After an exhaustive coaching search that included candidates from around the world, the Philadelphia Union decided to circle back to their roots and hire assistant-turned-interim Jim Curtin, making the long-rumored news official Friday.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because the Union also promoted an assistant to interim and then to permanent head coach two years ago in John Hackworth, whose firing in June prompted the search for a new man to run the team.
But at a press conference Friday to officially announce his new appointment, Curtin wanted to make one thing clear: He is not John Hackworth.
“The one thing I actually resent hearing are comparisons to it being an interim coach that took over the last time,” Curtin said. “I think it’s disrespectful to John Hackworth, and I think it’s disrespectful to me. We’re two different people. We came up two different ways. Our relationships are different. … I’ll sit up here and take criticism but that one, for me, is one that needs to stop.”
At the same time, Curtin said he fully expects there to be some critics, especially after the Union flamed out of playoff contention with him in charge. And the Union head coach did say he’d “raise his hand and take the blame” for a few of the late collapses that doomed the team’s postseason hopes, pointing out an interesting stat: The club would have been 16-12-6 over the course of the season if every game ended in the 75th minute.
But when looking at his whole body of work since taking over for Hackworth – Curtin went 11-6-6 in all competitions, guiding Philly to the US Open Cup final and into the MLS playoff race – Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz felt he was the right man for the job, despite many other applicants.
Sakiewicz said he received more than 200 CVs from around the world and conducted numerous interviews.
“It’s been a pretty amazing coaching search,” he said. “It’s been my fourth in 20 years at Major League Soccer, and I’ve never seen such highly qualified people.”
- Get the latest Union news at PhiladelphiaUnion.com
According to Sakiewicz, Curtin will be in charge of player personnel moves and assembling the roster in the offseason, as had been the case with former managers Peter Nowak and Hackworth. But the Union CEO didn’t rule out the possibility of adding a general manager or sporting director to the technical staff in the near future.
“We’re constantly evaluating our structure,” Sakiewicz said. “Today is about adding a very important piece, which is our first-team manager. … There’s going to be lots of announcements over the next three months – players, staff, structure, forward thinking.”
Curtin said he’s excited to get to work this offseason, reiterating his belief that the Union will be a team that built with a strong defense and armed with speed, size and athleticism to “stop the David Villas and the Kakas that are coming in.”
But, in the end, the Philly-area native knows the only way to prove himself is by leading the Union to the playoffs.
“For the fans that will question a 35-year-old coach, that’s normal,” Curtin said. “There is going to be that. I ask you to give me a full offseason and see what we can come up with. I can promise you we will work 24-7 to bring in great players and improve a roster that’s already very strong.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.
