Philadelphia Union - 2015 Roster

PHILADELPHIA UNION – 2015 SEASON ROSTER

SALARY BUDGET PLAYER ROSTER (ROSTER SPOTS 1 - 20) ^
1. Brian Sylvestre #49 (G) (12/19/92) ($60.0K - $60.0K)
2. Steven Vitoria #23 (D) (1/11/87) ($4o0.0K - $400.0K) [Canada/Portugal - INT]
3. Fabio Alves “Fabinho” #33 (D) (3/16/85) ($114.0K - $118.5K) [Brazil - Green Card]
4. Raymon Gaddis #28 (D) (1/13/90) ($130.0K - $132.5K)
5. Ethan White #15 (D) (1/1/91) ($125.0K - $125.0K)
6. Warren Creavalle #2 (D/M) (8/14/90) ($108.5K - $119.0K)
7. Brian Carroll #7 (M) (7/20/81) ($150.0K - $150.0K)
8. Cristian Maidana #10 (M) (1/24/87) ($203.5K- $217.3) [Argentina - INT]
9. Michael Lahoud #13 (M) (9/15/86) ($108.9K - $112.2K) [USA/Sierra Leone]
10.Vincent Nogueira #5 (M) (1/16/88) ($330.0K - $330.0K) [France/Portugal - INT]
11. Maurice Edu #8 (M) (4/18/86) ($700.0K - $768.8K)
12. Federico Carreiro "Fred" #77 (M) ( 8/18/79) ($60.0K - $60.0K) [Brazil - Green Card]
13. Tranquillo Barnetta #85 (M) (5/22/85) ($625.0K? - $625.0K?) [Switzerland - INT]
14. Andrew Wenger #9 (F/M) (12/25/90) ($140.0K - $242.0K)
15. Sebastien Le Toux #11 (F/M) (1/10/84) ($275.0K - $285.2K) [France – Green Card]
16. C.J. Sapong #17 (F) (12/27/88) ($125.0K - $142.0K)
17. Fernando Aristeguieta #18 (F) (4/9/92) ($350.0K - $350.0K) [Venezuela/Spain - INT]
18. Antoine Hoppenot #29 (F) (11/23/90) ($60.0K- $60.0K) [USA/France]
19. Conor Casey #6 (F) (7/25/81) ($180.0K - $180.0K)
20. Open

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.
% - loaned to Carolina (NASL) with no specific loan duration or recall date

OFF-BUDGET PLAYER ROSTER (ROSTER SPOTS 21 - 28)
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 $60.000.
1. Andre Blake #1 (G) (11/21/90) ($85.0K - $123.0K) [Jamaica - Green Card]
2. Zach Pfeffer #27 (M) (1/6/95) ($60.0K - $60.0K)*
3. Jimmy McLaughlin #20 (M) (4/30/93) ($60.0K - $60.0K)*
4. Richard Marquez #16 (D) (5/26/92) ($60.0K- $60.0K)

^ - Generation Adidas player
* - Home Grown Player
# - loaned (season-long) to Harrisburg City (USL)
! - loaned to Harrisburg City (USL) with option to be recalled at any time

ROSTER SPOTS 25 - 28
These players’salaries will be at least $50,000 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. John McCarthy #55 (G) (7/4/92) ($50.0K - $50.0K)
2. Eric Ayuk Mbu #14 (M) (2/17/97) ($50.0K- $50.0K) [Cameroon - INTL]
3. Eric Bird #21 (M) (4/8/93) ($60.0K- $60.0K)
4. Dzenan Catic #19 (F) (5/26/92) [USA/Bosnia-Herzegovina] ($60.0K - $75.0K]%

Total Off-Budget Salaries: ($485.0-$538.0K)

