Photo: Nick Waters
Philadelphia Union
Porfirio Lopez describes what he will bring to the Union: "Having a winning mentality is the
most important thing in soccer. I'm going to try to bring my experiences and positive attitude into
the group. Without a doubt, winning championships is the priority.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
With the signing of Lionard Pajoy, the Union may just be nearing the end of their offseason
transactions (at least for outfield players). In a set of three installments, PSP's Eli
Pearlman-Storch outlines the most likely formations for the Union in 2012 and how the roster, as
currently composed, is suited to play in each.
Philadelphia Union
The Goalkeeper has a transcript of Wednesday's press conference with Peter Nowak. Among the
highlights:
On Pajoy: "He's a guy who brings not only character but also a
mentality to the game. He's very physical, and very fast as well. He can change the game, because
he's a different option.
Philadelphia Union
The Goalkeeper has a transcript of Wednesday's press conference with Peter Nowak. Among the
highlights:
On Pajoy: "He's a guy who brings not only character but also a
mentality to the game. He's very physical, and very fast as well. He can change the game, because
he's a different option.
The Philadelphia Union officially announced the signing of Lionard Pajoy, formerly of Itagüí
Ditaires (on loan from Millonarios).
Pajoy, 30, joins the Union after receiving his P-1 visa and is coming off of a career year,
having scored 10 goals in 18 games for Itagui. The Colombian forward was tied for the scoring lead
in Liga Postobon last year.
The Philadelphia Union completed the long-rumored signing of Colombian forward Lionard Pajoy
from Itagui Ditaires on Wednesday, adding a piece that can help fill the scoring void left behind
by the departed Sebastien Le Toux. Pajoy has received his P-1 visa, according to a team release,
and will be joining the club soon for preseason preparations.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
In an interview on MLSsoccer.com's ExtraTime Radio podcast, Sebastien Le Toux tells Union fans
who are angry that he was sold to Vancouver that it is important that they continue to support the
Union: "To have you in the stands—it is always great to play in front of you and all of the guys
who played with me are wonderful players and they need you.
The Philadelphia Union were expected to announce the signing of Lionard Pajoy last week, but the
team has yet to officially recognize the striker as a player. According to a Colombian league
report, Pajoy is experiencing visa problems, which are keeping him from joining the Union.
The 30-year-old had problems getting out of his contract with Itagui Ditaires, per a source that
talked to Kerith Gabriel, of the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
By AVI CREDITOR
The Philadelphia Union have a plan, and they're sticking to it.
The club purchased the full rights to 20-year-old Colombian midfielder Roger Torres from America
de Cali, which had been loaning him to the Union for the last two seasons.
Philadelphia Union fans have endured a roller coaster off-season, first with Sebastien LeToux's
trial at Bolton, then Monday's sudden departure of goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon. Now it appears that
after initially thinking LeToux would wind up staying with the Union, the French striker looks set
to depart.
The U.S. Under-23 men's national team finished off its January training camp with a victory,
topping Alajuelense 1-0 in a friendly in Costa Rica.
Tony Taylor scored the lone goal, taking a pass from the Columbus Crew's Dilly Duka at the top
of the box and finishing in the 41st minute.
The United States Under-23 National Team scrimmaged Saprissa's reserves today in Costa Rica.
Playing at the Monster's Cave, aka Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Ayma, the two teams finished scoreless.
USA: 1-Zac MacMath; 4-Kofi Sarkodie (17-Sheanon Williams, 77), 3-Zarek Valentin (capt.)
(19-Royal-Dominique Fennell, 77), 2-Sebastien Ibeagha (Andrew Wenger, 46), 5-Jorge Villafana;
6-Amobi Okugo (15-Mix Diskerud, 46), 8-Jared Jeffrey (13-Michael Stephens, 61), 10-Dilly Duka
(12-Isaac Acuna, 67); 7-Freddy Adu, 9-Tony Taylor (11-Jack McInerney, 70), 11-Jack McInerney
(14-Joe Corona,.
The Philadelphia Union are set to sign Colombian striker Lionard Pajoy, according to Kerith
Gabriel, of the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com.
A source informed Gabriel that Pajoy's contractual problems with his current team, Itagui
Ditaires, have postponed his move to the Union for a short period of time.
By FRANCO PANIZO
Neven Subotic is one of the top young centerbacks playing in Europe, but his future is under
threat after Geman authorities opened a sexual assault investigation against him.
