Philadelphia Union II / Union

Reviewing the Union organization’s depth chart

Photo Paul Rudderow

The Gold Cup break, the halfway point of the regular season schedule, and the summer transfer window all suggest it is time to estimate a combined depth chart for the Philadelphia Union, the Bethlehem Steel, and the upper echelon of the Academy as a single whole.

The Union roster numbers 31 and the Steel just 13.  The Academy young men who have played significant match-day roles for the Steel are in transition. Eric Ayuk is loaned out, so he will not be listed.

Remember that the USL roster players are open to offers from other MLS clubs, technically. The Union have right of first refusal on three Steel players, and after that, in theory, another club could offer an MLS contract and sign the USL player. However, such roster raiding does not seem to happen, so far.

Explanatory notes 

“This roster has been assembled to be disassembled when the time comes for youth to take their place.”  – quoted from a comment by “Phil in Wilmington” on Philly Soccer Page, May 1st, 2017 at 1:55 pm EDT.

What follows below is PSP’s take — from the perspective of the Steel — on such a chart for 2017.

As with any matrix, the horizontal rows are all of a piece, as are the vertical columns, whether implicit or overt for particular cells. Each block of cells is in rank order. Injured players not currently available are in grey strikethrough typeface. Academy graduated seniors — all, save Fontana and Romero who are younger — matriculate at NCAA post-secondary institutions beginning August 1.

Flank Midfielders especially should be considered interchangeable for depth purposes.

Whether Adam Najem is a number 10 or a number 8 remains a question.  Comments from coach Burke suggest the organizations favors the number 10.

  Union 18 Candidates     Union-Steel Loanees      Steel/Academy* Players
Strikers – 5
C. J. Sapong   Seku Conneh
Jay Simpson   Amoy Brown
Charlie Davies    
  Right Flank Midfielders – 6
Chris Pontius   Santi Moar
Marcus Epps   Yosef Samuel
Fabian Herbers     Seth Kuhn*
 Attacking Center Midfielders – 6
Ilsinho Adam Najem Anthony Fontana*
Roland Alberg   Josh Heard
 Left Flank Midfielders – 3
Fafa Picault   Cory Burke
  Chris Nanco
 Center Midfielders – 6
Alejandro Bedoya   James Chambers
Derrick Jones   Brenden Aaronson*
Maurice Edu   
 Defensive Center Midfielders – 5
Haris Medunjanin  Ken Tribbett
Warren Creavalle  
Brian Carroll    Chris Wingate 
 Right Backs – 3
Ray Gaddis Aaron Jones
Keegan Rosenberry    
 Right Center Backs – 3
Jack Elliott   Hugh Roberts
Josh Yaro  
   
Left Center Backs – 3
Oguchi Onyewu Auston Trusty  Matt Mahoney
Richie Marquez    
 Left Backs – 4
Giliano Wijnaldum Matt Real
Fabinho Charlie Reymann
Goalkeepers – 6
Andre Blake Jake McGuire Tomas Romero*
John McCarthy   Kris Shakes*
    Eoin Gawrownski*

3 Comments

  1. Rais_Mbolhi says:

    Why is Chris Wingate crossed out? I believe he played in Steel’s last game

  2. I filed this before the Fontana signing was announced yesterday afternoon.
    .
    He is now listed on the union’s website in their roster. The announcement implies he is inactive until January 1, 2018, although it does not use that exact wording

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