Philadelphia Union are at the top of the table, sitting first in both the East and the Supporter's Shield standings. There are still nine games to go, and on Tuesday, the club announced they'd signed a strong addition to the group ahead of their final push for the playoffs. Get to know 26-year-old striker Milan Iloski through a Q&A from his first day on campus.
What has been your first impression of Philly?
I thought the view coming in this morning was beautiful. I got in last night, but initially, I like the greenery. The city seems like it has a lot of history, so for me, I love history, and the city looks amazing so far.
I'm excited to look around a bit more, but first impressions have been great, and I'm so excited to be here.
What's been your first impression of the team?
I haven't met anyone other than [Ernst Tanner] yet, but I'm really excited. I met with [Head Coach Bradley Carnell] one time over zoom and I can definitely feel the culture here. The team is obviously doing great, and I've been able to watch a couple of games now. I can definitely see the team has a clear style, and you know, I love to win. So for me, to come in and be a part of a winning team is amazing. I just hope I can add to that, and continue to help the team as much as I can.
Can you tell us a little bit about you and you career that's led you here?
I went to UCLA. I played there for a couple of years, and then I turned pro early, signing for Real Salt Lake.
From there, I decided to take, technically, a step down and play in USL, just to play as much as possible.
Then, I made a move over to play in Denmark for FC Nordsjælland. Recently, I was on loan at San Diego here in MLS, and now I'm here at the Union. It's definitely been a crazy, crazy ride so far -- it's led me to here, and I'm very happy to be here.
When you were with San Diego, you etched your name in MLS history, scoring four goals in 12 minutes. What was that experience like?
Honestly, I don't really remember. I'm in the game, so I'm not really thinking about what I'm doing. But obviously afterwards, the reaction was pretty huge, and I didn't know I was breaking a record when I was doing it. I feel like around the goal is where I thrive and I expect myself to score goals, but of course, that was pretty crazy. It was definitely a surreal feeling and something I'm very proud of.
How does it feel to be back in the states getting ready for more MLS play?
It feels great. I wanted to stay in America, and after things with San Diego didn't work out, I looked around a little bit. Once I found out Philly was an option, it was pretty easy decision for me to make. Everyone knows the club is one of the best clubs in the league every year. So, I'm very excited to be here and excited to be back in MLS.
What style of play do you bring to the team?
I'm a very hard worker. I want to help the team. I want to win. I'll score goals and create chances for my teammates, but ultimately, I feel like I need to come in and earn my place. I think that starts with working really hard and proving to the players in the locker room and the staff that they can trust me.
What are you most looking forward to the most about playing here and what are you looking to achieve with the Union for the rest of the season?
The fans. I mean, I'm American, of course, so I know about Philadelphia sports, so I'm excited to feel the fans and get to know a lot of them.
I know the team is in first in the East and in the Supporters' Shield standings, so I want to come and help. I want to win.
We want to win MLS Cup. That's a goal from everyone here in the building, and something that I hope to help the team achieve.
Favorite player growing up?
Wayne Rooney. I loved the way he played and tried to copy him as much as I could.
Do you have a message to the fans?
I'm just so excited to be here. I'll do everything to fight for the team, and I hope they can see that every time I'm lucky enough to step on the field. Of course, I'm very thankful to them, and I'm looking forward to hopefully giving them a lot of fun memories.