Subotic and three others are under investigation after a 21-year-old woman claimed she was the
victim of a sexual assault.
Philadelphia Union
Le Toux spotted with Tim Ream at Bolton's win over Liverpool on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Kyle
Scott and crossingbroad.com
A report from The Bolton News on Friday quotes Wanderers' manager Owen Coyle on Sebastien Le
Toux, "I've had some decent reports on him. He's very industrious, hard working and looks a very
good team player, which is what I'm all about.
Philadelphia Union
Le Toux spotted with Tim Ream at Bolton's win over Liverpool on Saturday. Photo courtesy of Kyle
Scott and crossingbroad.com
A report from The Bolton News on Friday quotes Wanderers' manager Owen Coyle on Sebastien Le
Toux, "I've had some decent reports on him. He's very industrious, hard working and looks a very
good team player, which is what I'm all about.
The U.S. MNT is training in Costa Rica
The U-23 Men's National Team is in Costa Rica for the conclusion of their January training camp,
and Saturday they played the first of two scrimmages when they took on the reserves of perennial
Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa.
The teams dueled to a 0-0 draw at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, which U.
I attended 4 of the sessions and both games versus Klinsmann's senior team.
Caleb Porter
First and foremost, if our praise for Caleb Porter hasn't been evident, let me repeat, Caleb
Porter is legit.
Previously, we've been judging him solely from watching his Akron team (on TV and in
person).
STARTERSDavid Beckham made it official today and signed a new 2 year contract with the LA Galaxy.
-But Beckham is staying with a team that will have at least 2 giant holes to fill this season -
central midfielder Juninho returned to Sao Paulo and centerback Omar Gonzalez blew out his knee.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Pauno is gone. That much we know. Le Toux's status? Training with Bolton with the potential of a
deal. Basically, completely up in the air. That makes this as good as any to look at the four
strikers who will be battling to win playing time throughout 2012.
STARTERSTwo big MLS player moves are on the front burner today:
-Philly to sell Sebastien Le Toux to Bolton.
-LA to re-sign David Beckham tomorrow.
dN
Barca beat Real Madrid again! 1-2 today in the 1st Leg of the Copa Del Rey Quarterfinals. 2nd Leg
is next Wednesday.
Sebastien Le Toux's flight to England appears to be training ahead of a possible transfer,
according to Fox Soccer. Bolton is the destination if the Philadelphia Union's star striker is
transferred during the January international transfer window.
The transfer was originally reported by Ives Galarcep, who writes for Fox Soccer and his own
site, Soccer By Ives.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union
Jack McInerney scored in the US U-23 team's 1–1 draw with the USMNT. McInerney, Amobi Okugo,
and Freddy Adu started the first half. Zac MacMath and Sheanon Williams started the second
half.
John Hackworth says of Tom Brandt, the Union's first pick in the Supplemental Draft, "We wanted
to get a quality player in the back and we feel like we did that with Tom Brandt.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Philadelphia Union
Jack McInerney scored in the US U-23 team's 1–1 draw with the USMNT. McInerney, Amobi Okugo,
and Freddy Adu started the first half. Zac MacMath and Sheanon Williams started the second
half.
John Hackworth says of Tom Brandt, the Union's first pick in the Supplemental Draft, "We wanted
to get a quality player in the back and we feel like we did that with Tom Brandt.
BY ADAM SERRANO
CARSON, Calif. – In a match that was much closer than the last time these teams met, the U.S.
Under-23 national team battled to a hard fought 1-1 draw against the U.S. national team on Tuesday
evening at the Home Depot Center Complex.
Graham Zusi was flying down the flanks throughout the first half
Graham Zusi
and Jack McInerney traded sweet strikes as the National Team and the U-23's finished with a 1-1
draw in the second of two scrimmages played here between the teams at The Home Depot Center.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
With the SuperDraft behind us, thoughts now turn to the nitty-gritty of the 2012 Union season.
Naturally, questions arise. Over a two-part series we pose ten questions to our Union beat
reporter, Eli Pearlman-Storch, which began with a look formation, roster depth and leadership roles
within the starting XI in Part 1.
