Philadelphia Union - 2014 Roster

PHILADELPHIA UNION – 2014 SEASON ROSTER

SALARY BUDGET PLAYER ROSTER (ROSTER SPOTS 1 - 20) ^
1. Zac MacMath #18 (G) (8/17/91) ($120.0K - $120.0K)
2. Rais M'Bolhi #92 (G) (4/25/86) ($240.oK - $240.0K) [Algeria - INT]
3. Sheanon Williams #25 (D) (3/17/90) ($125.0K- $130.5K)
4. Fabio Alves “Fabinho” #33 (D) (3/16/85) ($96.0K - $100.5K) [Brazil - INT]
5. Raymon Gaddis #28 (D) (1/13/90) ($87.3K? - $87.3K? - assume $35K raise)
6. Ethan White #15 (D) (1/1/91) ($80.0K - $80.0K)*
7. Austin Berry #4 (D) (10/6/88) ($87.0K - $102.0K)
8. Amobi Okugo #14 (D/M) (3/13/91) ($145.0K - $228.0K)
9. Carlos Valdes #2 (D) (5/22/85) ($295.0K - $295.0K) [Colombia – INT]
10. Cristian Maidana #10 (M) (1/24/87) ($185.0K- $198.8) [Arg. - INT]
11. Michael Lahoud #13 (D/M) (9/15/86) ($99.0K - $102.3K) [USA/Sierra Leone]
12. Maurice Edu #21 (D/M) (4/18/86) ($650.0K - $650.0K)
13. Vincent Nogueira #5 (M) (1/16/88) ($330.0K - $330.0K) [France - INT]
14. Brian Carroll #7 (M) (7/20/81) ($185.2K - $185.2K)
15. Fred Carreiro DaSilva "Fred" (M) #8 (8/18/79) ($65.5K-$65.5K) [Brazil - Green Card]
16. Danny Cruz #44 (M) (10/11/85) ($125.0K - $131.7K)
17. Sebastien Le Toux #11 (F) (1/10/84) ($250.0K - $262.8K) [France – Green Card]
18. Conor Casey #6 (F) (7/25/81) ($192.5K - $192.5K)
19. Antoine Hoppenot #29 (F) (11/23/90) ($54.5K- $54.5K) [USA/France]
20. Andrew Wenger #9 (F) (12/25/90) ($140.0K - $242.0K)


Notes:^ - Domestic players include US citizens and holders of green cards or refugee/asylum status – all other players considered international players. Minimum of 18 players required or have salary budget charge imputed for each roster spot less than 18.

* - Home Grown Player (White was signed by DCU as HG - may be on Union off-budget roster since he is still on original HG contract).

OFF-BUDGET PLAYER ROSTER (ROSTER SPOTS 21 - 30)
The salaries for all of these players do not count against the salary cap budget. This roster includes all Generation Adidas (until they graduate from the program) and Home Grown players (they can stay off-budget even if they have signed new contracts since their original MLS contract). Non GA/HG players can also be on this roster assuming that they make the minimum salary amount given their years experience in MLS, so there is no age limit for these players (when MLS called these developmental rosters in the past, players had to be 25 years old or younger to be on this roster - this age requirement is no longer in place). These off-budget roster spots are differentiated by the minimum salary amount.

ROSTER SPOTS 21 - 24
These players’ salaries will be at least $48,500.
1. Andre Blake #1 (G) (11/21/90) ($75.0K - $113.0K) [Jamaica - GA INT]^
2. Zach Pfeffer #27 (M) (1/6/95) ($75.0K - $85.0K)*
3. Jimmy McLaughlin #20 (M) (4/30/93) ($66.0K - $75.0K)*#
4. Cristhian Hernandez #23 (M) (10/30/93) ($72.5K- $74.4K)[Mexico-HG INT]*#

^ - Generation Adidas player
* - Home Grown Player
# - loaned (season-long) to Harrisburg City (USL PRO), now back with Union
% - loaned to Harrisburg City (USL PRO) with option to be recalled at any time, now back with Union
## - loaned (season-long) to Wilmington (USL PRO), now back with Union

ROSTER SPOTS 25 - 30
These players’ salaries will be at least $36,500 (if under age of 25 in 2014) or $48,500 (if 25 or older in 2014) with slightly higher minimums based on years of MLS experience - non-HG or non-GA players must make minimum salaries to be on off-budget roster.

