Philadelphia Union part ways with manager Jim Curtin

MLS Eastern Conference stalwart Philadelphia Union has made the shock decision to part ways with popular head coach Jim Curtin.

League insider Tom Bogert broke the news earlier, citing that the club feels as though a new direction is now needed and has broken ties with the two-time MLS coach of the year.

In an official statement, Union principal owner Jay Sugarman praised Curtin despite the difficult decision, after the Union failed to qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs

“Jim has been a remarkable leader and an integral part of our team’s success during his tenure. I have had the privilege to watch him grow into one of the top coaches in the league and deliver strong results and memorable moments that will be ingrained in our club’s history. This has been a difficult decision due in part to the immense gratitude and respect we have for him. We have no doubt he’ll find great success in his future coaching endeavors.”

Union sporting director Ernst Tanner added “We want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to Jim for his passion and dedication to this club over the last ten seasons. He greatly contributed to the success the club has achieved in recent years and for that, we are extremely grateful. We thank Jim for the significant impact he made both on the field and in the community. Following the 2024 season, we recognize the need for change. We’ll continue to evaluate our sporting strategy and make necessary changes this offseason to best set the team up for success.”

Philly have been one of the most consistent teams in MLS for years now, but have also consistently been close to the bottom in transfer spend. It certainly can be theorized that this will be targeted for improvement under the next head coach.

Photo Credit: © Luther Schlaifer | 2024 Oct 19