A Season of Transition
Bradley Carnell entered 2025 as the man who had turned a veteran‑laden Philadelphia Union side into a surprise contender, earning the league’s Coach of the Year award for his motivational work.
The following year, the club faced a wave of departures — Tai Baribo, Jakob Glesnes, Kai Wagner and Mikael Uhre left, while Quinn Sullivan suffered a season‑ending knee injury — forcing Carnell to overhaul the defense, midfield and attack.
New faces such as Ezekiel Alladoh, Japhet Sery, Finn Sundstrom, Agustin Anello, Geiner Martinez and Phillippe Ndinga arrived, but the schedule became congested and injuries mounted, leaving little time to embed his philosophy.
Struggles on the Pitch
The Union’s pressing system, effective against weaker opponents, faltered against stronger sides, and the team’s on‑target shooting percentage dropped to a league‑worst 28.6%, contributing to a low goal tally.
Defensively, the back line showed improvement through Geiner Martinez’s emergence as an MLS‑ready defender, yet it never reached the standards set in previous seasons, and Neil Pierre’s anticipated return from Denmark was delayed.
Off‑the‑field, the club coped with a packed calendar that limited training sessions, and interim coach Ryan Richter took over after Carnell’s dismissal, highlighting the challenges of maintaining momentum under pressure.
Despite the setbacks, the season offered moments of progress, with Martinez’s rise and the experience gained by younger players suggesting a foundation for future rebuilding.