INJURED RESERVE
* None

LOAN PLAYERS (EXCLUDING HARRISBURG CITY PLAYERS)
IN
* Brian Sylvestre #49 (G) (12/19/92) ($60.0K - $60.0K) - Carolina (NASL)
* Steven Vitoria #23 (D) (1/11/88) ($400.0K - $400.0K) - Benfica-Portugal
* Eric Ayuk Mbu #14 (M) (2/17/97) ($50.0K- $50.0K) - Rainbow FC-Cameroon
* Fernando Aristeguieta #18(F) (4/9/92) ($350.0K - $350.0K) - Nantes-France

OUT
* Zac MacMath #18 (G) (8/17/91) ($130.0K - $130.0K) - Colorado
* Austin Berry #4 (D) (10/6/88) ($93.5K - $108.5K) - FC Anyang - [South Korea]
* Leonardo Fernandes #22 (M) (12/23/91)($60.0K- $60.0K)[USA/Brazil] - NY Cosmos [NASL]
* Danny Cruz #44 (M) (10/11/85) ($125.0K - $131.7K) - Bodo/Glimt [Norway]
* Dzenan Catic #19 (F) (5/26/92) [USA/Bosnia-Herzegovina] ($60.0K - $75.0K]%

SALARY CAP BUDGET – GUARANTEED COMP $ RANKING BY PLAYER
1. Edu ($700.0K - $768.8K: $436.25K for Salary Budget purposes)
2. Barnetta ($625.0K? - $625.0K?) ($425.0K? - $425.0K?~~~~)
3. Vitoria ($400.0K - $400.0K)
4. Nogueira ($330.0K - $330.0K~~)
5. Le Toux ($275.0K - $282.2K)
6. Wenger ($180.0K - $282.0K)
7. Maidana ($203.5K - $217.3K~)
8. Aristeguieta ($350.0K - $350.0K: $200.0K for Salary Budget purposes as Young DP)
9. Casey ($180.0K - $180.0K)
10. Carroll ($150.0K - $150.0K)
11. Gaddis ($130.0K- $132.5K)
12. Sapong ($125.0K - $142.0K)
13. White ($125.0K - $125.0K)
14. Creavalle ($108.5K - $119.0K)
15. Fabinho ($114.0K - $118.5K)
16. Lahoud ($108.9K - $112.2K)
17. Hoppenot ($60.0K - $60.0K)
18. Fred ($60.0K- $60.0K)=
19. Sylvestre ($60.0K - $60.0K)
20. Open

Totals
* Salary Cap Budget: $3.49M
* Salary & Guaranteed Comp $ Likely Do Not Reflect All Uses of Allocation $ to Pay Them Down
* Salary Total: $4.236M [$746K over salary cap]
*Salary Total (with Edu/Aristeguieta DP $ & Barnetta net of TAM $): $3.698M [$208K over salary cap]
*Guaranteed Comp Total: $4.474M [$984K over salary cap]
*Guaranteed Comp Total (with Edu/Aristeguieta DP $): $3.849M [$349K over salary cap]

~: transfer fee included in salary budget hit in 2014 ($400K) which made him a DP - he is not a DP in 2015

