Chester — Ryan Richter is no stranger to the head coach title in the Philadelphia Union system. He’s been there before. Richter served as head coach of the Union Academy U-15s, who won the MLS Next Cup Final in 2021 under his guidance, before being promoted to first-team assistant in 2022 under then-Union head coach Jim Curtin. He remained with Curtin for three seasons.

However, when Curtin was let go in December, there was a lot of uncertainty — not only about who would fill Curtin’s shoes but also about who would take over the Union II head coach role with Marlon LeBlanc, the former head coach, out of contract.

“At the end of last year, there was a lot of uncertainty. Obviously, Jim was here for 11 years, and I worked with him for the last three, so it was a lot of change,” Richter said during an interview last week.

“And with change comes uncertainty, but it also brings opportunity. I’m really excited about how this all went for me. Once I went through the process of being selected as head coach, I’m really happy that it worked out, and with the staff that they brought in with Union II alongside me.”

When all was said and done, Richter was announced in January as the new head coach of Union II, replacing LeBlanc — which, at the time, was part of the offseason theme with Bradley Carnell replacing Curtin.

Sporting director Ernst Tanner had this to say about Ryan in the club’s official announcement: “His dedication and alignment with our club’s philosophy makes him a great leader and mentor for players coming through the Union pipeline. We’re excited to see him continue to grow and contribute to the overall success of the organization.”

Philadelphia Union’s director of academy and professional development, Jon Scheer, echoed Tanner’s statement in his comments: “We are incredibly excited to name Ryan Richter as the next head coach of Union II. Ryan’s experience across our entire pathway has given him a deep understanding of our club’s values, both on and off the pitch.”

He went on to elaborate: “I am confident Ryan will build upon the unprecedented success Union II achieved last year while remaining steadfast in his commitment to our core mission of developing players who can ultimately contribute to the sustainable success of our first team in MLS.”

When asked about those comments, Richter echoed them: “Our focus is to make this as good as we can every day, to help the players reach their potential, and create an environment where they can feel confident and like they are part of something. When they feel like everyone here is supporting their journey, that’s the environment we’re trying to create. That’s the thing I was most excited for with all the change — the opportunity to influence that.”

That support will be vital for these young players, who make up a mix of those on Homegrown contracts, MLS Next Pro contracts, and those from the Union Academy aiming to reach the next level — whether with the first team or elsewhere. Richter understands that, having experienced it firsthand in his playing days.

Richter played professionally for seven years. After being drafted fifth overall in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft by the Union, he spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons in USL Pro with Harrisburg and Charleston. In 2013, he played two seasons with Toronto FC, registering over 1,100 minutes and one assist. He later moved to the North American Soccer League, where he was named to The Athletic’s All-Decade Best XI. He played for the Ottawa Fury and New York Cosmos, with a brief stint with the Bethlehem Steel.

His staff shares a similar professional background. Shortly after his hire, Richter finalized his staff, naming former Union midfielder Fred Da Silva and former U-15 Union Academy head coach Henry Apaloo to the team. Da Silva spent last year as Union III coach and is a fan favorite in Philadelphia from his playing days with the club. He also played professionally in Brazil, Australia, and Major League Soccer with D.C. United and Philadelphia Union before starting his coaching career in 2016 as the U-12 Union Academy head coach.

Apaloo, who came up through the Premier League Academy system, had spells at Blackburn Rovers, Manchester United, and Bolton Wanderers. He also spent two years with Preston North End FC and played for the Lancashire Football Academy. Prior to coaching the U-15s at Union Academy, he worked at Aberdeen FC and Atlanta United FC, in both MLS and USL.

Then there is Ross Cain, the Union II goalkeeper coach, who has been with the organization since joining from USL Championship side
Sacramento Republic FC in January 2024.

“He does a great job of driving their environment every day and pushing them. And like you said, we have a group of really talented young goalkeepers, and the challenge for them is to push every day they are here.”

“Whether they’re playing in U-18, Union II games, or first-team experience and games, they need to bring everything we’re working on here. Ross is working so hard with them, providing feedback, and helping them bring that into the game, really increasing their game understanding as well.”

“For all of us, what we can do is share from experience how hard it is to achieve what they’re trying to do,” Richter said. “That’s the part they can’t appreciate or understand yet. Until you go through that, you don’t realize the mental struggle, the sacrifices you have to make, just how difficult every day is going to be. And that’s what we try to share with them.”

“But you have to understand, really, if you want to take the next step and become an MLS player — hopefully, even beyond that — it’s an incredibly hard journey. Your focus has to be unwavering. You can’t lose sight of it, especially if that’s your goal.”

Taking over a squad that reached the MLS Next Pro Cup just a year ago, Richter knows there are expectations to lead what was, at the time, the second-youngest roster in MLS Next Pro back to those heights in his first year as head coach.

“For all of us, when we step on the field, we want to win every game. That’s part of what we want to achieve as a team, but it’s also about development. If the players in our group aren’t pushed to win every game and try to reach the MLS Next Pro Cup final, if they’re not trying to win the league, then they aren’t developing the right mentality. They have to have the mentality to step in and help the first team win. Bradley [Carnell] won’t use them if they aren’t ready to contribute.”

Richter knows there are players like Eddy Davis, Sal Olivas, Frankie Westfield, and Neil Pierre, who all signed Homegrown contracts in the offseason and may get minutes with the second team again this year.

There are also names like Kellan LeBlanc, Jordan Griffin, and Jamir Johnson, who recently spent time with the U.S. U-17 national team in Costa Rica for the 2025 Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers, helping clinch a berth in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, set for November 2025.

“Jordan, Kellan, and Jamir have really pushed the level of the training group and shown their quality and potential. They surprised all of us with how quickly they adapted to playing against grown men. When they go to represent the national team, it’s a great honor for them, their families, and the club.”

So, what has Richter seen from the squad in his first preseason camp as Union II head coach?

“Well, the first thing I’ve seen from them is a lot of talent. We have guys who are willing to work very hard every day. The first step for us was creating an environment where you’re here to compete, to get better, and to be a positive presence. And everyone’s done that so far, whether it’s a first-team player coming in for a day to play a preseason game, an academy kid training, a signed Union II player, or a trialist. This is our group, this is our environment — let’s make the most out of it every single day. Credit to the staff and all the players involved — everyone has bought into that.”

And standing there watching them train, what stood out to me was the level of competition, the attention to detail from the staff, and the intensity with which each player was competing to make the most of their opportunity during training.

With all the changes around the club this offseason, I asked Ryan what fans can expect from the 2025 version of Union II.

“The style of play I believe in is being really aggressive, trying to play forward, and maintaining a very high-intensity game. I think for the players to understand that when you work hard off the ball like this, it can be really fun.”

“It’s boring to just sit back, stay in your shape, and not be aggressive. It’s more fun to watch, and it’s more fun for the players and fans.”

Union II kicks off its season on March 9 against New England Revolution II at Gillette Stadium.

Main Photo Credit: Philadelphia Union