Even with Maurice Edu in on loan, the Philadelphia Union weren’t done bringing US national team veterans into the fold.
The latest addition is assistant coach Mike Sorber, who joined the Union technical staff on Friday, moving into the opening vacated by outgoing assistant Brendan Burke.
Sorber coached alongside Philadelphia head coach John Hackworth with the USMNT and remains the only US international to have played for and coached the United States in a FIFA World Cup. He joins the club from the Impact, where he was Jesse Marsch’s assistant before becoming Montreal’s North American scout.
“Having worked with Mike before, I know that we not only share a common coaching philosophy, but a level of trust and confidence with each other,” Hackworth said in a statement. “He is someone that knows this league very well as both a player and a coach and we’re excited about adding someone to our staff with his knowledge and experience.”
He began his playing career with Pumas UNAM in the Mexican Primera División, where he played in 51 games during two seasons with the club before joining the Kansas City Wizards in 1996.
During five seasons in MLS, Sorber made more than 170 appearances with three different clubs (Kansas City, New York and Chicago), scoring nine goals and adding 17 assists. He also played in 67 matches with the USMNT, representing his country in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Sorber began his coaching career in 2001 as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Saint Louis University. He joined the USMNT in 2007, where he worked under Bob Bradley before following fellow national team assistant Marsch to the Impact in 2011. He holds a USSF “A” Coaching License.
“I’m really pleased to be joining the Union and am looking forward to getting started with the club this year,” Sorber said. “I have always admired this organization and the passion that the fans in Philadelphia have for their teams and I’m grateful to play a part in this team’s success going forward.”
