Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union Communications
Note: Philly Soccer Page’s Ryan Eichem also contributed to this post.
The Philadelphia Union announced yesterday, just a few days into a multi-month break for the World Cup, that they have parted ways with head coach Bradley Carnell. Carnell won the MLS Coach of the Year award last season in his first campaign at the club, but in 2026, the Union is currently dead last in MLS with just 7 points in fifteen matches (0.47 PPG).
In addition to the departure of Carnell, the Union also announced the hiring of Jon Scheer as Sporting Director, where he will be taking the role of Ernst Tanner. Tanner was suspended without pay during an investigation into his workplace conduct. Scheer has occupied the interim Sporting Director role in his place and will now take over the job fully. Before being given the interim post, Scheer directed the club’s academy and professional development.
https://x.com/tombogert/status/2059703686914281607?s=20
Coaching Changes
Philadelphia Union II head coach Ryan Richter has been named as the MLS side’s interim head coach, while a “global search for the club’s next head coach” will start, as stated in a press release. Richter was the first captain in Bethlehem Steel (now Union II) history, and has risen through the coaching ranks from the Academy levels and has worked with many of the Union’s young talent for as long as they’ve been with the organization.
Union II is currently 5-2-4 in 11 matches in MLS NEXT Pro this year, good enough to occupy the last playoff spot in eighth place. Replacing Richter in charge of the second team is Academy U18 head coach Chris Harmon, according to Jon Scheer in the press conference held earlier today. Harmon hails from Downington, Pennsylvania, and has MLS NEXT Pro experience as an assistant coach with Austin FC II. He joined the Union organization last summer to take over the U18s and has since won the prestigious Dallas Cup in April, as well as the Union organization’s Snow Bowl tournament in February.
Principal owner Jay Sugarman emphasized during the press conference that the club is committed to its methodology and its pillars. They will not be implementing a system change and will be searching for a head coach who will be able to support the club’s identity in developing players, and that they “want to continue to do what [they’re] doing.” In a statement included in the press release, Sugarman shared, “While the search for a new head coach begins immediately, we have full confidence in Ryan’s ability to lead the team through this transition, given his familiarity with the players and strong commitment to the club’s philosophy and style of play.”
He and Scheer both mentioned that they are committed to finding the best candidate for the head coaching role and are not going to rush the process. They have faith in Richter’s ability to move things forward while this search takes place.
Ernst Tanner’s role
The promotion of Jon Scheer to the full-time sporting director role raised questions about Ernst Tanner’s future with the organization that went unanswered in the initial press releases. Jay Sugarman clarified that Tanner is still in the restoration process following his suspension from Major League Soccer, but he mentioned that he thought Tanner “was always planning to step back and go back to Germany.” Tanner’s contract with the Union is up at the end of 2026 anyway, and Sugarman felt the club “needed certainty,” hence bringing in Scheer permanently ahead of this upcoming transfer window.
Looking ahead to the Summer window
The Union certainly missed the mark with both the outgoing and incoming transfers during the primary window. Jay Sugarman has faith in Scheer’s ability to bring in the necessary pieces to make changes to the group, and he is willing to provide funds to make that happen.
Scheer mentioned that the Union has identified pieces that they want to bring in after the World Cup break. He specifically mentioned leadership, weapons on set pieces, a piece for the back line that is left-footed “to give [them] versatility in how [they] build,” and another attacking piece to give “a different look and a different skillset, especially in front of goal.”
He also mentioned that, “the expectation is that the pieces that [they] bring in, there’s a lot less uncertainty… in terms of how they transition,” meaning that, unlike the risks they took in the winter to bring in young promising talent like Ezekiel Alladoh and Phillipe Ndinga, who are still finding their footing in the squad, these Summer acquisitions must be ready to right the ship and get back on track in the second half of the season.
First team practice does not resume until June 15, and the Union will not return to MLS play until July 22, 59 days after their loss at Inter Miami. There will be time for these pieces, should they actually be brought in, to acclimate to the group and the club’s identity and drive competition within the group.
Aren’t they still paying Curtin? Why not bring him back and see how he does without Tanner for the rest of the season. Otherwise who else is out there on the MLS short list? Nancy, Savarese, Neville, Vermes, Estevez?
I would take Jim Curtin back in a New York non red Bull Footy Moment.
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There was a time, fleeting as it was–in the 4-2-3-1…. Union weren’t flying, they were falling, with STYLE. Oh the days of the Aesthetic.
Long gone, those days.
I asked for a Vision, Philosophy, Plan. Careful what you wish for.
el Pachyderm taking a much needed hiatus until the Union milieu reconfigures.
Pep is not working…
OMG….he would never work for a guy like Sugar….but I would be in heaven with Pep as HC.
PS: Scheer is a tool of Sugar. Go figure.
Sell the team !
“Trust us,” he said in 2017 to the families of Pre Academy…
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…while under-minding a HOF Scottish coach, whacking a UEFA licensed Spanish coach with real chops on the sideline, and appointing the new Director role to a know nothing who proceeded to dishonor the badge. These are the facts.
the Union serpent is an Ouroboros.
Can you expand on this a bit. That was around the time the Union started rising as a contender in the EC.
I think this is the downturn of the team for quite awhile. Sugarman saying the team has been successful is a grand total of two Supporters Shield. They’ve never won a knock out tournament even though they’ve been to four finals. Also, the Tanner thing isn’t making any sense to me and I bet there is more to come.