~~: transfer fee not included in salary budget as its inclusion ($200K = $100K next 2 years) would make him a DP, which he is not.

~~~~: assume $200K/year used for Barnetta to get rumored salary of $625K just below DP level

=: reportedly player/coach so if true - some of salary will be allocated to his coaching duties

&: may be a budget hit if M'Bolhi and/or Valdes contract terminations had any payouts

ACQUISITION METHODS BY SEASON
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 (1) – McLaughlin
2012 Trade (2) – Lahoud, Cruz
2013 Re-Entry (1) – Casey
2013 Supplemental Draft (1) – Fernandes
2013 Trade (1) – Le Toux
2013 Discovery (1) – Fabinho
2014 Designated Player Signing (2) - Maidana, Edu
2014 Discovery Signing (1) - Nogueira
2014 Trade (3) - White, Berry, Wenger
2014 SuperDraft (2) - Blake, Marquez
2014 Waiver Draft (1): Fred
2015 Trade (2): Sapong, Creavalle
2015 SuperDraft (2) - Catic, Bird
2015 Off Budget (2): McCarthy, Ayuk
2015 Discovery (2): Vitoria, Barnetta
2015 Young DP (1): Aristeguieta
2015 Emergency Hardship - Short-Term Loan (1): Sylvestre
2015 MLS Pool Goalie (1): Mitchell

OTHER ROSTER SPOT DESIGNATIONS
International Spots (8 Spots - 1 Traded = 7 Available)
1. Vincent Nogueira - France/Portugal
2. Cristian Maidana - Argentina
3. Steven Vitoria - Canada/Portugal
4. Fernando Aristeguieta - Venezuela/Spain
5. Eric Ayuk Mbu - Cameroon
6. Tranquillo Barnetta - Switzerland
7. Open
8th spot traded to Houston - returns to Union after 2016 season

Designated Player (3 Total Spots for Regular or Young DPs - No Fee for Young DP as 3rd DP)
1. Maurice Edu
2. (Young DP) Fernando Aristeguieta
3. Open
Christian Maidana is no longer considered a DP.

DEPTH CHART -4-2-3-1
G – Blake, Sylvestre, McCarthy
RB – Gaddis, Creavalle
RCB – Edu, White
LCB – Marquez, Vitoria
LB – Fabinho
DM - Carroll, Lahoud
CM - Nogueira, Fred, Bird
LW – Barnetta, Wenger, McLaughlin
AM – Maidana, Pfeffer
RW - Le Toux, Ayuk
S – Sapong, Aristeguieta, Casey, Hoppenot, Catic

TRIALISTS
Current Trialists
* James McFadden (F) (4/14/83) (St. Johnastone - Scotland) [Scotland - INT]
* Ken Tribbett (D/M) (8/25/92) (Harrisburg City - USL)
* Onua Thomas Obasi (D) (9/24/88) (Rochester - USL) [England - INT, Green Card???]

Former Trialists
In-Season
* Facundo Coria (M) (5/28/87) (Argentino Juniors - Argentina) [Argentina - INT]
* Wilson Palacios (M) (7/29/84) (Stoke City - England) [Honduras - INT]
* Santiago Dittborn (M) (10/30/92) (Universidad Catolica - Chile) [Chile - INT]
* Rodolfo Zelaya (F) (7/3/88) (Alianza - El Salvador) [El Salvador - INT]

Pre-Season
* John McCarthy (G) #55 (7/4/92) (Rochester - USL PRO)@
* Brian Sylvestre (G) (12/19/92) (Harrisburg City - USL PRO)
* Zak Downes (G) (4/2/93) (University of Tampa)%
* Raymond Lee (D) (4/26/93) #32 (St. Louis University)@
* Coady Andrews (D) (1/3/89) (Harrisburg City - USL PRO)
* Aaron Simmons (D/M) (6/19/93) #31 (UCLA)%
* Petros Kanokoudis (D) #41 (4/46/84) (AOK Kerkyra - Greece) [Greece - INTL]
* Eric Bird (M) (4/8/93) (Virginia)@
* Eric Ayuk Mbu (M) (2/17/97) #14 (Phichit FC - Thailand) [Cameroon - INTL]@
* Aodhan Quinn (M) (3/2/92) #30 (Orlando City - USL PRO)%
* Navid Nasseri (M) (7/26/96) #40 (Birmingham City - England) [England/Iran - INTL]
* Hermes Palomino (F) (4/3/88) (FC Aragua - Venezuela) [Venezuela - INTL]

@ - signed with team after trial

TRAINING PARTICIPANTS
Current
* Kyle Morton - G (Reading United/James Madison University)
* Derrick Jones Amaniampong - M (Union Academy)

Former
In-Season
* Will Campbell - D (Union Academy)
