By KEITH HICKEY

With their franchise’s MLS playoff debut approaching, members of the Philadelphia Union are getting ready what will be, for most of them, their first taste of the MLS postseason.

Of the 27 players on the Union's roster, 15 are 23 years old or younger. Just five of the 27 have been on a playoff team before. The experiences of those few players will be invaluable in helping guide Philadelphia through the rigors of the postseason. 

Justin Mapp, a 10-year MLS veteran, agreed that experienced players like himself could have a positive influence on a young team.

"We have a group of guys that have been to some playoffs, Brian Carroll being one of them; Danny Califf's been around, we have some veteran guys. Hopefully we can just lead the way by example," Mapp said.

Sheanon Williams, the Union's 21-year-old, second-year right back, echoed those sentiments.

"It's important," Williams said. "It's always important to have experience around you. They've done it, they've been there before, so we'll be looking to them for little hints and a little advice that they can give us. I'm sure they'll lead us in the right direction."

As impressive as Williams has been this season, cementing himself as first-choice right back and earning glowing reviews for his performances, he's also been a victim of his inexperience. Williams was red-carded for arguing a call with the referee in the Union's 2-1 defeat to Colorado in August. An incident like that in the playoffs could potentially be disastrous.

Carroll, set to begin his ninth consecutive playoff campaign, is a leader that can help prevent such incidents, and he called for all of his teammates to pull together at a crucial point in the season.

"Nobody’s a rookie anymore," said Carroll, a two-time MLS Cup winner. "Everyone's been together long enough to know each other's tendencies. Everyone backs each other up, and everyone's worked so hard for each other all year long, I think we know each other pretty well, and it's about raising our level that little bit to be prepared for playoff time."

Their preparation for the playoffs doesn't mean the Union are overlooking their final match of the regular season against the New York Red Bulls. The meetings between the Union and Red Bulls have, in a short time, blossomed into one of the most promising rivalry clashes in Major League Soccer.

"It's going to be a big game," Mapp said. "We’re still battling for first in the East. It's a big game, and we want to win first in the Eastern Conference."

Carroll sees the clash as an opportunity to prepare the team for the type of high-intensity situation they’ll encounter in the playoffs.

"I think the game in New York will be a good playoff-type of atmosphere, and a good playoff-type of test," Carroll said. "It's big. We want to do our best, because there's no letting off the gas pedal. We need to continue to play and continue to improve."