There was plenty of name-dropping and heaping praise to go around at Talen Energy Stadium last week for the introduction of new Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner.
For good reason.
On paper, Tanner looks extremely impressive: more than two decades of experience in Germany and Austria at clubs the Union have tried to emulate in terms of youth development, innovation and cohesion not to mention a long list of big name players he’s either scouted, developed signed or sold.
An introductory press conference isn’t really the time to size up a man who will become Earnie Stewart’s successor when his immigration paperwork clears some time in September.