Carnell sacked at midway point of MLS season
Former South Africa fullback Bradley Carnell was sacked as Philadelphia Union coach on Wednesday after a dismal run of form for the club, which had finished top of the regular season standings last season.
Union have won only one of 15 Major League Soccer matches this season, with 10 defeats, and sit bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
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They were beaten 6-4 by Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami away in Carnell’s last match, which proved the final straw for the club.
Union’s form was in stark contrast to last year when they topped the regular season standings, then losing in the last eight of the post-season playoffs.
BREAKING: The Philadelphia Union has parted ways with head coach Bradley Carnell, per sources.
Philly is bottom of MLS with 7 points after 15 matches. Club won Supporters' Shield last year.
Carnell is reigning MLS Coach of the Year. https://t.co/Z7AOHrurW4 — Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 27, 2026
In the wake of Carnell’s departure, the club overhauled their structures, appointing Jon Scheer as sporting director and moving Ryan Richter, coach of the club's developmental team, Philadelphia Union II, into Carnell's job on an interim basis.
Union principal owner Jay Sugarman praised Carnell's professionalism and expressed confidence in Richter during the search for Carnell's permanent replacement.
Carnell’s firing follows a similar pattern at his last job at St Louis City, where he took them to the top of the table in their inaugural season in 2022 only to crash and burn the next year and for him to be fired mid-season
Club Statement: https://t.co/lhP9vT04qM pic.twitter.com/TWy4Qr4GPT — Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) May 27, 2026
The 49-year-old Carnell was an assistant coach at both Free State Stars and Orlando Pirates before in 2017 being offered an assistant job at New York Red Bulls, where he later served as interim coach.
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