* James Murphy - M (Players Development Academy)
* Keegan Rosenberry - M (Reading United/Georgetown)
* Tim Lazorko - M (Reading United/St. Joseph's)
* Eidur Gudjohnsen - F (9/15/78) (Bolton - England) [Iceland - INTL]
* Sebastian Elney - F (Union Academy)
* Yosef Samuel - F (Union Academy)
Pre-Season
* Andrew Verdi - G (Union Academy)
* Cameron Keys - G (Union Academy)
* Will Campbell - D (Union Academy)
* Sandiokhou Konate (D) #45 (?/?/97) (Montverde Academy - Florida) [Senegal? - INTL]%
* Morgan Hackworth - M (Union Academy)
* Derrick Jones Amaniampong - M (Union Academy)
* Seth Wilson - M (Union Academy)
* Pape Gassama - M #46 (?/?/97) (Montverde Academy - Florida) [Senegal? - INTL]%
* Sebastian Elney - F (Union Academy)
* Yosef Samuel - F (Union Academy)

GUEST PLAYERS
Current
* None

Former
* None

TECHNICAL STAFF
* Jim Curtin (Head Coach)
* Mike Sorber (Assistant Coach)
* Paulo Grilo (Goalkeeper Coach)
* B.J. Callahan (Assistant 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): $150K?
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): $150K?
MLS (2014 - Retention Funds): $250K
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?
MLS (2014 - Missing Playoff): $150K?
ORL (2015 - Amobi Okugo): $150K
MLS (2015 - Pedro Ribeiro - Expansion Draft) - $50K?
MLS (2015 - Loan Fee - Carlos Valdes - Nacional): $?K?
MLS (2015 - Targeted Allocation $): $500K available over next 5 years
HOU (2015 - Sheanon Williams): $100K?

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 - Harbour View): $25K?
MLS (2014 - Transfer Fee - Rais M'Bolhi): $400K?
MLS (2015 - Transfer Fee - Maurice Edu): $K?
VAN (2015 - Steven Vitoria - Loan Fee & Discovery Rights): $?K
MLS (2015 - Loan Fee - Fernando Aristeguieta - Nantes FC): $?K
MLS (2015 - Transfer Fee - John McCarthy): $?K

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

Targeted Allocation Money (used to players making more than DP charge. 5 Year limit)
* $500K available - assume $200K? used for Barnetta in 2015

Allocation Rank
* 4th spot (1. LA, 2. CHI, 3. HOU. Already used: ORL - Shea/Avila, NYC - Diskerud, TOR - Altidore, NY - Kljestan, DC - Farfan, SJ - Pelosi)

SuperDraft Picks
* 2016 - 1st, conditional 1st (from Colorado), 2nd [received a 2nd from Orlando City but lowest 2nd - Philly or Orlando - will be traded to Toronto], 3rd and 4th picks.

Lotteries
* Eligible to participate along with 19 other teams - no lotteries yet)

Waiver Draft Priority List
* 3rd spot (1. HOU, 2. TOR. Already used: CHI - Gilberto, MON - Reo-Coker, SJ - Barrera, Silva, COL - Burling, St. Ledger, NYC & ORL were previously last)

DISCOVERY CLAIMS
Teams are allowed to claim 10 players at any given time but only able to make 6 salary budget 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. Steven Vitoria - D (Benfica - Portugal) (1/11/87) [Canada/Portugal - INT]
2. Tranquillo Barnetta - M (Schalke 04 - Germany) (5/22/85) [Switzerland - INT]
3. - 6. None

Players Who May Be (or Have Been) On Discovery Claim List (10 available at all times)
1. William Kvist - M (Wigan Athletic - England) (2/24/85) [Denmark - INT]
2. Markus Neumayr - M (FC Vaduz - Switzerland) (3/26/86) [Germany - INT]
3. Cezary Wilk - M (Deportivo La Coruna - Spain) (2/12/86) [Poland - INT]
4. Roman Torres - D (Millonarios - Columbia) (3/20/86) [Panama - INT]
5. Andy Delort - F (Wigan Athletic - England) (10/9/91) [France - INT]
6. Gboly Ariyibi - M (Chesterfield - England) (1/18/95)
7. Jon Arne Riise - D (APOEL - Cyprus) (9/24/80) [Norway - INT]
