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Philadelphia Union Have Many Important Decisions to Make in Offseason

By Phil Naegely

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Mar 29, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Union forward Conor Casey (6) handles the ball in the rain against the Montreal Impact at PPL Park. Game ended in 1-1 tie. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

4. Other Offseason Moves

For the Union to find themselves in the playoffs in 2015, they must add pieces in the offseason. For starters, the Union should start by adding another attacking player or two. 2014 could possibly be the last season Connor Casey is in a Union uniform. Likewise, Casey could announce his retirement after the season as well. Donovan is doing it at 32, so retiring at 33 isn’t out of the question.

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    • On the other hand, Casey may be wise not to retire. The 33-year old striker might be picked up by NYCFC or Orlando City in the Expansion Draft. He brings a veteran presence to the roster and was a big contributor to the Union’s offense during his tenure. It’s unlikely Orlando City selects Casey in the Expansion Draft with having Kaka on the roster. Also, Philadelphia may protect Casey from the draft, but there’s other younger, in-prime forwards that the Union should be focused on protecting like Andrew Wenger and Aaron Wheeler.

    Overall, Philadelphia needs to decide which players to ultimately protect from being selected by NYCFC and Orlando City. It’s impossible to protect every good player, but they must prioritize who brings the most to the team. In the past Philadelphia lost prime talent and it is destined to happen again, but certain players being selected will hurt more than others.

    After December’s Expansion Draft comes January’s SuperDraft. Most draft picks don’t make an immediate impact, but this draft allows them to prepare for the future.

    All in all, Philadelphia has a long offseason and must be proactive in their decision making. This year’s offseason decisions will ultimately affect how they preform in 2015. Another year without a playoff appearances would be inexcusable and disappointing.

    What are your thoughts? What moves must Philadelphia make this offseason? Let us know below.

    Doop Nation is Playing for 90’s column focused on the Philadelphia Union and their affiliates.

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