1. Leonardo Fernandes #22 (M) (12/23/91)($48.5K- $48.5K)[USA/Brazil]
2. Pedro Ribeiro (M/F) #30 (6/13/90) ($36.5K - $36.5K) [Brazil - INT]%
3. Aaron Wheeler #12 (F/D) (5/11/88) ($48.8K - $48.8K)
4. Richard Marquez (D) #16 (5/26/92) ($36.5K- $36.5K)%
5. Brian Brown (F) #17 (12/24/92) ($48.5K - $53.0K) [Jamaica - INT]
6. Corben Bone #19 (M) (9/16/88) ($48.8K - $51.3K)##

Total Off-Budget Salaries: ($556.2K - $622.0K)

INJURED RESERVE
* None

LOAN PLAYERS (EXCLUDING HARRISBURG CITY PLAYERS)
IN
* Maurice Edu #21 (M) (4/18/86) ($650.0K - $650.0K) (Stoke City - England)
* Brian Brown #17 (F) ($48.5K - $53.0K) (Harbour View - Jamaica)

OUT
* None

SALARY CAP BUDGET – GUARANTEED COMP $ RANKING BY PLAYER
1. Edu ($650.0K - $650.0K: $387.75K for Salary Budget purposes)
2. Maidana ($185.0K - $198.8K: $387.75K for Salary Budget purposes~)
3. Nogueira ($330.0K - $330.0K~~)
4. Valdes ($295.0K - $295.0K)
5. Le Toux ($250.0K - $262.8K)
6. Wenger ($140.0K - $242.0K)
7. M'Bolhi ($240.0K - $240.0K)
8. Okugo ($145.0K - $228.0K)
9. Casey ($192.5K - $192.5K)
10. Carroll ($185.2K - $185.2K)
11. Cruz ($125.0K - $131.7K)
12. Williams ($125.0K- $130.5K)
13. MacMath ($120.0K - $120.0K)
14. Lahoud ($99.0K - $102.3K)
15. Berry ($87.0K - $102.0K)
16. Fabinho ($96.0K - $100.5K)
17. White ($80.0K - $80.0K)
18. Fred ($65.5K - $65.5K)
19. Hoppenot ($54.5K- $54.5K)
20. Gaddis ($87.3K?- $87.3K? - assume $35K raise)

Totals
Salary Cap Budget: $3.100M

Salary & Guaranteed Comp $ Likely Do Not Reflect All Uses of Allocation $ to Pay Them Down
Salary Total: $3.517M [$417K over salary cap]
Salary Total (with Edu/Maidana DP $): $3.419M [$319K over salary cap]

Guaranteed Comp Total: $3.764M [$664K over salary cap]
Guaranteed Comp Total (with Edu/Maidana DP $): $3.652M [$552K over salary cap]

