You can add the Philadelphia Union and its fans to the long list of people who aren't too fond of the Seattle Sounders, and it's not because Sigi's boys beat the newest MLS team convincingly and by a 2-0 scoreline in Major League Soccer's 2010 debut last night.
The defeat, I suspect, they can handle. They are an expansion side after all, and a young one at that; no, the Union will find their reason to despise the Sounders in the post-game comments made by Philadelphia manager Peter Nowak.
"We got to see all this flopping and diving and when you see the stats we have eight fouls and six cards that is too much. There is guys rolling around on the pitch like they got shot. I think we need to recognize there are guys doing this stuff and trying to take advantage of the referee decisions."
Stern words from the MLS veteran player and manager, words that ring true for many around the country decry the actions of certain Sounders players on a regular basis. Though the Union got pushed forward against the Sounders and threatened to make a game of it on a few occasions, Toni Stahl's second booking and resulting ejection in the 40th minute simply handicapped them too much.
The Union collected six cards on the night, the Sounders one. Though the line between a dive and a legitimate foul is often imperceptible, there is room to question; Nowak took that room and made the most of it.
"I expect someone like Freddie Ljungberg who has scored so many goals and played hundreds of games with the national team and won so many trophies would be more honest than he is. He is complaining and whining about missing a goal and trying to push the referee for a yellow card is not up to his standards. I believe and we both played the game and I believe when you play the game you not only try to win but try to be honest with your effort. I think it is below his standards."
MLS refereeing already takes its fair share of criticism, and the opinion of Nowak with a rabid new fan base behind him won't help matters. Make no mistake, the Union were physical, perhaps by strategy, and likely because they knew they would have trouble keeping up with the likes of Freddie Montero and Steve Zakuani; but when a manager chooses to call out players individually for dishonesty on the field, it's going to reverberate.
Union fans were likely to hate almost everyone, mostly because they're from Philly. It's what they do, and it's probably a good thing; the more heat for MLS the better, real, contrived, or otherwise. New York will be at the top of the list purely due to geography, but that doesn't mean Philadelphia's support will hold back in their disdain for others. Seattle, by merit of their win over the Union in the expansion team's debut, the comments of Nowak, and the perception thats pervades about their fans, might take an immediate step into the first tier of Union rivals. Like DC United fans, Philadelphia might not be able to help themselves.
On the field, the Union have a lot of work to do. The team, as mentioned, is extremely young. Nowak's tactics will develop as he learns more about his team, and his players will get better with experience. Though Nowak certainly knows these things, that doesn't mean he won't call things as he sees them. Seattle deserved to win last night, and were clearly the better team. It's just that, well, Peter thinks they weren't exactly honest.
Even as Union fans look forward to their club's next match on the schedule, I'm sure they've already circled June 27th, when the Sounders head to Philadelphia for the return date.
