Jose Martinez had only just arrived in Philadelphia when the Union held their annual media collection event for the first team squad. Veterans like Alejandro Bedoya and Andre Blake knew when to smile, when to flex, and how to respond to a cavalcade of odd requests.
Meanwhile, Martinez stood quietly just beyond the lights, waiting for his agent to translate instructions into Spanish, shyly smiling while pointing to the Union badge that, for the first time ever, hung over his heart.
Had the 2020 season played out as expected, perhaps ‘El Brujo’ Martinez (The Wizard or The Sorcerer) isn’t ready to step out of the shadows with only five matches logged in the regular season standings.