Phildelphia Union is sitting at the top of the table after an impressive start to 2025, and on Matchday -2 ahead of their Saturday contest against Inter Miami, Assistant Coach and Director of Goalkeeping Phil Wheddon caught up with Digital Club Reporter Sage Hurley about the season so far for his keeper corps.
So far this season, the Philadelphia Union are off to a really great start. They're at the top of the supporter shield standings with 29 points after nine wins. Six of those nine wins were clean sheets split between your guys Andre Blake and Andrew Rick. What has made your Philly GK union so productive this year.
I think it's the team chemistry. If you look at the way the team is playing, we don't give up a ton of chances, and obviously when we do give up a chance, that's the time the goalkeepers are supposed to shine.
I think everyone knows their roles and responsibilities, and Andre, Andrew, Oliver, and the other goalkeepers that we've had in training with us, they all understand what the requirements are.
I feel like we're all working towards the same goal -- excuse the pun, and oth of them, both Andrew and Andre, have come up with big saves at big moments.
So Andre Blake is a three time Major League Soccer goalkeeper of the year, so when he's not between the posts, there's some pretty big gloves to fill -- you inspired me with the pun! Andrew Rick, 19 years old, a Homegrown, has really stepped up. What about his play has impressed you the most?
Going back to last year when he made his debut in June against Charlotte last year, you would think that at 18 years old, he was going to be a little rattled, but he's so calm. There's not a lot that throws him off. But this year in particular, he's been more composed. He's been very mature for his age.
There's the occasional outburst and occasional time that you look and say, 'okay, he's 19,' but he's he's going to learn and grow from these moments. He's been really, really composed throughout this whole stretch, and it doesn't seem to faze him who he's playing against, either. Obviously, we've played MLS and we've played in the Open Cup, and it doesn't matter who the opponent is, he treats every game the same.
This really has been quite the stretch for Andrew Rick, a lot of games in a quick succession. Is there a moment that has stood out to you the most from him?
I think one of the things that we always look at when we talk about goalkeepers is the saves. Obviously, he had a great game against Atlanta, made some big saves at key moments. But I think one of the things that we often overlook is the ability now to play with the feet.
The goalkeeper touches the ball seven more times with their feet than they do with their hands throughout the course of a regular game.
So, we spend a lot of time on playing out the back or a selection of passes. So one of the moments that stands out for me the most is actually some people called it a hockey assist. Now I don't know a lot about hockey so I can't say what that is, but the ball that he plays over the top to Quinn. Quinn takes a touch and then slips it across for tighter finish, and it was just the awareness to play the ball. Obviously it takes the technique and the skill to put it in the right place at the right time, and I think that's one of the things as a young goalkeeper that's separating him from from other goalkeepers around the country.
He's very, very good with his feet, and we saw it last night as well against Pittsburgh. Some great distribution. He gives us an opportunity to maintain possession and can start a quick counter, which obviously he did in that particular play.
How impactful do you think his minutes with Union II have been and getting him ready for a big chance like the one he's been given recently?
It doesn't matter what the level is, as a goalkeeper, you have to manage every environment. So playing in those games allows him to deal with different players, different environments, different weather conditions, with wind, rain, wherever you go, but also making decisions and managing the game.
For many goalkeepers, alot of general people watching the game would say, 'Oh, that's a great save,' and they focus on the save, but it's decision making that really makes a goalkeeper. So, being in those environments, making decisions, whether right or wrong, and learning from those opportunities has been massive. His number of games through Union II has really helped him to prepare for these opportunities.
When you're getting ready for a matchday, I know right now we have three games a week, but in a typical succession, can you give us a look at what each day is like for goalkeepers at the Union?
For us, I try and keep the goalkeepers guessing. Some coaches say, 'Okay, we're gonna play on Saturday, so Thursday, we're going to do a lot of crosses.' I typically don't operate like that.
Our sessions are what I would call situational. So, we're looking at a ball arrives in this location, what can happen from here, and we play out all the scenarios our typical week. If we were to play on a Saturday, then we'd regen on a Sunday. Monday, hopefully it'd be off! Tuesday is a day that I don't want the goalkeepers to do a lot of thinking, especially the person who's played the game. That second day after a game or third day after a game is where we have found that our goalkeepers feel the most fatigue. So it's a lot of technical repetition on a Tuesday. Wednesday gets a little bit more live.
Tuesday and Wednesday, I might try to throw in some things that maybe happened in the game before, some technical details or something. But then, really we're building to the next opposition. So Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, are really about the opposition and what they're going to face, and also making sure that they're striking the ball a lot, because I don't want the first time they do something or see something to be on a Saturday when they have to play.
I don't want any surprises, so I try and make it as different, functional, and interesting as possible. I throw in some toys here and there as well, to try and keep them on their toes. Some they like, some they hate.
Andre is not a fan of the goggles, but that's okay. Being uncomfortable is okay, and that's where we stretch them as goalkeepers and as individuals. So yeah, our typical week will look like that, and then obviously on a Sunday, whoever plays on a Saturday typically won't do a lot on a Sunday. But Sunday is also a day that I can look at the number two, number three and so on, and focus on them a little bit more.
So speaking about this team as a whole, there's been a lot of change in this past year. You're one of the people who's been a consistent presence. From your perspective, what about this group's chemistry, like you mentioned earlier, and it's composition and collective mindset has allowed the group to find so much success through Matchday 14.
Obviously, we're only through matchday 14, so we still have a long way to go, but I think the role clarity is a big one.
So players know here's option A, B and C when I have the ball, when I don't have the ball, here are the expectations. One of the things that I believe in, is you can't hold people accountable for information they haven't received. So they've been given a lot of information, and how do they process that? Some people process it verbally. Some need to be shown. Some need to walk through it. But they've all really bought into a system and a style of play and they've been held accountable to that as well.
I think the cohesion of the group has been great, too. The new additions are all great people, and that really helps. You know, you look at people like Jovan who's come in, Bruno, they're all personalities. They all get along together, and that's really all part of the chemistry.
