Philadelphia Union announced today that former player Chris Albright has joined the team’s technical staff as assistant technical director.
Albright, a Philadelphia native, spent the previous two years as a member of the Philadelphia Union.
“I’m looking forward to the next chapter of my career, and am grateful for this opportunity with the Philadelphia Union,” said Albright. “It was an honor to finish my playing career with my hometown club and I'm hopeful for more successes here as I transition into a new role with the organization. I’m obviously passionate about this area, the product we put on the field, and the development of soccer in this region as a whole."
Albright’s primary responsibilities will consist of assisting in player management and movement, while also being involved in player and coaching decisions. The former Union player joins the staff after announcing his retirement from a playing career in October of 2013.
“We’re extremely excited to have Chris join our staff,” team manager John Hackworth said. “He is a respected figure among our coaching staff and in our locker room and his knowledge and experience as an MLS player will be an excellent addition.”
In addition to his responsibilities with the first team, Albright will assist the Union in Corporate Business Development areas and maintain a role as an ambassador for Philadelphia Union in youth development and community efforts in Greater Philadelphia.
Throughout his playing career in the U.S., Albright was a member of five MLS clubs, where he appeared in 235 matches and registered 11 goals and 22 assists. The defender, who won MLS Cups with D.C. United (1999) and the LA Galaxy (2002, 2005), earned MLS Best XI honors in 2005 and was selected to the MLS All-Star team in three consecutive seasons (2004-2006) as a member of the Galaxy. Internationally, Albright earned 22 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team and was a member of the 2006 FIFA World Cup team in Germany.
Prior to his time as a professional, the Pennsylvania-native attended Virginia for two seasons (1997-‘98), leading his squad to the 1997 ACC Tournament championship match and receiving NSCAA first-team All-America honors in 1998. In total, Albright scored 31 goals and added 20 assists in 49 games played with the school.