~: transfer fee included in salary budget hit ($400K=$200K next 2 years making him a DP - there is no way his salary alone can make him a DP otherwise)
~~: transfer fee not included in salary budget as its inclusion ($200K = $100K next 2 years) would make him a DP, which he is not
~~~: rumored transfer fee was $400K for a 3 year deal. If it was not paid by allocation $ and it wactually was $400K, his salary budget hit would be just under DP level. Will know more once his actual salary is published. For now, any transfer fee is not included in salary budget team total $.

#: best estimates to MLS salary cap level without factoring salary budget adjustments for allocations, transfer fees, budget hits for buyouts after roster compliance date, salary budget coverage for former or loan players. Examples include:

* Soumare: Philly covering $75K? - $150K? range in 2014
* Daniel: $88.0K - $90.9K

ACQUISITION METHODS BY SEASON
2010 Super Draft (1) – Okugo
2010 Discovery (1) – Williams
2011 Super Draft (1) – MacMath
2011 Home Grown (1) – Pfeffer
2011 Trade (1) – Carroll
2011 Discovery (1) – Valdes
2012 Super Draft (1) – Gaddis
2012 Supplemental Draft (1) – Hoppenot
2012 Home Grown (2) – McLaughlin, Hernandez
2012 Trade (2) – Lahoud, Cruz
2013 Re-Entry (1) – Casey
2013 Supplemental Draft (1) – Fernandes
2013 Trade (1) – Le Toux
2013 Discovery (1) – Fabinho
2013 Off Budget Signings (1) - Wheeler
2014 Designated Player Signing (2) - Maidana, Edu
2014 Discovery Signing (2) - Nogueira, M'Bolhi
2014 Re-Entry Draft (1) - Bone
2014 Trade (3) - White, Berry, Wenger
2014 SuperDraft (3) - Blake, Ribeiro, Marquez
2014 Off Budget Signing (1) - Brown
2014 Waiver Draft (1) - Fred

OTHER ROSTER SPOT DESIGNATIONS
International Spots (8 Spots)*
1*. Andre Blake - Jamaica
2. Rais M'Bolhi - Algeria
3. Fabio Alves - Brazil
4. Cristian Maidana - Argentina
5*. Vincent Nogueira - France
6. Carlos Valdes - Colombia
7. Brian Brown - Jamaica
8. Pedro Ribeiro - Brazil
9*. Cristhian Hernandez - Mexico

* - Either Blake (as a GA) or Hernandez (as a HG) is exempt from being an international player per MLS roster rules. There is also a rumor that Nogueira has an American wife so he somehow may not require an international spot.

Unsigned Draft Picks & Trialists
None

Designated Player (3 Total Spots for Regular or Young DPs)`
1. Cristian Maidana
2. Maurice Edu
3. Open - available for purchase

DEPTH CHART -4-2-2-2
G – M'Bolhi, MacMath, Blake
RB – Williams, Lahoud
RCB – White, Marquez
LCB – Valdes, Berry
LB – Gaddis, Fabinho
DM - Edu, Okugo, Carroll
CM - Nogueira, Fernandes, Pfeffer
LW – Wenger, Cruz, McLaughlin
AM – Maidana, Fred, Bone, Hernandez
RW - Le Toux, Brown, Hoppenot
S – Casey, Ribeiro, Wheeler

TRIALISTS
In-Season
Current Trialists
None

Former Trialists
None
* Brian Brown (F) (12/24/92) (Harbour View - Jamaica) [Jamaica - INT]@

Pre-Season
* Brian Holt (G) (11/14/88) (Harrisburg City - USL PRO)@
* Josh Cohen (G) (8/18/92) (California - San Diego) - last trialed with Los Angeles II (USL PRO)
* Kevin Cope (D) (10/16/91) (Michigan State) - Arizona United(USL PRO)
* Robbie Derschang (D) #40 (3/16/92) (Akron) - Harrisburg City (USL PRO)
* Richard Marquez (D) #16 (5/26/92) (Redlands)@
* Alex Sweetin (M) (4/29/91) (St. Louis)
* Luca Gimenez (M) (4/23/92) (Wake Forest) [BRAZIL - INT]
* Chris Ramirez (M) (1/8/94) (Union Academy - PA Classics) [USA/Guatemala]
* Jose Barril (M) (4/25/92) (Ontinyent FC - Spain) [Spain - INT] - HCI (USL PRO)
* Mike Seamon (M) (8/18/88) (Pittsburgh - USL PRO)
* Aodhan Quinn (M) #46 (3/22/92) (Akron) - Orlando City (USL PRO)
* Pedro Ribeiro (M) #30 (6/13/90) (Coastal Carolina) [Brazil - INT]@
* Fuad Ibrahim (F) (8/15/91) (AC Kajaani - Finland) [USA/Ethiopia]
* Edinho Junior (F) (3/7/94) (Harrisburg City Islanders - USL PRO) [Portugal - INT] - Harrisburg City (USL PRO)
* Yann Ekra (F) (12/10/90) (Philadelphia Union) [France/Ivory Cost - INT] - Harrisburg City (USL PRO)
* Clesio Bauque (F) #40 (10/11/94) (Benfica - Portugal) [Mozambique - INT] - Harrisburg City (USL PRO)
* Fred Carreiro DaSilva (M) #24 (8/18/79) (Melbourne Heart) [Brazil - Green Card]@

@ - signed with team after trial

TRAINING PARTICIPANTS
Current
* Bryan Sylvestre - G (Harrisburg City - USL PRO)