Jared Jeffrey (blue) and Benny Feilhaber (Grey)On Friday, the full team lined up against the U-23 MNT for the first of two scrimmages while the
teams share space at The Home Depot Center. For both groups, it was the first opportunity to play
11 v. 11 since camp began and continue to evaluate players for the upcoming friendlies.
Featured image: Nicolae Stoian
The next edition of the Philly Soccer Show podcast, scheduled to be recorded
tonight, will feature USMNT U-23 coach Caleb Porter and the Philadelphia Union's top pick in
Thursday's SuperDraft, Chandler Hoffman.
Philadelphia Union
Sunderland blog the Roker Report tells fellow SB Nation affiliate the Brotherly Game that team
manager Martin O'Neill responded to a reporter's question about rumors of a possible Michael Farfan
loan by saying people should not read too much "into these things.
Featured image: Nicolae Stoian
The next edition of the Philly Soccer Show podcast, scheduled to be recorded
tonight, will feature USMNT U-23 coach Caleb Porter and the Philadelphia Union's top pick in
Thursday's SuperDraft, Chandler Hoffman.
Philadelphia Union
Sunderland blog the Roker Report tells fellow SB Nation affiliate the Brotherly Game that team
manager Martin O'Neill responded to a reporter's question about rumors of a possible Michael Farfan
loan by saying people should not read too much "into these things.
The full team lined up against the U-23 MNT for the first of two scrimmages while the teams share
space at The Home Depot Center. For both groups, it was the first opportunity to play 11 v. 11
since camp began and continue to evaluate players for the upcoming friendlies.
"These scrimmages are good for us and the Under-23s, that's why we do it purposely, because it's a
big year for U.
Philadelphia Union have figured out the formula to the MLS amateur draft:
Be patient, wait for other teams to screw up, and draft the best player available. When in doubt
late, take a guy who played for Reading United.
The Union did it again this year, so let's talk about it with the proverbial Five Observations
About .
The Philadelphia Union selected Chandler Hoffman with the 13th overall pick in the 2012 MLS
SuperDraft. Chandler is a member of MLS' Generation Adidas program, having signed on as one of nine
such players in this SuperDraft cycle.
Chandler was a standout striker at NCAA powerhouse UCLA, the former home of current Union
midfielders Amobi Okugo and Kyle Nakazawa.
Among the Philadelphia Union's many offseason moves was the acquisition of withdrawn forward,
and occasional winger, Josue Martinez. The Costa Rican international striker was expected to help
push Danny Mwanga and Jack McInerney for a starting role alongside Sebastien Le Toux. However,
according to Soccer By Ives, the Union's addition of Martinez may have made Mwanga surplus to the
team's requirements in 2012.
Photo courtesy of Duke University
Pennsylvania native Andrew Wenger won the Hermann Trophy Friday as the best player in men's
college soccer. The former Reading United and Duke University star is expected to be a top-3 pick
in this month's MLS college draft. Stanford's Teresa Noyola won the women's award.
Photo courtesy of Duke University
Pennsylvania native Andrew Wenger won the Hermann Trophy Friday as the best player in men's
college soccer. The former Reading United and Duke University star is expected to be a top-3 pick
in this month's MLS college draft. Stanford's Teresa Noyola won the women's award.
A healthy Josh Gatt and Mexican-American midfielder Isaac Acuña are among the 22 players called
in for the next U.S. Under-23 training camp by coach Caleb Porter.
The camp will take place at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., before the group departs
for Costa Rica to play friendlies against Saprissa reserves on Jan.
The Philadelphia Union have brought in a few international players during the offseason to
bolster the team's roster ahead of the 2012 MLS season, but it appears that a veteran German
striker isn't in the team's plans.
Michael Thurk, who has been linked to the Union since the 2011 summer transfer window, is not on
his way to MLS, especially Philadelphia or the Vancouver Whitecaps, according to reports out of
Germany.
Featured image: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Editor's note: At the end of the 2010 season, we posted a series of season reviews of every
Philadelphia Union player. Over the next several weeks PSP continues with a review of the 2011
season.
In an effort to prop up a struggling attack, the Union announced the signing of Serbian forward
Veljko Paunovic on 13 June 2011.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
Ives Galarcep reports at Fox Soccer that Freddy Adu is heading to with Spanish side Rayo
Vallecano for a two-week training stint. The report notes, "Rayo Vallecano is also a club that had
been in talks with Adu about signing him last summer before Adu settled on a return to MLS.
