Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
The Philadelphia Union have taken another step in their commitment to locking up their young nucleus for years to come.
Defender Sheanon Williams was rewarded with a new contract on Wednesday, extending his time in Philadelphia as he enters his second full season with the club. Length and details of the deal were not disclosed.
A member of the U.S. Under-23 player pool up until the current training camp, the 21-year-old Williams was a steady presence at right back all of last season for the Union, emerging as one of the league's top performers at the position. He joined the Union in Sept., 2010, after a stint with the Harrisburg City Islanders that followed an unfulfilled quest to catch on in Europe. Williams, a longtime U.S. youth international, started all 32 games in which he played last season.
"Sheanon has become an important member of our club, and we're very pleased to reward him with a new contract that better reflects his value," Philadelphia manager Peter Nowak said in a club release. "Keeping Sheanon in Philadelphia is an important investment in our defense, both for the present and future."
What do you think of the Union committing to Williams? Where do you think he ranks among the league's right backs?
Share your thoughts below.
That would be reasonable if we were talking about midfielders or attackers, but we are not. Familiarity could is sensible justification as well, but none of these players have played together in over a year so that kind of goes out the window. What it feels like to me is that Caleb Porter now gets to advertise the Akron program as producing the entire olympic backline to potential recruits.
sarkodie and valentin were clearly inferio players this past season.
Porter made it very clear the day he was hired he was going to play an Akron style 4-3-3.
So if you can get guys who are good enough to play at that level and also know your style so well you needn’t worry about it, then you would be crazy if you did not do that.
Many national teams over the years, most recently Spain, have made a practice out of trying to pick as many guys from one system as possible. Part of that is that dominant teams sometimes have most of the good players for a given country but it is also solves a lot of issues for national team managers with little time. Every player he can get who already understands the system the team will play, means that is one less player he has to worry about.
Which gives him more time for other things.
I’m not familiar with Williams but I’m guessing he isn’t the second coming of Maicon or Danny Alves.
So if he isn’t head and shoulders above whoever Porter’s first choice right back is then I would take the so-called lesser talent in exchange for the superior understanding of the system and the superior chemistry with the other guys in the back four(assuming they are also ex-Zips).
In other words if we are looking at an Akron back four, and they are good enough to not embarrass themselves, then, given the shortened time frame it makes sense to me.
im not sold on Williams…. the Akron crew appear at this point to be more reliable… but this wreaks of nepotism….
I believe Williams started more games than all seven selections. He certainly played more minutes on the backline than five of them. My guess is, if the USA qualifies, two overage selections will be defenders.
I lol’ed.
I’ve always liked this kid. He always had superior athleticism and feel for the game.
[MANAGER] only calls up [PLAYER] because of [NEPOTISM/FAVORITISM/RACISM/SOMEOTHERISM].
Gale did move home, to Carolina in the NASL. He didn’t want to handicap himself with a multi year deal so he chose the NASL route. He’s already been assured of plenty of minutes. No, he won’t be playing at MLS level competition but he has yet to be in his career. So it’s a step up from where he was. We’ll see how it pans out. Colin Clark’s a good manager so that she at least bode well for him
Maybe the Union made a deal with Caleb to only 3 players for this camp and then have his choice for qualifying. You have to remember the Union would be losing nearly 20% of their roster if all 5 players who have been continually called in were allowed to go to camp. This camp is also a last showing for Sarkodie and a chance for Morales, if Porter is confident in Williams and the Union didn’t want to lose him for 10 days then his absence might more reflective of circumstances and not talent.
Boss should buy a clue and take note of the successful MLS move Williams has made.
Speaking as an RSL fan – good signing. Have been impressed every time I’ve seen him play.
Props to the initial replies – hilarious.
Perry Kitchen and Zarek Valentin started about as many games as Williams if I’m not mistaken, albeit Perry was out of position at right back (He’s a center back/holding mid in my opinion) but Valentin did very well for Chivas.
I’ll give you Sarkodie and don’t get me wrong on Williams. I think he’s a better outside back than Sarkodie at the moment and I would taken him over Kofie any day on my roster. However, I’m just saying that I think we should avoid the “THE ONLY REASON THEY MADE THE ROSTER IS BECAUSE THEY’RE FROM AKRON!” conclusions. These are all professional, and all very promising young players. Is Williams better than Sarkodie? Yes. But the difference isn’t so great that I would blame Akron connections for being the sole reason of him being left of the roster.
Good argument if all the other defenders were better, played, and started more games. But they didn’t, some hardly played at all.
Or it could be because Porter sees something in them for his system that Williams doesn’t quite fit.
I’m not saying that familiarity from Akron doesn’t play some kind of role in this, but let’s not hyperbolize and say that it’s the only reason that Williams was left out. These are all talented young players and there’s not so much a difference between any of them that it’s a criminal offense to leave one out for the other in my opinion.
Williams is good but he’s not so far ahead of Valentin for example that he without a doubt deserves a roster spot ahead of him.
Booooo, boooooo, booooooo
(Just wanted Williams to know he’s still loved in Colorado, since he won’t be making the trip this year)
Love it – as an American soccer fan signing our young talent now develop them for a few years sell to Europe and as the game in the US evolves we get better talent younger and eventually make the switch to keeping these guys in the league for their careers.
Because he didn’t play for him at Akron, otherwise this is completely inexplicable..
Oh stop it, both of you.
Good move. He had a very good year. Why did Caleb drop him for Sarkodie, Kitchen, and Valentin?
Took you long enough.
Oh, I see how it is.