Former
* Danny Barbir - D (West Bromwich Albion - England)
* Darius Madison - F (Reading - PDL, University of Virginia)
* Michael Farfan - M (Cruz Azul - Mexico)
* Matt Kassel - M (Arizona United - USL PRO)

GUEST PLAYERS
Current
* None

Former (6/18/14 Reading United game)
* Luan Silva (M) [Harrisburg City - USL PRO]
* Jamiel Hardware (F) [Harrisburg City - USL PRO]
* Sean Wilson (F) [Union Academy]
* Bradford Jones (F) [Union Academy]
* Will Campbell (F) [Union Academy]

TECHNICAL STAFF
* Jim Curtin (Interim Head Coach)
* Mike Sorber (Assistant Coach)
* Paulo Grilo (Goalkeeper Coach)
* B.J. Callahan (Interim Assistant Coach, YSC Academy Coach)
* Chris Albright (Technical Director)
* Tommy Wilson (Academy Director)
* Josh Gros (Team Coordinator)
* Paul Rushing (Head Athletic Trainer)
* Kevin Miller (Fitness Coach)
* Peter Fuller (YSC Academy Coach)
* Jeff Cook (YSC Academy Coach)
* Chris Brewer (YSC Academy Coach)

ALLOCATIONS, SUPERDRAFT PICKS & DISCOVERY CLAIMS
Allocation $: In-Flows
MLS (2010 – Expansion Funding): $1.4M
MLS (2010 - Missing Playoff): $200K?
MLS (2011 - 1st Round Playoff): $100K?
DCU (2010 – Troy Perkins): $100K
KC (2010 – Shavar Thomas): $100K?
VAN (2011 – Jordan Harvey): $100K
MLS (2011 - Transfer Fee – Carlos Ruiz – Veracruz): $333K
MLS (2011 - Off-Budget Salary 29 & 30 Spots Open): $70K
VAN (2012 – Sebastien Le Toux): $200K?
CHIV (2012 – Danny Califf): $100K
MLS (2012 - Missing Playoff): $200K?
CHIV (2013 – Gabriel Farfan): $100K?
CHI (2013 - Bakary Soumare): $75K?
MLS (2013 - Transfer Fee & Loan Fee - 40% of Carlos Valdes' rights - Santa Fe): $350K?
MLS (2013 - Missing Playoff): $200K?
MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Michael Farfan - Cruz Azul): $200K?
FCD (2014) - SuperDraft pick swap): $50K
TOR (2014 - SuperDraft pick swap): $50K
MLS (2014 - Loan Fee - Carlos Valdes - San Lorenzo): $?K?

Allocation $: Out-Flows
RSL (2010 - Chris Seitz): $175K
HOU (2010 - Danny Califf): $100K?
NY (2010 - allocation spot swap – Michael Orozco Fiscal): $175K
FCD (2010 - #6 overall SuperDraft pick – Amobi Okugo): $150K
CHI: (2010 – Justin Mapp): $100K?
MLS: (2010 – Transfer Fee - Juan Diego Gonzalez – La Equidad): $75K?
CLM (2011 – Brian Carroll): $75K?
MLS (2011 – Freddy Adu Salary Budget Buydown): $100K?
MLS (2011 – Transfer Fee – Carlos Valdes – Santa Fe): $200K?
MLS (2011 – Transfer Fee – Josue Martinez – Saprissa): $300K?
MLS (2011 – Transfer Fee – Porfirio Lopez – Dailan Haichang): $75K?
MLS (2012 – Transfer Fee – Roger Torres – America Cali): $150K?
MLS (2012 – Transfer Fee – Lionardo Pajoy – Millionaros): $150K?
VAN (2012 - Allocation spot swap – Bakary Soumare): $125K?
NY (2013 – Sebastien Le Toux): $150K
SEA (2013 – Jeff Parke) - $100K?
MLS (2013 - Transfer Fee - Aaron Wheeler - Koo Tee Pee): $25K?
MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Cristian Maidana - Rangers [Chile]): $400K?
DC (2014 - SuperDraft pick swap): $75K
MLS (2014 - Loan Fee - Maurice Edu - Stoke City): $?K?
MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Vincent Nogueira): $300K (includes $100K for Sochaux relegation)
CHI (2014 - Austin Berry): $100K
MLS (2014 - Loan Fee - Brian Brown): $25K?
MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Rais M'Bolhi): $400K?

Last Known Estimated Allocation $ Balance: $500K estimate from Summer 2012 per Ives but difficult to fully know how other allocation uses (i.e. applications related to salary budget paydowns and transfer fees)

Retention Funds (used to keep existing roster players)
* $250K available

Allocation Rank
* 17th spot (after acquisition of Maurice Edu - ahead of Seattle and Houston)

SuperDraft Picks
* 2015 – 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th picks.

Lotteries
* Eligible to participate (CHI (Joya), DAL (Span), SJ (Schuler), NE (Taylor) & CLM (Gall) ineligible unless all other teams pass)

Waiver Draft Priority List
* 16th spot (after Fred acquisition - ahead of NE (Pickens), DC (Francois) & CHI (Gentile))

DISCOVERY CLAIMS
Teams are allowed to claim 10 players at any given time but only able to make 6 senior roster signings per season from players who have been on the 10 player claim list. Claims expire at end of season.

Claims Used (6 available per season)