Curtin..????
NO F*CKING WAY.
You guys are out of your minds…
and they are talking about bringing the Big “C” back.
Ridiculous.
NEVER GO BACKWARDS.
Garber allowed Sugar to pull a Charles Finley on us PHLers. Sold off the good players but MLS didn’t stop Sugar like MLB did to Charlie.
POOP.
I think season ticket holders should call for a boycott of the upcoming Red Bull game… and standing outside Subaru chanting for all 90 minutes.
F Sugar…. he ain’t no man.
I wish Carnell well. Once again, he managed a team to first in their division in a one year period well beyond expectations, and was rewarded by having the team sold off and then scapegoated and fired in mid season. What quality coach wouldn’t want to work with organizations that do that?
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Unsurprised under this ownership that Tanner was ‘demoted’ rather than fired and is “still in the restoration process”.
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Yeah, he may go to Germany after being ‘rehabbed’, but Ace will keep moneyballing for $ugarman this year to help mitigate the train wreck. I’m sure they’ll work out a real cute job title too like Union Public Relations Director followed by Food and Beverage Manager after his next grope or slur.
Agree totally… well, not totally.
In St Louis the ownership group didn’t sell their top 5 players for cash, replace with less than USL League Two players, year after Supporters Sheild.
Union ownership has treated both Tanner and Carnell like sh*t… maybe Tanner deserves it. Maybe he doesn’t. The real truth will never come out and I believe Tanner and Carnell are taking the fall for Sugar…. and his tool Scheer now.
Calling for a BOYCOTT of the NYRB game on July 22 by Season Ticket holders and SOBs.
I’m curious about what qualifies Scheer to be sporting director. At the time of his hiring, Tanner had a much better resume. Also wondering what this team will look for in a ‘global search’ for a new manager. I’m not confident we’ll see a significant change to the energy drink football, as this is what is being practiced at Union II as well. I’d favor someone with a successful MLS record and an ability to develop a good Plan B with the squad he has. It’s amusing to read the quote here about the pieces they’re looking to sign — basically new versions of Glesnes, Wagner and Uhre. Some senior leadership with MLS experience is probably a good bet.
Alex using a picture of the Damiani signing for this post… Savage.
Egggg-cellent.
A Plan for Salvaging the Season…..I am willing to give the Union Administration a chance to make corrections. I listened to the press conference and tried to glean some direction from the responses asked by the reporters. (PS most of the reporters sounded like scared children afraid to ask any hard questions. ) One of the things the owner and sports director said/ implied was something to the effect about getting back to Union style of play. What the hell is that ? I hate the madness and chaos that Carnell tried to execute with zero success this year. Please if that is the Union style that they are going to implement with Ryan Richter, their will be no improvement in the second half of the season. Here are some of the needs they said they will address during the 2 month break. I think they will acquire a veteran player who is more a “sure thing.” I hope that is a veteran defensive center mid or center back who has “leadership skills.” I hope that means someone with soccer sense who can mentor the mostly 20 year old defense. There are plenty of 30 to 35 year old defenders available in leagues better than the MLS. Just be prepared to pay 2 million for a 1 year deal for a ” sure thing”. In my opinion organizing an effective defense is the number 1 priority needed to make any improvements the second half of the season. They also said they would acquire a true “left footed ” player. I hope they meant a left back. Sugarman said he has the money to make immediate changes. From discussion with soccer coaches almost all say build or rebuild the team from the center out. They already have a proven goaile who will be in the hall of fame for the Union when he retires. They gave away their “all star” centerback and leftback and expected a 20 year old forward who played the Ghana super league and 1 year in Sweden to replace their top all star scorer last least season.
BOYCOTT JULY 22nd NYRB game.
17 seasons of “chances”.
We need season ticket holders & SOBs alike to REVOLT.
Stop apologizing for deceitful, HORRIBLE team management for 17 f*cking years.
Caviar claims on a peanut butter budget.
Expect the Explorer to get the gig officially in January if he shows a pulse. As this is the level-I would have been ok with that if he were allowed control of his own tactics.
Alas……
Admission of errors?
Remedy then
Start selling these bums. How can you demand strict adherence to a style and then sign guys who cannot PLAY it!!!!!
ET will most likely see out his last 6 months in the background with no questions answered-nor lie detected-before he’s allowed to phone home.
Suga gotta get his money’s worth.
Another Klentak….
Clarification please…. “Expect the Explorer?”
I am totally guessing of course — Richter played for Lasalle college who by memory are called the Explorers?
Let me just throw this out there. If the Union don’t win any of their first 3 games back from the break, they will have gone a longer time without a home MLS win than they did in the 10 months following their playoff win against NJ in 2019. Then they at least had the excuse of not actually playing any home games.
I was thinking. If Tanner was suspended, how many of this past winter’s signings were Scheer’s responsibility. Do we really have ANY confidence in him if he was the one who signed guys like Allodah, Martinez, and Ndinga?
I was thinking about that as well. I would note that Scheer stated at the press conference that they plan one cycle ahead, so maybe Tanner was involved? On the other hand Tanner generally did have success with his picks, so this many misses at once seems out of character. Tbf to Ndinga didn’t he pick up an injury?