Ernst Tanner has not shied away from big moves since becoming Philadelphia Union’s Sporting Director. The club’s latest — trading David Accam to Columbus Crew in exchange for an important international roster spot and $500,000 in allocation money — sends a player that never fully got his footing in Philadelphia to a fresh start while bringing in resources that can be used to strengthen the Union squad in the summer. Thus far, the Union have made great use of their international spots, with Marco Fabián, Kai Wagner, and Sergio Santos all arriving in the offseason.
When the Union traded their entire set of 2019 MLS SuperDraft picks away, many wondered whether it was a rash move by someone new to the league or a piece of a longer-term plan. Keegan Rosenberry had already been traded to Colorado and Fabian Herbers to Chicago. Kacper Przybylko had arrived at the back end of 2018 to little fanfare so it was still difficult to figure out what kind of team the Union were becoming. There was a logjam at striker and little clarity in midfield, particularly at the No. 10 position.
Flash forward and Przybylko is on a three-game scoring run while CJ Sapong and David Accam are both looking to restart their engines in new destinations. Three new players — Mexican international Marco Fabián, homegrown teenager Brenden Aaronson, and budding star Jamiro Monteiro have split the creative midfield duties on a side that is one of only two in the Eastern Conference to pass the 20-goal mark this year.
Kai Wagner, quietly acquired around the same time as Fabián, has become a standout performer at left back and allowed Ray Gaddis to play a solid, calmly role alongside a rejuvenated Jack Elliott.
Both goalies that arrived in the offseason — neither old enough to rent a car on their own — have been called on and performed admirably.
So while Philly continues to rely on the veterans that helped them reach the 2018 playoffs, they now have a strong supporting cast around Ale Bedoya, Haris Medunjanin, Gaddis, and Andre Blake.
Today’s David Accam move, then, must be viewed through the lens of the roster’s redevelopment under Tanner and Technical Director Chris Albright. The two men have orchestrated moves to acquire resources such as General and Targeted Allocation Money and then turned those resources into high-performing new players, including the now-healthy Sergio Santos.
Although losing David Accam thins Philadelphia’s forward ranks, Tanner hinted that he already has targets in mind for the Union’s front line, and reiterated that both he and Jim Curtin are extremely happy with the players they have on hand now. And why not — Fafa Picault’s goal against FC Cincinnati means that every striker that has played for the Union this year has scored, and with both Przybylko and Santos looking dangerous Curtin still has a strong stable to call on atop his 4-4-2 diamond. Should he revert to the 4-2-3-1 shape used throughout much of 2018, Picault, Ilsinho, and Santos can all step out and contribute. The Union have had a lot of success in both shapes this year, and have yet to allow a goal while in the 4-2-3-1.
Losing Accam when he seemed to be finding his scoring touch again could place additional pressure on the remaining strike force, but securing value for a player that struggled after his big move last season is something that seemed inconceivable mere months ago. Now Tanner, Albright, and the Union have more resources to build with in the summer window, and they have space to add from Bethlehem Steel as young talent emerges.
Some teams make the playoffs and rest on their laurels — the Union have not.
Now they are preparing to build on a strong start to 2019 with more flexibility. No matter where Philly stands when the summer window opens, they will have options. And they will have a strong recent track record of moves as the roster build continues.
