Philadelphia Union fire technical director Rob Vartughian

Another key member of the Union's coaching staff has been fired. The team announced Wednesday that technical director and longtime assistant coach Rob Vartughian is gone from the organization.

Though the move was announced after the firing of head coach John Hackworth, I was told by multiple sources with direct knowledge that the decision to dismiss Vartughian was made at the same time as the decision to dismiss Hackworth.

That the two moves were not publicly announced together was simply down to making sure all parties involved across the organization were properly informed of both decisions.

In other words, this wasn't a decision made by Jim Curtin about Vartughian after Curtin was installed as head coach.

Vartughian had been with the Union since January of 2010, heading into the team's inaugural season. He was initially hired as the team's goalkeeper coach, and was given technical director duties in 2012.

Officially, Vartughian became the last original member of the Union's coaching staff to depart the organization.

With Vartughian gone, the question now arises of whether Union CEO Sakiewicz will hire a full-time technical director or general manager. Sakiewicz has long played a key role in the Union's major personnel moves, even though Vartughian had the official "technical director" title.

Sakiewicz told reporters last night that he is considering the idea:

We will see whether that thought becomes reality.