2010 USL PDL Defender Of The Year Joe Tait On Trial With The Philadelphia Union
by Scott Kessler on Aug 24, 2011 9:19 PM EDT
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The Philadelphia Union have brought in former Player Development League (PDL), part of the United Soccer Leagues (USL), Defender of the Year Joe Tait on trial.
Tait, revealed as a Union trialist during the team's 5-3 friendly win over the USL's Harrisburg Islanders, is a 21-year-old defender with the Dayton Dutch Lions of the USL PRO division. He also played a full 90 minutes in the Union's last reserve game.
The Englishman joined the Dutch Lions in 2011 after spending 2010 with the Baton Rouge Capitals, where he earned Defender of the Year honors after playing in 12 league games and scoring six goals. His college career was spent in the NAIA, a separate system from NCAA soccer.
It does not appear that Tait has a green card or any time of citizenship, as he came over to the USA in 2009. Currently the Union do not hold an open international roster spot.
Since trading former starting left back Jordan Harvey to the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Union have carried only four natural defenders on their first team squad. Due to the lack of defensive depth on the squad, central midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi has been called into action as a central defender on multiple ocassions in league play and friendlies and Ryan Richter has been converted into a right back.
Center backs Danny Califf and Carlos Valdes, along with right back Sheanon Williams, have started almost every minute of the season. Their back up, Juan Diego Gonzalez, has yet to make an appearance in 2011. Additionally, current starting left back Gabriel Farfan has started every game at the position since the Harvey trade.
The Union are most likely looking for young defensive talent late in the season, as they did last year when Williams was signed from the Islanders and ended up starting at the end of 2010.
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Noted in my update.
Thanks for that info via Twitter.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Aug 24, 2011 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions
The Baton Rouge Capitals site has a post on former players now in the pros (as of the start of the 2011 season). He went on to play 17 games for Dayton Dutch Lions with 1 goal & 1 assist in 2011.
Joe Tait, was crowned PDL defender of the year and rightly so. Having been released from Hartlepool in the pro leagues in England Joe was offered a scholarship in the States and a chance to rejuvenate his career. His Stellar performances for the capitals all season saw him gain a lot of attention from clubs all over the country and following the season’s completion Joe wasn’t short of interest. Joe is the first player to benefit from the Capitals newly signed partnership with the talented and ambitious rookie USL Pro franchise the Dayton Dutch Lions as he has inked with them for the 2011 season. Coach Hayers remarked "Joe is simply one of, if not the, best player I have had the privilege of working with and I know he will flourish under the management in Dayton…I’d put my mortage on that lad doing big things in the game".
MK
He's an offensively adept defender.
Makes him prime Union material (Califf – former striker, Valdes – seems like a former attacking MF, Williams – former striker, Farfan – former attacking MF).
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Aug 24, 2011 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions
He scored in tonight's friendly with Harrisburg
Union won the match 5-3. Harrisburg lead at halftime 2-0, but the Union responded with 5 unanswered goals. The Union scorers were Mapp, Richter, Pfeiffer, Torres, and Tait.
How do we not have an international spot left?. We got rid of Ruiz to open a spot and signed only Adu. Thorne Holders release opened a second Int. spot but umm hes back.
Ruiz had a green card.
People keep asking and I keep directing them to information that a league source gave to SBN/tbG:
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Aug 25, 2011 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions
international players....
are only considered intl. if they do not have a green card…… that is why Holder was waived, he would have made space for that German striker they were after. My guess is that since the season is almost over, maybe they wave the paper weight and just eat the salary. That is assuming that his contract is done at the end of the year. I doubt they would eat more then a half a year…..
Remeber when ...
… we signed that former USL DotY last season? I wonder how Arrieta’s doing these days? ;)
USL vs USL PDL
The kid is 21 and was named the top defender out of all of the up-and-comers. Arrieta was already in his “prime” was the Union got him and stunk.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Aug 25, 2011 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions
He stunk as being one of our main guys, I would gladly take Arrieta as our 5th defender though.
by danielfarrell on Aug 25, 2011 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions
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