Crafting a philosophy is the easy part.
Sticking to it? That’s much harder.
When Earnie Stewart arrived in Philadelphia, he consulted with ownership and the technical staff led by Jim Curtin and decided that the Union’s academy, with its associated soccer-focused school, YSC, was a competitive advantage the club needed to maximize. Stewart poured resources into the project and now, as he prepares to leave to become the General Manager of the US Men’s Soccer Team, the first wave of talent has established itself in the Union starting eleven.
And beyond Auston Trusty and Mark McKenzie, the team’s everyday center backs, three additional homegrown players are part of the first team setup, pushing for minutes every day in practice.