Jim Curtin Praises Young Players, Discusses Latest Injuries Ahead of Philadelphia Union at Chicago

Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin began his pre-match press conference (for tomorrow night’s MLS match against Chicago) this afternoon by taking a look back at the midweek CONCACAF Champions League 2-2 draw against Atlas. He praised the team’s “grit and bite” and “bend don’t break” mentalities. He also shouted out the performances of young midfielder Jack McGlynn, who got a splendid assist with his weaker foot, and Julián Carranza, who scored both Union goals.

Union Presser Notes: April 14, 2023

The main example he used to reinforce his point about the team’s mentality was how the team came out in the second half. The first half ended with a gut punch; Atlas’ last-minute goal was made even worse by a guilt-edged chance for Mikael Uhre going over at the other end just before. But the Union came out in the second half and got the equalizer, which made their aggregate position much more comfortable, in addition to earning the away draw.

Turning his attention to Chicago, Curtin was full of praise, citing Kai Kamara’s recent performances, as well as giving a shoutout to Chicago’s youth development, in the form of homegrown midfielder Brian Gutiérrez. While Chicago has struggled in recent seasons, those two were prime examples of how dangerous that team can be.

The last subject Curtin touched on in his opening remarks was the Union’s performance in MLS so far this season. He acknowledged that the team is “not performing up to standards,” and needed to find a similar sense of urgency to how they play in the Champions League.

On player health

Kai Wagner is getting a precautionary MRI this afternoon. He ran a lot on Wednesday for not having played or trained much over the previous few weeks. Along with Wagner, Olivier Mbaizo and Damion Lowe are working their way back to full fitness, but aren’t 100%. Curtin mentioned that they’ll know more by the time this afternoon’s practice session gets going, and those results will play a big role in determining tomorrow night’s starting lineup.

For those wondering why Damion Lowe didn’t play on Wednesday, it was down to the injury he had suffered the previous Friday. The only reason he was even brought on the trip was to continue receiving the injury rehab he needed while the team was away. In a positive turn of events, Lowe proved as good at recovering off the field as he did last week on it. He “made quicker strides than expected,” which led to his inclusion on the bench for the game. Curtin still didn’t want to bring him on, in part because he hadn’t been training.

Going back to the team’s struggles in league play, Curtin cited the role played by a lack of continuity because of rotation. While the “majority of guys can play two games in a week,” there is an impact on player energy and increased risk of injury.

On balancing the squad for multiple competitions

Before the season began, most of those involved with the Union talked about wanting to go for every trophy possible. Now, with the team in the Champions League semifinal, the team is prioritizing that competition. While Curtin would “never say we sacrificed points,” we may see more rotation in league play.

Curtin was quick to point out that despite rotation and some struggles, there have been plenty of moments where the team was close to a better result than they ended up with. He specifically highlighted the match against Montreal, where the team “let ourselves down” by allowing two late goals to flip the scoreline on its head. He also mentioned the Sporting Kansas City match, where despite a lackluster performance, the three points were there for the taking, and it might have been a win on another day.

As many have said throughout the opening months of the season, and Curtin reinforced today, the Union “haven’t played [their] best soccer, and that’s okay.” The season is long, and the team hasn’t given up on their goals of winning the Eastern Conference and Supporters Shield.

For the upcoming semifinal matchup against LAFC, the team does have one big advantage. Their lone bye week of the season falls between the two legs of the semis, meaning the team will get a rest that their opponents won’t have. Curtin talked about the league’s process of allowing teams to suggest the best times for bye weeks, although without any guarantees. He praised Ernst Tanner for thinking ahead and helping give the Union such an excellently timed break. At this point, four dimensions aren’t enough. Ernst Tanner is playing at least 6D chess, and Curtin rightly recognizes it.

On homegrown player progress

There are several Union homegrown players, who have come up through the academy and, unlike two years ago when Curtin seemed reluctant to play them in the Champions League, are getting their chance to shine. He discussed how difficult it is for a defender to enter mid-game, and gave both Matt Real and Nathan Harriel credit for doing well in such a tricky situation.

Curtin also touched on the improved performance of MLS teams against Mexican teams in recent years, and how the improving academy system for MLS teams has played a role in that shift.

Branching from the homegrown players as a group to Brandan Craig (who, interestingly, is listed as a midfielder on the Union’s website, despite being mainly viewed as a center-back) specifically, there were discussions about him getting a start in Cincinnati after Lowe’s injury, but Craig hadn’t been training for that role in the lead-up, given that Lowe wasn’t injured until the day before the match. Given the attacking talent for Cincinnati, they didn’t want to throw Craig to the lions for his first start.

Curtin stressed that the coaching staff believes in Craig, and he will get opportunities. They’re simply being more cautious with him because as a center back, the player development is different. Young attackers have more freedom to play without undue criticism, whereas errors by young defenders are seized on and punished by players, fans, and media alike.

On the temptation to change to a more defensive shape to close out the Atlas match

Curtin wanted to avoid simply inviting pressure from Atlas for the final part of the match. He pointed out that changes like throwing on an extra defender often backfire, and then leave the team that did so without the attacking firepower to turn around and get a goal of their own, giving me unwanted flashbacks to the 2012 UEFA Champions League final.

While the changes the Union made proved to be correct, Curtin talked about the “fine lines, fine margins” that sometimes determine how games play out. He specifically mentioned a late-game header for Atlas that could have found the back of the net. Despite those fine margins, he did (rightly) stick to the idea that they “got the changes right.”

On the battle for starting places in the midfield

With both McGlynn and substitute Leon Flach playing well against Atlas, the two will continue to fight for minutes. Curtin mentioned that Flach has been consistently on the fringes of the US Men’s National Team roster for the previous several camps. He also praised McGlynn’s passing ability, and how he creates time and space for the team. Ultimately, he wants to “get creative” and find a way to get both players on the field together. Good players, as he said, will figure out how to play together.

Meanwhile, McGlynn has been playing for the US Men’s U20 National Team and is set to miss a portion of the summer with the Union while away for the U20 World Cup. Unfortunately, this time period includes the Champions League final, so if the Union get past LAFC, they’ll be missing a crucial player for the final.

Club teams generally have a choice about whether or not to let players go to play with their national teams. Often, when the national team in question is one of the country’s youth national teams, players will be prevented from leaving, particularly if the club team has important games during that window, where they will need the player.

The Union’s philosophy has always been to let their players go to join up with their national teams, despite the possible detrimental impact it may have on the Union’s lineup choices. Curtin stressed the benefits for the player in question. Not only is playing in a tournament such as the U20 World Cup a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but it also allows players to get their name up in lights, and eventually, secure a move to a European side. While many teams would be reluctant to encourage such a possibility, the Union seek to do what is best for their homegrowns.

On player confidence

“There is no better confidence builder than scoring goals.” After a string of improved performances, Curtin thinks confidence is building amongst the squad. He talked about how certain recent performances aside, the team is “always going to be solid defensively.” That puts a lot of pressure on the attacking players to deliver, and as they do so, the confidence of the entire squad rises. “We’ll go as far as [the strikers] carry us.”