1. Vincent Nogueira (M) (1/16/88) (FC Sochaux - France) [France - INT]
2. Rais M'Bolhi (GK) (4/25/86) (CSKA Sofia - Bulgaria) [Algeria - INT]
3. - 6. Available (http://www.mlssoccer.com/transactions/2014)

Players Who May Be On Current Discovery Claim List (10 available at all times)
1. Ronald Vargas - M (12/2/86) (Anderlecht - Belgium) [Venezuela - INT]
2. Madjid Bougherra - D (10/7/82) (Lekhwiya - Qatar) [Algeria - INT]
3. Zat Knight - D (5/2/80) (Bolton Wanderers - England) [England - INT]
4.- 10. ?????

Who May Have Been On Current Discovery Claim List (10 available at all times)
* Martin Tonso (M) (10/19/89) (Newells Old Boys - Argentina) [Argentina - INT]
* Luis Manuel Seijas (M) (6/23/86) (Independiente Santa Fe - Colombia) [Venezuela - INT]
* Pablo Perez (M) (8/10/85) (Newells Old Boys - Argentina) [Argentina - INT]

COLLEGE PROTECTED LIST
Union retains MLS rights until December 2014* or December 2015** for players drafted this year if player has not trialied with team. If player has trialed with team and was not offered a contract, he is a free agent for MLS purposes..

* Jake Keegan (F) (4/21/91) (Binghamton)*[never trialed with team]

ALUMNI IN/OFF-SEASON - TRADES, TRANSFERS, WAIVERS
* Oka Nikolov #39 (G) – waived - Ft. Lauderdale (NASL)
* Brian Holt #24 (G) – waived
* Jeff Parke #31 (D) - traded to DC United
* Greg Jordan #5 (D) – waived - Minnesota (NASL)
* Don Anding #16 (D) - waived - last trialed with Sporting Kansas City
* Chris Albright #3 (D) - retired
* Michael Farfan #21 (M) - transfer to Cruz Azul, later released - Mexico
* Jose Kleberson #19 (M) - waived - signed with Indy Eleven (NASL)
* Roger Torres #10 (M) - out of contract - last trialed with Club Atletico Nacional - Colombia
* Gilberto dos Santos Souza #40 (M) - out of contract - Sacremento (USL PRO)
* Matt Kassel #8 (D/M) - out of contract - cut from Union's pre-season camp - Arizona United (USL PRO)
* Yann Ekra #17 (M/F) - out of contract - cut from Union's pre-season camp - trialed with Montreal Impact, then re-signed with Harrisburg City (USL PRO)
* Jack McInerney #9 (F) - traded to Montreal
* Keon Daniel #26 (M) - mutually-agreed contract termination - signed with MKS Miedzi Legnica (Poland)
* John Hackworth (Team Manager)
* Robert Vartughian (Coach & Technical Director)
* Ricardo Ansaldi (Director of International Player Development)

 

Thanks. For these roster threads, I always use the prior season $ for salaries and salary cap until MLS issues its initial salary list for all players in May so everything is kept on the same basis (too many unknowns otherwise, some players just get cost of living increases, some will get big raises, etc,) - then I update everything $ related.

 

Absent any new defensive additions

That back line seems to be the most likely foursome come starting day absent any major acquisition. It allows Gaddis to play RB so his lack of a left foot is not as much of an issue. Williams can still bomb away with his throw ins. Fabinho can provide the crossing service from LB. The reserves would be Kassel - White - Cope - Derschang and Marquez if he makes the cut although at least one of those rookies would be loaned to Harrisburg.

 

A MacMath-Gaddis-Williams-Okugo-Fabinho backline does seem prone to aerial attacks, especially during the run of play - it is likely one reason they are trying to get Edu who is good in the air. The ability to command the box in the air is also one reason why Blake (6'4") is probably viewed as the longer-term solution in nets as opposed to MacMath. Throw in gameday roster options like Ribeiro and Wheeler as Casey subs and there should be reasonable, but not ideal, defensive coverage on set pieces. The other less likely option (although it can not be discounted in terms of what the Union has done with DMs in the past) is sometimes play Edu at CB - Williams stays at RB and Gaddis/Fabinho play LB.

In terms of Edu interest from other teams, the ones mentioned earlier in the month were in France (Sochaux - Nogueira's team - likely viewed him as a short-term replacement for Nogueira. Sochaux tried to acquire him from Rangers before Stoke got him) and Turkey (likely Bursaspor - team to which he was loaned last year).