8. Wilson Palacios - M (Stoke City - England) (7/29/84) [Honduras - INT]
9. ???
10. ???

Potential DP Claim on Alejandro Bedoya - M (Nantes - France) (4/29/87)

COLLEGE PROTECTED LIST
Union retains MLS rights until December 2015* or December 2016** for players drafted this year if player has not trialed with team. If player has trialed with team and was not offered a contract, he is a free agent for MLS purposes.
* None

ALUMNI IN/OFF-SEASON - TRADES, TRANSFERS, WAIVERS
* Trey Mitchell #0 (G) (4/27/91) (MLS Pool Goalie)
* Rais M'Bolhi #92 (G) (4/25/86) (mutual contract termination)
* Sheanon Williams #25 (D) (3/17/90) (trade - Houston)
* Carlos Valdes #2 (D) (5/22/85) (mutual contract termination)
* Raymond Lee #3 (D) (4/26/93) (waived)
* Amobi Okugo #14 (D/M) (3/13/91) (trade - Orlando City)
* Cristhian Hernandez #23 (M) (10/30/93) (option declined - NY Cosmos B - NPSL)
* Pedro Ribeiro (M/F) #30 (6/13/90) (expansion draft - Orlando City)
* Brian Brown (F) #17 (12/24/92) (loan option declined) (now with Indianapolis - NASL)
* Corben Bone #19 (M) (9/16/88) (option declined) (now with Wilmington - USL)
* Aaron Wheeler #12 (F) (5/11/88) (out of contract - released in pre-season camp) (now with Wilmington - USL)
* Rene Meulensteen (Consultant)

 

Thanks. The discovery process seems to not be applicable to DPs regardless of whether they are USMNT (then [1] the highest bidder gets the player [i.e. Toronto with Altidore] or [2] the winner of the "blind draw" gets the player if multiple teams are willing to play the same salary [i.e. New England with Jones]) or foreign (i.e. New York supposedly had a discovery claim on Gerrard - he wanted to go to LA and that is where he is going. There was never any mention of LA trading anything to NY to acquire his rights).

There are still some deals every once in a while for a foreign players' discovery rights (Portland got a 2nd rounder from Vancouver for Reo-Coker's rights. A few seasons ago, Montreal had to trade with New York to get Nesta's rights). These type of deals are becoming less frequent as MLS implemented the process to protect one team from doing all of the scouting and courting of a player just to have another team swoop in at the last minute with a better offer (like it happens in the rest of the world).

I believe that teams are only compensated via trade for a player's discovery rights if they made a bona fide offer (i.e. if the Union put Ronaldo on their discovery list and he decides to join MLS on another team [i.e. LA] - Union would not get anything out of it as they surely would not have offered him his market wage on the MLS pay scale).

 

Gaddis got a pay raise after the September 2014 salary press release. He likely is in the $90K - $100K range if I had to guess which puts him above White, Hoppenot, etc. - same level as Berry, Lahoud and Fabinho.

 

I believe teams can:
1. amortize them over the life of the contract as a salary budget hit (as was done with Maidana in 2014)
2. pay down transfer fee via allocation $ when at some point during the length of the contract

If I had to guess, they let Maidana's transfer fee be amortized in 2014. His salary coupled with 1/2 of the transfer fee just barely put him in DP land - just when Philly fans were clamoring for a DP. This season, I would guess they pay down his transfer fee hit via allocation $ to make him a non-DP.

 

Yes, aassuming the DP increase gets it to a $ level that is higher than Maidana's 2015 salary (which may include an increase) + 50% of his transfer fee.