CHESTER, Pa. – Philadelphia Union manager Peter Nowak has heard people question how his team can go into a season with only five natural defenders on the roster.
His answer: What you see is not always what you get.
“If players read the game well, you can mix stuff up,” Nowak said Wednesday during a press conference at PPL Park. “You can put them in any position and they will still succeed. They will still bring quality.”
The Union were a poor defensive team last season, giving up an average of 1.63 goals per season, the second-worst total in the league.
The club tried to address that issue with two major Colombian signings – goalkeeper Faryd Mondragón and central defender Carlos Valdés.
But what they gained in quality they lost in depth as the team parted ways with defenders Michael Orozco Fiscal, Cristian Arrieta and Toni Stahl this offseason. Shea Salinas, a midfielder who played fullback for much of the 2010 campaign, was also lost in the Expansion Draft.
As it stands now, Danny Califf, Jordan Harvey, Sheanon Williams, Juan Diego Gonzalez and Valdés are the club’s only natural defenders.
“We’ve been working on the basis that this is the group we have and we’ll try to develop some continuinity and confidence going forward,” said Califf, who started 28 games at center back last season. “We’re going forward with the guys we have here. It’s not like we’re saying that we need this piece or that piece – that’s not our job. We need to go out and be cohesive with the guys we have already.”
Plus, like his manager said, Califf noted there are more options at defense than fans may realize. For example, rookie midfielders Michael Farfan and Ryan Richter have been playing mostly on the back line during the preseason.
“As a group of guys, we’re not so conscious that there are only five guys listed with a ‘D’ next to their name on the program,” Califf said.
At the same time, reinforcements appear to be on the way.
Nowak said two players will likely be signed shortly, pending league approval. The Union manager did not specify whether he was talking about trialists Gabriel Farfan and Keon Daniel or other defenders.
“We’re still looking to improve this,” Nowak said. “We know the Reserve League is coming up, so it’s important to get good guys and get them playing time. Also, if something would happen, we would have the necessary pieces to replace those guys.”
