The Jim Curtin era begins. Officially, that is.
The Philadelphia Union announced on Friday morning that they have removed the interim tag from Curtin's title and named him the permanent head coach of the club, ending a lengthy search that saw 200 candidates reach out to the club, according to Union CEO and Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz.
"We proudly announce Jim Curtin as the head coach of our first team," Sakiewicz said at Friday's press conference. "Jim is the perfect fit to lead our first team because he's worked through our system and understands our great fans, partners and community and shares ou burning passion in delivering a winning product on the field.
"He has played in the league and knows what it takes to be successful in Major League Soccer," Sakiewicz continued. "He'll be fully responsible for all player identification, recruiting, signings, transfer and trades ... I'm very proud to announce that Jim Curtin will lead our team for the forseeable future."
- Get more Philadelphia Union news at PhiladelphiaUnion.com
Curtin, who replaced previous manager John Hackworth in early June, is the third head coach in the Union's history. He takes over on a full-time basis after leading Philadelphia to a 10-6-7 record that had them knocking on the door of a playoff spot. The Union ultimately fell short of that goal, finishing in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
"I'm incredibly honored to be head coach of my hometown club. It's something that means a lot to me," Curtin said. "Give me a full offseason and see what we come up with. I promise you we'll work 24-7 to bring in great players and improve a roster that's already strong."
The 35-year-old Oreland, Pennsylvania, native also helped guide the club to the US Open Cup final in September, but the Seattle Sounders were the victorious side 3-1 in extra time.
Other candidates that had been considered for the job were Rene Meulensteen, Jesse Marsch, Tony Meola and John Harkes. It was Curtin, however, who was left standing and is now tasked with trying to get the Union back into the playoffs after failing to reach the postseason during each of the past three years.
