2011 Philadelphia Union season


The 2011 Philadelphia Union season was the second season of the team's existence.

Background

At the end of the 2010 season, Philadelphia was 7th in the Eastern Conference, which unfortunately was not enough to get them into the MLS Playoffs. During the off-season, the team lost Fred, Seitz, Salinas, and Moreno through re-entry and expansion drafts. The Union did acquire 2 new players before the 2011 SuperDraft in January: one through trade and their first homegrown player. In the MLS SuperDraft, Philadelphia had selected three new players for the team: Zac MacMath, Michael Farfan and Levi Houapeu. During the Supplemental Draft, the Union picked up another 3 players: Ryan Richter, Josh Walburn and Matt Marcin.
Shortly after the SuperDraft, the team released MF Toni Ståhl, who had only played a handful of minutes with the team in 2010, and was sent off in the first game of the season with 2 yellow cards. Toward the end of January, Philadelphia released their other goalie from the 2010 season, Brad Knighton.
On 20 January, Philadelphia introduced two new players: Colombians Faryd Mondragón and Carlos Valdés. Mondragón had recently come from playing with F.C. Cologne in the German Bundesliga, and has at least 50 caps with the Colombian National Team. Valdés comes from Club Independiente Santa Fe in the Colombian First Division, where he served as captain before coming to Philadelphia.
On 11 January, the Union became the 13th team in the MLS to gain a shirt sponsor. Bimbo Bakeries USA will sponsor the team in exchange for US$12 million. Bimbo Bakeries has sponsored other teams in Mexico and Costa Rica, but this is their first time in the MLS.

Review

Pre-season

Philadelphia Union will play their first pre-season game against the U-17 US Men National Team on 6 February. They will then play two friendlies against university teams, University of South Florida and University of Central Florida, on 10 February and 13 February respectively. Their last pre-season game in Orlando will be against Orlando City, a new team in the USL Professional Division, on 19 February.
The club announced the signing of former MLS Most Valuable Player Carlos Ruiz on 22 February.

March

Philadelphia Union's first game will be away against Houston Dynamo on 19 March. Their first home game at PPL Park will be against the Vancouver Whitecaps on 26 March.

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

Match results

Pre-season Friendlies

MLS Regular Season

The Union are 11-8-15 overall, 7-1-9 at home, 4-7-6 on the road.

MLS Cup Playoffs

U.S. Open Cup

Friendlies

MLS Reserve League

The Union Reserves are 2-7-1 overall, 2-3-0 at home, 0-4-1 on the road.

League table

Conference
Overall

Results summary

Squad information

Current roster

As of September 23, 2011.

Squad breakdown

Ages are as of March 19, 2011.

Statistics

Statistics are from all MLS league matches.
NatNoPlayerPosAppsStartsGAAcquiredSalary
2HarveyJordan Harvey*|DF16160141Expansion Draft$63,125
2TaitJoe Tait|DF000000Signed$42,000
3GonzálezJuan Diego González|DF000000Signed$193,462
4CaliffDanny Califf|DF33331040Signed$250,000
5ValdésCarlos Valdés|DF32321180Signed$180,000
6MiglioranziStefani Miglioranzi|MF17110010Expansion Draft$153,125
7CarrollBrian Carroll|MF30301050Trade$160,000
8TorresRoger Torres|MF2593210On Loan$108,725
9Le TouxSébastien Le Toux|FW343411900Expansion Draft$179,000
10MwangaDanny Mwanga|FW28135440SuperDraft$226,250
11AduFreddy Adu|MF1162000Signed$594,884
12HouapeuLevi Houapeu|FW000000SuperDraft$32,604
12AgorsorChris Agorsor*|FW000000Weighted lottery$42,000
13NakazawaKyle Nakazawa|MF22141310SuperDraft$44,000
14OkugoAmobi Okugo|MF15100020SuperDraft$168,000
15FarfanGabriel Farfan|MF22181210Signed$42,000
16PaunovićVeljko Paunović|FW17163310Signed$90,000
17DanielKeon Daniel|MF1891210Signed$46,410
19McInerneyJack McInerney|FW1851011SuperDraft$135,417
20RuizCarlos Ruiz*|FW14136020Signed$306,671
21FarfanMichael Farfan|MF21132310SuperDraft$79,500
22MappJustin Mapp|MF29243410Trade$183,333
23HouapeuRyan Richter|MF000000Supplemental Draft$32,604
25WilliamsSheanon Williams|DF32321341Signed$42,000
26LangleyMorgan Langley|MF110000SignedN/A
27PfefferZach Pfeffer|MF320000Signed$65,000
4435463

* = Not currently part of team.

Goalkeepers

* = Not currently part of team.

MLS Cup Playoffs Squad information

Statistics

Statistics are from all MLS Cup Playoffs matches.
NatNoPlayerPosAppsStartsGAAcquiredSalary
2TaitJoe Tait|DF000000Signed$42,000
3GonzálezJuan Diego González|DF000000Signed$193,462
4CaliffDanny Califf|DF220000Signed$250,000
5ValdésCarlos Valdés|DF220010Signed$180,000
6MiglioranziStefani Miglioranzi|MF110010Expansion Draft$153,125
7CarrollBrian Carroll|MF220010Trade$160,000
8TorresRoger Torres|MF200000Signed$108,725
9Le TouxSébastien Le Toux|FW221000Expansion Draft$179,000
10MwangaDanny Mwanga|FW110000SuperDraft$226,250
11AduFreddy Adu|MF200000Signed$594,884
13NakazawaKyle Nakazawa|MF000000SuperDraft$44,000
14OkugoAmobi Okugo|MF000000SuperDraft$168,000
15FarfanGabriel Farfan|MF220020Signed$42,000
16PaunovićVeljko Paunović|FW110000Signed$90,000
17DanielKeon Daniel|MF000000Signed$46,410
19McInerneyJack McInerney|FW210000SuperDraft$135,417
21FarfanMichael Farfan|MF220100SuperDraft$79,500
22MappJustin Mapp|MF210000Trade$183,333
23HouapeuRyan Richter|MF000000Supplemental Draft$32,604
25WilliamsSheanon Williams|DF220010Signed$42,000
26LangleyMorgan Langley|MF000000SignedN/A
27PfefferZach Pfeffer|MF000000Signed$65,000
1150

Goalkeepers

Recognition

MLS Player of the Month

MLS Player of the Week

MLS Goal of the Week

MLS Team of the Week

MLS All-Stars 2011

Player movement

Transfers

In

Out

Loans

In

Out

Miscellany

Allocation ranking

Philadelphia is in the #17 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. Philadelphia started 2011 ranked #5 on the allocation list and used its ranking to acquire Freddy Adu. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club's ranking.

International roster spots

Philadelphia has 8 international roster spots. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots, which can be traded. Philadelphia has not dealt or acquired any spots in trades. There is no limit on the number of international slots on each club's roster. The remaining roster slots must belong to domestic players. For clubs based in the United States, a domestic player is either a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident or the holder of other special status.

Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired: 2012 SuperDraft Round 2 pick acquired from Sporting Kansas City; 2013 SuperDraft Round 2 pick acquired from FC Dallas.

Future picks traded: None.