – Edu, Nogueira, or Chaco will be here next year is just crazy. I would sincerely think that the only one who goes is Chaco. If this team acquired Mo Edu for one year and gets rid of him, that would be beyond stupid… even for this FO. As for Noguiera, if you ditch Chaco and make him a DP, I think that is a solid investment, and not at all something that could not happen.
        .
        We aren’t going to cut Wenger. He’s 23 and has a whole season to show he can play. Depth is not a bad thing.
        .
        Besides last year’s run (to start the year), which was phenomenal, Jack has been very average. He has a ton of upside and might realize it one day. Or he bolts for Europe to soon, and sits on a bench. He’ll never be better than Altidore, Aron Johansson, or Julian Green, so he will never play for the USMNT. I have a feeling he will be nice player, but never the guy we hoped. He is replaceable.

      • Depth is a bad thing when all you have is depth and no starters…
        As for the big 3: they’re here because this was Hackworth’s last hurrah. If the money spent doesn’t pay off, they’re gone. And Mo is still only a loan.

  48. Dan Walsh says:

    FYI, we expect PSP to have more on this trade later today and again tomorrow. John Hackworth just held a teleconference with media, and he filled in some of the blanks on the deal. (Some of your comments are spot on.) Look for a post from me this evening on that. Also, PSP is hoping to talk with McInerney by tomorrow, so we’ll hopefully have a post on that on Saturday.

  49. Great One says:

    Rabble rabble!

  50. james lockerbie says:

    I know I was not happy with his attitude and I am just a fan. We negadelphians are a lot like Eddie Murphy ” what have you done for me lately!”

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