Tuesday, Jul 11, 2023, 09:00 PM
AD FINEM FIDELIS
That’s the message that appeared in a post on Philadelphia Union Head Coach Jim Curtin’s Instagram page early last week, signaling to his followers that news of his future with the club could soon come to light.
The latin translation of that carefully chosen phrase is ‘faithful to the end.’
On Tuesday, the words rang true as the club announced that Curtin had signed a multi-year contract extension, solidifying his future with the organization. The deal confirms that Curtin is guaranteed to remain at the helm of the team through the year 2026.
“This is where we want to be. This is home for us,” Curtin said of himself and his wife Jen and three kids Ryan, Avery, and Miles.
It’s not unsurprising that Curtin opted to stay the leader of his hometown club for the near future, despite opportunities that may have arisen during talks of his new contract. He's as Philly as it gets, attending Bishop McDevitt High School in Montgomery County before playing collegiately Villanova University. There, he earned an abundance of Big East honors throughout his collegiate career, propelling him toward what would become a long-standing career in the world of Major League Soccer.
Curtin was selected by the Chicago Fire in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft, becoming the first Villanova Soccer alum to be drafted to play professionally in MLS. He played center back in the league for nine years before making a triumphant return as a coach.
Curtin has been a part of the Union since his inception – he’s an unwavering pillar of its foundation. The team began play in 2010, and in that same year, Curtin got his start as a coach at the Union Academy level. In the following two years, he climbed the ladder to the first team, earning a role as an assistant coach after leading the academy U-18s to a 2 Generation adidas Cup win in 2012. In another two years after that, he stepped in as interim coach when the club parted ways with former head coach John Hackworth. The team saw near-immediate success with Curtin as its manager, and by the end of the 2014 season, on November 7th, ‘interim’ was slashed from his title, and he’s remained in the role since.
Under his leadership, Curtin has compiled a lengthy list of accomplishments:
- Philadelphia Union U.S. Open Cup Runner-up – 2014, 2015, 2018
- MLS is Back Tournament semifinalist - 2020
- Supporters’ Shield Champions – 2020
- Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year – 2020, 2022
- Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League berth – 2020, 2022
- Best season in Union history (points, wins, goals, assists, goal differential, fewest goals conceded) – 2022
- MLS Cup final appearance – 2022
- Top seed in Eastern Conference – 2020, 2022
But just as relevant, is the team’s meteoric rise to relevance. During his tenure, the Union has garnered loyal fan support, produced international talent, and established itself as a dominant force in the Eastern Conference. It doesn’t dawn on Curtin the heights the team has reached – he exuded pure thankfulness while reflecting on his time as head coach during his press conference on Tuesday.
“I'm proud of the work that we've done here in a lot of ways. I'm proud of the consistency. I'll speak about the importance of having great players and great staff. I've had that now, through my time here with the Union. A lot of them have moved to different places, and they all are really thriving. It speaks to the consistency that we've been able to build here and that's probably what I'm most proud of. Over the last five years, we're at the very top in terms of points, we've won some things, we've had some heartbreaking losses as well, and that's what motivates coaches,” Curtin said.
“I'm really grateful to the players for the work that they put in – we still have more work to do. And last, but certainly not least, to our incredible fan base. We've had a lot of great memories together in that stadium. It's turned into the ‘must see’ sporting event in the summer. They've supported us and made Subaru Park an impossible place for teams to come and play, and that's something that we're proud of. We couldn't do it without our fans. They've been amazing with me, with my family. We've created a lot of great memories, we've had some heartbreak together, and we still have more work to do. I enjoy each and every day that I'm here.”
Throughout the preceding several months, Curtin has had long conversations with the Chairman and Majority Owner Jay Sugarman and Sporting Director Ernst Tanner about the future of the club, diligently outlining and creating a plan of success for the team during a team in which the league has caught the attention of an unprecedented international audience. On Tuesday, Curtin appeared ready to embrace whatever comes next with the same even-keeled optimism he continues to display.
“It's an important time for soccer. It's an important time for the Philadelphia Union. I think you guys have seen now strategically, too, we have a lot of players locked up that are the key players in the core group for this organization, which I think is very important as we move forward. There's always going to be outside noise and different opportunities that come up, but this is where I've wanted to be from day one.”
Subaru Park is a short drive over the bridge from Curtin’s favorite off-day escape in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, and an even shorter ride to his hometown of Oreland, Pennsylvania. Home is certainly where the heart is for Curtin in the next chapter of his coaching career.
Sage Hurley - @SageHurl