Union Trades Show Path to Success

Just two days ago it seemed like the only move the Philadelphia Union would make in Major League Soccer’s summer transfer move would be to sign Derrick Jones on a homegrown deal.

Jones was signed from the YSC Academy by way of his play with Bethlehem Steel F.C. Then Tuesday, just two days before the deadline of the transfer window rumblings began coming from reporters that Alejandro Bedoya for the second straight summer was in the sights of the Philadelphia Union front office.

A day later he was signed from FC Nantes, and the Philadelphia Union had another player for their already jam-packed and seemingly well-performing midfield. Bedoya is a strong veteran, that could sure up the midfield, but what his role in Philadelphia remains to be seen.

Hours after that moves there were reports that the Union was not done. Slowly the news that perhaps the most well-known figure for the club, Sebastian Le Toux, would be leaving the team for the second time, this time for Colorado Rapids. Him his 50 goals, and 50 assists, and most importantly his 300,000 dollar-per-year wages were being traded away. A tough pill to swallow for the Sons of Ben, the fans, and probably the front office.

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That trade would hardly make sense unless they were clearing room somewhere for another player. Once again rumors abounded of another trade involving an Eastern Conference team. Then it trickled out that forward Charlie Davies might be headed to Philadelphia from New England. Then on the morning of August 4^th, many Philadelphia Union fans woke up to the news that Charlie Davies would indeed be suiting up for them in the near future.

Each of these trades seems fair in their own part. Dumping a player to get rid of his contract, or dumping funds and draft picks for the rights to players are all common hand in American sports. Perhaps most noteworthy is that all of these trades show that the Union front office, particularly Earnie Stewart is taking a very interesting take on what the future of the Union is.

To understand this idea, it is most important to note the first move, that many might have seen as possibly the only move of the window at the time. Derrick Jones is likely only getting to get a few minutes this season for the Union as they push for playoffs. With Maurice Edu seemingly closer than ever to returning to the field, and with players in front of him like Brian Carroll, Warren Creavalle, and even Tranquillo Barnetta and Alejandro Bedoya as possible Defensive Midfielders, he is unlikely to see a lot of time in important playoff push games.

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But his signing is symbolic of what the Union Front Office believes its future to be. The selling of Sebastian Le Toux marks a new era for the Union. The biggest part of the first period of the club has been sold, and now led by Earnie Stewart and Jim Curtin the Union look to make moves from within and find players in their own area.

The trades they made to get players saw them trade next year’s top draft pick to Chicago Fire, and the 2018 top draft pick to New England Revolution. In return they got players that can help now like Charlie Davies, and Alejandro Bedoya, but also players that can help the younger players in the Academy and on Bethlehem Steel F.C.

With the trading away of these picks it looks like Earnie Stewart believes in his academy and players of the future like Austin Trusty and Sebastian Elney who will likely sign homegrown contracts through the Academy and Steel and will not need to go through the MLS Draft, which honestly has not been a great path for many players.

This move shows the awareness of the Philadelphia Union of the MLS rules and practices. They traded around money in a day to get the players they wanted. They made moves involving picks that honestly may have never had a positive effect on the team.

Next: Philadelphia Union Acquire Forward Charlie Davies

Sure the Unions picks of this year proved worth it with 1 turning into a player who has not missed a moment of play this season in the league, and two others who have seen substantial time, but overall the draft is becoming less and less of a point of interest in this sport where more often than not players avoid the draft by signing overseas or getting signed on homegrown contracts. This shows the Union’s belief in the players they have brought up themselves, and their belief in the players they have going forward.

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