Philadelphia Union announce Bradley Carnell as Fourth Head Coach in Club’s history

The next era of Philadelphia Union soccer is officially here. On Thursday morning, the club announced the appointment of 47-year old Bradley Carnell as the fourth Head Coach in the team’s history, and the first new Coach to lead the Blue and Gold in over 10 seasons after Jim Curtin’s firing in early November.

Bradley Cornell joins Philadelphia Union

Carnell joins Union with 8 years of MLS Coaching experience under his belt, most recently leading St Louis CITY SC to a 1st Place finish in the Western Conference regular season standings in the club’s inaugural season. Prior to his time with St Louis CITY SC, Carnell spent nearly 5 years an Assistant Manager with the New York Red Bulls and served as the club’s Interim Head Coach from Sept. 5 to Nov. 19, 2020.

Carnell’s professional career as a defender with VfB Stutgart (1998-2003) and Borussia Monchengladbach (2003-05) translates to his tactical approach as a head coach, which aligns with Ernst Tanner and Union’s ethos of a high-pressing, defensively organized style of play.

“Bradley has the attributes we were looking for in a manager and the experience needed as we commit to getting back to our identity as a team. With knowledge of both MLS and international markets, he is tactically astute and aligned with our sporting strategy. His approach emphasizes a high-press style of play while organizing a structured defense. Additionally, he shares the club’s vision for developing players. We are confident he will bring a clear sporting philosophy that elevates the team and delivers a competitive season. We look forward to welcoming him to Philadelphia.” – Ernst Tanner on Bradley Carnell

Carnell joins Philadelphia Union following a season where they failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and will be asked to get the most out of every player on the roster through continual and consistent development, no matter their age or where they sit on the pecking order.

In his combined 75 matches as a Head Coach in MLS, Carnell has an overall record of 28 wins, 18 draws, and 30 losses for a total of 102 points and a 1.34 Points Per Match. During that time, Carnell’s teams have scored a combined 122 Goals For, and have conceded 118 Goals Against.

“I’m honored to be named Head Coach of the Philadelphia Union, and I would like to thank the Union ownership group and Ernst Tanner for their trust in m,. Philadelphia is an amazing city, built on communities of hardworking and passionate people who truly love their soccer. I am excited for this opportunity to build upon an already solid foundation and aim to help raise the Union organization to the next level that our fans and city can be proud of.” – Philadelphia Union’s Head Coach, Bradley Carnell

Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images