Brotherly Game: All Posts by Michel Jreissati

Former FC Delco/Union youth goalkeeper Zack Steffen speaks out about racism

2020-06-04T09:42:18-04:00

Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images

The Downingtown native says “enough is enough”

Downingtown, Pa. native and current U.S national team goalkeeper Zack Steffen says that if he is going to be wearing the American flag, he needs to know that his country ‘’supports black lives.’’

Steffen took his thoughts to Twitter on Tuesday afternoon, where he expressed his pride in his identity but also his concern about police brutality, racism and systemic injustice amidst a nationwide response to the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis.

‘’If I’m going to be wearing the U.S flag,” Steffen wrote. “I need to know that it stands for something worth defending. I need to know that my country supports black lives. That our leaders see us. That they hear us. I am proud to defend my nation; all I ask is that my nation also defends me.’’

To add to that, on Wednesday the Fortuna Dusseldorf keeper appeared in an interview with ESPN where he communicated his sorrow about the current situation and talked about the differences between Germany and the U.S.

‘’I do feel safer in regards to police brutality and being racially profiled,” he said. ‘’It’s sad, whenever I see a police officer or a cop, my mind goes straightaway to the videos that we all see and that’s not how it should be. These people are supposed to be there to protect us and help us and serve us, we’re not supposed to be scared of them, we’re supposed to look at them for help and leadership.’’

The former FC Delco and Philadelphia Union academy player is currently on a loan spell with German side Fortuna Dusseldorf. He was transferred from the Columbus Crew to Manchester City in 2018.

We owe it to our ancestors before us and those who will come after us to continue the fight. @VOYCEnow pic.twitter.com/fVx7bgoPF7
— Zack Steffen (@zackstef_23) June 2, 2020

Ray Gaddis joins protest in Indianapolis, Union teammates speak out about the killing of George Floyd

2020-06-02T12:14:21-04:00

Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Philadelphia Union released a statement on Monday

As protests have broken out across America and the world in response to the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis last week, Philadelphia Union players have weighed in, and in the case of Ray Gaddis, participated.

Gaddis, who has been excused from rejoining the team for individual training sessions in Delaware, documented protests in Indianapolis over the weekend via photos and videos on his Instagram.

‘’I promise to continue to use my voice and my platform regarding the continual injustice displayed in America for African Americans,” he wrote.

“I was glad to march and participate in a die-in for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in solidarity with fellow clergymen and women protesting not only the death of George Floyd but also those who have been slain unrightfully for years without justice.’’

View this post on Instagram

I promise to continue to use my voice and my platform regarding the continual injustice displayed in America for African Americans. I was glad to march and participate in a die-in for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in solidarity with fellow clergymen and women protesting not only the death of George Floyd but also those who have been slain unrightfully for years with out justice. I also want to convey as black man in America with a heavy heart, vandalism by interlopers is hurtful to the bringing justice/improving policing policies. While also mending interactions with-in not only my community but across the country. The actions of rioting and looting drowns out the important message to a populous in denial of injustice. #faithinindiana #pentecost #justiceforgeorgefloyd #justice #seekjustice

A post shared by Ray Gaddis (@ray_gaddis) on May 31, 2020 at 4:54pm PDT

He shared videos on his story where a group of protesters around him can be heard shouting: ‘’No justice! No peace!’’

Gaddis also talked about the rioting and violence that has taken place.

“I encourage African Americans and all people not to succumb to the temptation of violence in the midst of the continual struggle for injustice,” he wrote on Twitter. “What we say, what we do, and how we act gives birth for the change we want to see right now and for the next generation.’’

To remain silent is to be complicit. We can not continue to tolerate the blatant racism and injustices that are occurring in our country.
I stand & mourn with people of color whose communities have been affected.
Thank you Philly for the support!
✊ ✊ ✊ ✊ ✊ pic.twitter.com/kWNBxZwJLX
— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) May 30, 2020

Club captain Alejandro Bedoya expressed his thoughts on Twitter.

‘’To remain silent is to be complicit,” he wrote. “We cannot continue to tolerate the blatant racism and injustices that are occurring in our country. I stand & mourn with people of color whose communities have been affected. Thank you Philly for the support!’’

Defender Mark McKenzie shared a message on Instagram.

‘’My name is Mark McKenzie,” he wrote. “I’m a black man and proud of it to the core. I’m a human and deserve every bit of respect as my counterparts. I’m a son. I’m a brother. I’m an athlete. I’m a student. I’m a contributing member of society. And there is no reason why the pigment of my skin justifies whether or not my life is of equal value to another. I love who I am, I love my culture, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.’’

We love you, Philly. pic.twitter.com/TBDemud96j
— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion) June 1, 2020

The Union released a statement on social media on Monday.

“Racism and hatred of any form is entirely unacceptable, now or ever,” the statement read. “The black community and people of color in Philadelphia and throughout this country deserve dignity and respect. As a diverse organization started by our community and committed to our community, we will continue to look for new and more powerful ways to use our voice to support anyone experiencing injustice and prejudice of any kind. We must, and we will, find actionable ways to learn, to love, to respect, and to build each other up. We will not tolerate social injustice and remain committed to working towards solutions to eliminate it from the city and country we love.”

