Philadelphia Union’s Youthful Core Bolstered with Adam Najem Signing
With the signing of midfielder Adam Najem now official, the Philadelphia Union have put together a competitive squad for 2017 along with a young core of talented youngsters building for the future.
On the heels of the announcement that former Akron midfielder Adam Najem finally inked a deal with the Philadelphia Union, I received a message from a passionate fan of the boys in blue that simply read “not good enough… the Philadelphia Union have never done enough to be a successful franchise in this league”.
If you’re one of the few still under the impression that the Philadelphia Union are not strong enough to contend in the MLS Playoffs this season, I understand your position. After all, a team that has failed to make it past the first round of the postseason in their brief history hardly warrants a level of swagger or confidence moving forward.
A squad that has been subject to a complete remodeling under Earnie Stewart’s reign as sporting director is not particularly one with a defined identity going into this 2017 season. Not to mention having faith in talent most households had never even heard of until arriving in Philadelphia is not the easiest of tasks for a fanbase desperately longing for domestic success and tangible relevance across the United States.
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You have every reason to be a skeptic Union fans. But the notion that this franchise has not “done enough” to put in place a winning philosophy and build itself into a powerhouse for years to come is one I simply cannot defend.
Not after witnessing the well-developed process the entire Union front office has bought into under Stewart. What you’re seeing unfold in Chester, PA is something far removed from the philosophy of newer clubs entering Major League Soccer.
The Philadelphia Union are an established franchise that has a strong following of supporters, steady income, and state of the art facilities at its disposal. They do not need to “sway” a city to follow them by breaking the bank on a marquee star. Through thick and thin, there are thousands of individuals who live and die with this team.
This new and vastly improved team that possesses both proven, veteran journeymen and tantalizing, young prospects at their disposal. For those close to the team, there is an immense level of excitement surrounding the core of this squad; both from a talent standpoint and how they have begun to gel as a unit.
Ask any player on this team and they will tell you that the Union is not a team, it’s a family, and that philosophy has been reaffirmed by some of the most recent arrivals to this organization such as Jay Simpson and Giliano Wijnaldum. That’s part of the allure this organization possesses. Having the opportunity to grow as a player, learning from others who have the interest of the entire squad as a whole in mind, and being part of a revolution in American soccer that is brewing within the confines of the greater Philadelphia area.
The Philadelphia Union have assets available to negotiate with down the line because they no longer need to look to the SuperDraft in building up their squad. The productivity and potential they’ve acquired over the past three drafts have done wonders for building a core of young men who will work, fight, fall and succeed as a unit of brothers.
The pipeline of local talent continues to churn out promising youngsters that grow and learn as both athletes and individuals in the YSC Academy. The foundation that has been regarded as one of the premier academies in the United States has laid the foundation for Philadelphia to have a constant eye on the young men determined to make a name for themselves as professional athletes.
The international reach Philadelphia has is constantly expanding as both the MLS and Earnie Stewart’s philosophy gains momentum globally. It’s been instrumental in the signings of Haris Medunjanin and Fabrice “Fafa” Picault who possess the traits to make an immediate impact on the game here in the United States.
With all of these effects coming swiftly in the two years Stewart has been running the organization, imagine, if you will, this club in five to ten years. That’s not to say they won’t be successful this season, yet the room for exponential growth within this organization would have any fan of an MLS franchise swooning.
On paper, Philadelphia is a valid force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference. With the addition of Adam Najem, the young depth behind tried and tested professionals is oozing within the Union locker room. The competitive fire for positional battles has never been vaster with each player pushing each other to not only be the best on this team but the best in this league.
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With more and more individuals buying into the system Earnie Stewart has put in place, the future fares to be extremely bright for this franchise for many years to come. So no, this is not a “process” that you have to trust, it’s one that you’ll see come together before your very eyes both immediately and down the line. And while nothing is ever guaranteed in Major League Soccer result-wise, the idea that the Philadelphia Union have not “done enough” to compete is one that should be tossed into the river to float away into obscurity and most importantly, the past.