Offseason business as usual for Tanner
In a succinct mood Wednesday, Ernst Tanner was short on specifics about the Union’s offseason priorities, beyond any announced roster moves.
Venturing into a part of the calendar where the sporting director has made his mark, the details were sparse but the sentiment behind them consistent.
“This is a time where we usually go for players and improve the quality of our roster,” Tanner summarized on a season wrap-up Zoom session.
With or without the Supporters’ Shield, having exited the postseason in the first round or not, the priorities remain the same, if the specifics have shifted with success.
This year’s offseason is directed at a new challenge, CONCACAF Champions League, the Union venturing into continen
tal competition for the first time. That factors into the roster build, both in available funds, roster size and start date. Ordinarily, CCL teams start a few weeks earlier, though nothing is ordinary anymore, with the delayed 2020 competition in December likely changing the 2021 tournament’s start.
In any event, the need for continuity informed roster decisions announced Wed ne sd ay, w it h t he Union retaining 25 players for next season. Seven options – on Andre Blake, Anthony Fontana, Matt Real, Ilsinho, Ray Gaddis, Olivier Mbaizo, and Kai Wagner – were exercised. Options on Warren Creavalle, Michee Ngalina and Andrew Wooten were declined, and the contracts of Joe Bendik and Aurelien Collin were allowed to expire, though discussions with both free agents continue.
T he Union a lso e xtended a new contract to Cory Burke that will keep him with the club through the 2022 season, with a team option for 2023.
First the depar tures. Ngalina, the 20-year-old winger from the Democratic Republic of Congo, played just nine minutes in two seasons. An i l lfit in the 4-4-2 diamond, manager Jim Curtin pegs him as a player between the USL and fringe MLS levels who is best served to find minutes elsewhere.
Wo ot en si g ne d an 18-month deal in the summer of 2019 after a successful spell in Germany’s 2.Bundesliga. But in 23 games (eight star ts), he had five assists and no goals, though he scored in the knockout stages of the MLS Is Back tournament. The 31-year-old didn’t crack the top three of the Union forward rotation, and while he had moments, like the goalline clearance to preserve a home win against Chicago in October that Cur
tin h i g h li g ht ed again Wednesday, it was hardly a striker’s return.
“I think Andrew handled himself in his time here and gave everything to the club,” Curtin said. “… Does Andrew wish that he scored more goals? Do we wish that he scored more goals? Absolutely, but his professionalism, he’s a great kid, a great player. He just didn’t get, and part of that is on the coach, the opportunities he would’ve liked. And when he did get the opportunities, he would tell you he could’ve done a little better with them as well.”
The most difficult departure is Creavalle. The 30-year-old has been with the Union for six of his nine MLS seasons. A fter playing 27 games in 2016 as a vital part of the club’s return to the playof fs, he’s started just 20 games in four years since, a victim of the elevating talent level in midfield. The Union’s decision is as much to get Creavalle a chance to play more as
it is for the club’s benefit. “A guy who gave everything to the club, worked hard in training, a player t hat s el f i sh ly I loved working with every day,” Curtin said of Creavalle. “A winner on and off the field – his work with the Black Players for Change group and how much of a role he took in our locker room was incredibly valuable.”
Looking outward, Tanner plans on signing a replacement for Brenden Aaronson at the No. 10, no shock given his “improve at all levels” dictum.
Aaronson will move to Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg on Jan. 1, leaving behind a huge hole. Since signing as a Homegrown at age 18 before the 2019 season, Aaronson has started 48 of a possible 57 games, providing seven goals and nine assists.
His stability halted a revolving door at the position, dating through the exploits of Marco Fabian, Borek Dockal, Tranquillo
Barnetta, Roland Alberg, Cr ist ia n Maidana and others. Anthony Fontana is the logical heir apparent, though he plays the position slightly dif ferent. Aaronson’s younger brother, Paxten, is also in the picture, one of five Homegrowns whose precontracts kick in Jan. 1.
“We at lea st need to have additions to the roster at that position,” Tanner said. “We might not forget , if we’re talking about Paxten, he is even one year younger than Brenden when he stepped in. We are probably going to bring in a No. 10, but at the same time, Anthony can do various jobs, as well. … He really stepped up and he will get his chance.”
European interest has sw irled around Homegrown center back Mark McKenzie and German left back Kai Wagner. Tanner said there is nothing concrete to report about either.
“At this moment, there is nothing on the table,”
he said. “But we are not blind and we’ll just wait until something comes. We will do our homework and always look out for replacements and sort out what the market is offering us. In this moment, it’s plenty.”
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NOTES » M id f ielder Jose Martinez had a rthroscopic knee surgery to clean up an injury suffered in the Decision Day win over New England. Martinez fell on his leg early in that game but soldiered through. He made it to halftime of the playoff loss to the Revs two weeks lat er, his knee heav ily taped. … Tanner on Aaronson and McKenzie taking part in the next U.S. men’s national team camp in December: “We are very proud and I’m happy for the boys. Philadelphia Union has two U.S. national team players; this is something unique, I would say. But it’s not the first time. I would even say we feel pretty normal in this regard.”