In Germany, Bundesliga soccer players used the sport to share their messages. American and Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie was seen wearing an armband that read: ‘’Justice for George Floyd.’’

Borussia Dortmund players Jadon Sancho and Achraf Hakimi took off their shirts after scoring goals on Sunday and pointed at their undershirts with the same ‘’Justice for George Floyd” message. Borussia Monchengladbach forward Marcus Thuram took a knee after finding the net against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

On loan forward Cory Burke appears in scrimmage in Austria

2020-05-28T16:41:16-04:00

Photo by Josef Bollwein/SEPA.Media /Getty Images

Burke subbed on for SKN St Polten in a friendly at Lask Linz

With the Austrian Bundesliga set to return on June 2, on loan forward Cory Burke made an appearance for SKN St. Polten in a scrimmage against Lask Linz on Wednesday.

The Austrian club visited the league leaders and the Jamaican showed positive signs despite the game ending in a 0-0 draw. He came on at the half-hour mark and led a dangerous counter-attack seven minutes later.

At half-time, his manager made nine changes keeping Burke and teammate Luan on the pitch, which gave him the chance to be at the heart of another highlight as he hit the outside of the net at the 56th minute. He returned to the bench four minutes later.

Philadelphia Union manager Jim Curtin said on Wednesday that the staff is monitoring Burke’s progress and said he’s reached out to him via text.

“He has a job to do there right now and I hope he scores some goals, helps the team out,” Curtin said on a video conference call with media on Wednesday. ‘’We’re eager to get him back with us as well. He’s a really talented striker. If you drop him in with the three strikers we already have, you know, that’s a really great group.’’

Burke joined St Polten in February 2020 and his loan was slated to end in June before soccer leagues around the world were disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

‘’Obviously Cory is still our player, a player we care about, a goal scorer and an asset to the club, so we’ll keep tabs on him; certain things are under control and certain things that aren’t right now.,’ Curtin said. ‘’It’s a challenging time for everybody but certainly with Cory, we want, when the time is right, for him to come back and help us as well.’’

Burke joined the Union in December 2017, after spending two seasons with the Bethlehem Steel. He last played for the Union in May 2019, missing the remainder of the season after have his visa rescinded while back in Jamaica to process his green card. He was loaned out to Jamaica club Portmore United in September 2019, netting 11 goals in 20 games before heading to Austria on loan.

He has 12 goals in 36 appearances for the Philadelphia Union.

Recovered from calf injury, Kai Wagner is happy to be back in training

2020-05-22T08:37:00-04:00

Photo via Philadelphia Union

Wagner spoke with media on Thursday about his return to the field

The return to the training pitch for the Philadelphia Union this week also officially marked the return of left back Kai Wagner from an injury that kept him out of a chunk of preseason and the only two games the team has played this season.

‘’It was very hard two months for me like from the start of the season because we had done a very long offseason, I think the longest I’ve ever had,” the 23-year-old said in a video conference call with media on Thursday. “The injury was harder than everybody thought. We had no idea for the first few weeks what the injury was and how bad the injury was.’’

Wagner missed all of the Union’s preseason games and the matches against FC Dallas and LAFC. Then the COVID-19 pandemic forced the suspension of the season and for him to rehab at home.

‘’It was just a little bit hard because I couldn’t get anything like a massage or something like this, but they made it easier for me because they gave me some stuff to do at home and every day, some exercises, how can I build it stronger,” he said. “And I think it was a good step for me that I could do also a lot of things at home.’’

Being home did come with the additional benefit of extra time with his newborn son.

‘’It’s a great time just to spend every second with my baby,” he said. “See how fast he’s growing how fast he gets all the movements and stuff like this. I mean, this time couldn’t be better for me, with my baby and for my injury.’’

While this week’s individual training sessions in Delaware have been an important step, there is still a ways to go for the team to be match fit. Union head coach Jim Curtin said earlier this week that he thinks the team needs at least three weeks and ideally at least four weeks training together as a group to be ready to resume play.

The proposal currently on the table is for players to go to Orlando for a couple months to quarantine together and play, which for Wagner would mean leaving his wife and newborn.

“It’s hard for every player, not just for me because I have a newborn baby but for other players too to be away from their families,” Wagner said. “The biggest thing is just to stay safe, don’t think too much about it and just enjoy right now the time with my family, and then we will see what’s going on with the rest of the year and the next few months.”

Support from teammates has been key over what has turned into the longest break of his career, Wagner said. He’s been able to get together with Brazilian forward Sergio Santos, who lives in the same apartment complex, for walks and dinner.

‘’It’s good to support each other during this process because Sergio’s family and my family are very close,” Wagner said. ‘’It’s been good just to see each other.”

Wagner said training this week was weird at first but that he’s gotten used to it and enjoyed seeing his other teammates after so long. Protocols have included getting temperature checks, hand washing, parking in designated spots and wearing masks when not on the training field, which is divided into four quadrants for four players to train at a time.

‘’We missed all of our teammates so much because we normally are together all the time,” he said. “We are not just teammates, we are also like a small family.”