Photo credit: Paul Rudderow

Just over a week ago, the Union traded Jamiro Monteiro to the San Jose Earthquakes. In return for the previous Union transfer fee record holder they received a mixture of guaranteed and performance-based General Allocation Money, as well as (possibly most importantly) an international roster spot. Many fans felt strongly that this was a great tragedy, as the Cape Verdean had been one of the Union’s best players in 2020, and had been a steady fixture in the lineup in 2021.

But of course there’s more to a player than just what happens on the field. And off field it seems Monteiro has had no interest in staying in Philly for some time. However much you read into his sideline anger after being subbed out against Miami last August, compound it with his family’s officially acknowledged immigration issues, and it’s clear Miro wanted an out. And the Union let him out, continuing a trend of respecting player’s wishes even when they’re not exactly in line with the team’s objectives.

However whether the Union were ready for Monteiro to leave or not, he still fulfilled the role he was brought in for. And departing is intrinsically part of that role.

Guns for Hire

Monteiro may have set a record coming to the Union in early 2019, but he wasn’t without precedent. His signing followed in the tradition of players like Bořek Dočkal or Marco Fabián. All of these players came to the Union from a club situation they weren’t satisfied with, filled a need on the Union roster for a time, and then left. They were mercenaries, here to do the job even if they weren’t “down with the cause”. And that’s okay.

It is of course a good thing when a player “buys in”. The Union would not be where they are without guys like Sébastien Le Toux or Alejandro Bedoya, who shaped the club’s culture and made the team what it is today. But not every player is going to feel that way, and the reasons for that are just as valid as they are innumerable. If we turned our noses up at the players who failed to lived up to the standard set by Le Toux or Bedoya the Union would have a hard time fielding a 5v5 team, let alone a full XI over the course of an MLS season.

So accept “mercenary” players like Monteiro (or Dočkal, or Fabián) for what they are- players who filled a need the Union had to the best of their abilities. We can ask for no more.

Get out of the way of The Union Way

Even that falls short of the full reason to appreciate the role of these mercenary players. Because as valuable as their on-field contributions can be, their eventual departure is equally essential. To stay focused on Monteiro, his leaving means more playing time for Paxten Aaronson and Quinn Sullivan. Which in turn means more playing time for Cole Turner and Jack McGlynn, with the first team or with UII in MLS Next Pro. All of these players are homegrown midfielders the Union need to continue to develop if they’re going to become starting lineup staples. Or once they’re developed, they need playing time to showcase their talents to potential transfers. And that requires playing time. Playing time that would be hard to get while Jamiro Monteiro was on the roster and head coach Jim Curtin is deciding on a lineup when points are on the line.

Of course, “play the kids” isn’t a strategy for guaranteed success. Some of those homegrowns could come up short of the potential we see in them, and that’s just part of the game. But that’s why what the Union are trying to do is so difficult, and why their success (so far) is worth celebrating. Monteiro was a great player, and we should all be grateful for the contributions he made to this team. But his departure is also something to be grateful for, as it gives the Union the space they need to continue establishing themselves as one of the premier talent development teams in this hemisphere.