Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union Communications
We conclude our multi-part evaluation of Keystone Sports’ two professional soccer teams’ rosters with an unofficial depth chart combining them all into a single visual summary. Players unproven at the first team level are italicized. To make the lay out work, we excluded first names and abbreviated positions. Strikethroughs are players we expect not to return for 2025.
We use boldfaced superscripts to indicate cogent detail about current roster status using these symbols:
- * = free agent,
- L = loaned away,
- 2 = Union II professional,
- A = Academy Amateur,
- L2 = Loaned to Union II,
- i = injury recovery all season,
- PO= Purchase option decision pending.
Unofficial estimated depth chart as of October 29th, 2024
| S – 7 | S | |||
| Uhre | Baribo | |||
| Adeniran* | Donovan | |||
| Anderson | TorresL | |||
| Riasco2 | PierreL | |||
| DavisA | RocioA | |||
| A M – 4 | ||||
| Gazdag | ||||
| Rafanello | ||||
| CSullivan | ||||
| LeBlancA | ||||
| L M – 3 | R M – 4 | |||
| Flach* | QSullivan | |||
| McGlynn | Bedoya* | |||
| Olney | Vazquez | |||
| JohnsonA | ||||
| D M – 3 | ||||
| Jean Jacques | ||||
| Bueno | ||||
| ParianoL2 | ||||
| L B – 4 | L C B – 3 | R C B – 3 | R B – 4 | |
| Wagner | Elliott | Glesnes | Harriel | |
| RealL | Makhanya | CraigL | Mbaizo | |
| LeFlorei | Rojas2 | Pierre2 | WetzelA | |
| Westfield2 | G K – 3 | BerdecioPO | ||
| Blake | ||||
| Rick | ||||
| Semmle |
GUESSING FORWARD
We make two longer-term strategic assumptions about the roster rebuild over the next three or more years.
- It will take a minimum of two years for current MLS NEXT Pro players to become full time MLS starters.
- The Union will not use major money to buy attacking talent from outside the organization until the new midfield and a revamped defense are in place and somewhat proven.
For 2025 we suspect these additions will be acquired from outside.
- A proven MLS-ready center back able to play next year as part of a three center back backline.
- A proven backup first team goalkeeper with Oliver Semmle being moved on.
- If Flach does not return, a proven MLS-ready midfielder capable of playing the Union’s system.
We anticipate these internal signings will occur in the offseason once other roster-clearing moves have been made and the San Diego expansion draft has been survived.
- Neil Pierre to the first team as a Homegrown
- Frank Westfield to the first team as a Homegrown
- Gavin Wetzel to Union II.
Assumptions about pending 2025 options decisions
- These 2025 contract options are certain to be declined.
- Joaquin Torres.
- Matt Real.
- The option that probably exists will be exercised, if it does.
- Carlos Rojas .(UnionII)
- This Purchase Option will perhaps declined, perhaps exercised.
- Jamir Berdecio.
- These options will probably be exercised.
- Isaiah LeFlore.
- Brandan Craig.
- This option is certain to be exercised.
- Jack Elliott.
We should learn how good our guesswork has been about the internal moves discussed above on or about November 27th when MLS requires those decisions to have been made. (Teams still in the playoffs have appropriate extended deadlines.)
Why not a strikethrough on Adeniran? He’s certainly not coming back.
The strikers with Union II have quite a jump ahead of them to move up to he first team. Anderson got pushed too far too fast last spring, judging by results. We have no idea what will happen with Davis who is still an amateur.
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That means Donovan and Adeniran are the “MLS-ready” backups, like it or not, if Adeniran wants to come back to Philly. He is a free agent remember and may get a better offer from somewhere else. (That’s what he pays his agent to find.) He is free to take such an offer.
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I am not at all certain he is not coming back. If I had money to burn, I might bet that he will get a frugal offer from the Union.
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Sorry I forgot this point Vince.
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I do not expect them to spend serious money on new strikers until revamped midfields and defenses are in place and at least somewhat proven.
Can’t really see Jim at this point straying from the diamond and fully switching to a 3 Center Back formation full time. Regardless agree with the necessity for an additional quality Center Back come in along with testing Craig/Makhanya in the 11. I Personally think it is time to move on from the Glesnes/Elliot Pairing at this point.
They seemed to like having the flexibility to switch between a 3-5-2 variant and the 4-1-2-1-2 when they had Damion Lowe. More in ’23 than in ’24. I suspect they would like to have such flexibility again.
Also, many opponents use a 3 man backline vs the Union to negate the benefits of the diamond that the Union use. So it’s good to have options which allow the Union to mirror an opponent when they think that they can gain an advantage from using a 3 center back formation.
Jim Curtin out??? Just saw this. Amazing!! Cheap ownership and the blame is all on the coach?? MLS requires real investment these days! Either spend money or sell the team so Season Ticket Holders like myself come back.
Can’t wait for the PSP pieces on Curtin out. End of an honest-to-god era. I’ll reserve comments for those stories when posted. Interesting to see the average fans on Reddit reacting like it’s a catastrophe.
Im disappointed because I suspect this means a youth movement. Hire the coach from Union II and play the kids? I would like to see more of the young players but mixed in with experienced guys. I fear this means a total rebuild which may be good long term but likely means a tough next few seasons.