Bradley Carnell’s Press Conference: Philadelphia Union’s Head Coach Remains Unmoved Despite Impressive Start

Ahead of the Union’s away trip to New England on Saturday, Coach Bradley Carnell addressed the press in his usual collected disposition. It was his first public appearance since the Union made their way to the top of the league by defeating Cincinnati 4-1, and he looked just as calm as he was when he became the head coach of the struggling team that had just finished 12th place.

The Union’s high-flying attack

With little to no injury threat ahead of Philadelphia Union’s away trip, Carnell addressed key positions, including the team’s attack, which has scored a league-high eight goals in two games.

Beyond the mind-blowing numbers recorded at the opposition’s end of the pitch, all of Union’s goals this term have come from one-touch finishes – a statistical evidence of Carnell’s style of play and the prolificity of his attackers

Despite efforts to ensure credits for the team’s exploits in front of goal aren’t limited to the high-flying Tai Baribo, but the entire team, he admitted that these kinds of goals are “perfect philosophy goals”

“I see the whole group and not just Tai specifically. I see a whole group that’s selfless. They try to reward the next guy up. The harder these guys are working, the more they are creating. The better we defend, the more chances we create and get.”

A new Union addition integrating seamlessly

The interviewers lauded Jovan Lukic’s adaptability, and Carnell couldn’t help but praise the Serbian while highlighting his qualities on the ball, as he had close to a hundred touches in the last game.

He claimed that with Lukic, it was the kind of synergy that didn’t need a physical meeting to be forged. It began from the Zoom meeting he had with the player while he was still a prospect.

“This was probably my best zoom meeting that I’ve had… very open growth mindset, team first mentality, commitment to what we’re trying to do as a club. He’s a good character to be around. He has this infectious friendliness around him, but when he’s on the field of play, he means business.”

Leadership on the pitch in Philly

When discussing the quality of the team’s leadership, Bradley Carnell intelligently pointed out that leadership has not been restricted to players in a certain position on the field, such as midfielders.

But it’s the responsibility of all players in all positions, depending on the team’s phase of play. The press, for example, requires that the attackers take the lead. Then, the midfielders follow suit, after which the trend culminates with a similar move from the defenders.

It’s a reflection of the synchronicity within the team under Carnell’s leadership, where the player behind knows by intuition that he is to always assist the player in front whenever the team presses the opposition.

Union, MLS — Image Credit: Philadelphia Union

Competition for starting spots

When asked about the competition between Baribo and Damiani, Carnell assured that there were no automatics, as the team sees every Monday as an opportunity to start afresh. The gratification at the end is not personal but generic: that each person is “part of a group that’s connected and having fun.”

Finally, he acknowledged New England’s qualities, the similarities they shared with his team, and the new look the team has worn this season. However, he claimed the Unions are ready for the task, as they started the week on a clean slate, hungry as a team with zero points and not with the mindset that they are league leaders in any way.