Union loan Matt Real to second-division team Colorado Springs Switchbacks

A 24-year-old Drexel Hill native, Real grew up in the Union’s academy and has been a pro with the team since 2018. But he has never broken all the way through to become a regular starter.

Matt Real hasn't played for the Union since last October, and hasn't started since last July.Read moreJonathan Tannenwald

by Jonathan Tannenwald

Published Apr. 18, 2024, 12:17 p.m. ET

The Union have loaned backup left back Matt Real to the Colorado Springs Switchbacks for the rest of the year.

A 24-year-old Drexel Hill native, Real grew up in the Union’s academy and has been a pro with the team since 2018. But he has never broken all the way through to become a regular starter, in part because of defensive shortcomings in his early years and in part because Kai Wagner has owned the job since 2019.

But even with Wagner’s stellar play, the Union have enough games each year that a backup should get reps. Real hasn’t because right back Nathan Harriel overtook him for No. 2 on the depth chart in the middle of last year, and has kept that status ever since.

As a result, Real hasn’t played a minute yet this year and didn’t even make the bench for five of the Union’s 11 games so far. Though he has played 62 games for the Union in his career, he hasn’t seen the field since a late-game cameo last October and hasn’t started since last July.

Real considered leaving the Union as a free agent at the end of the 2021 season, but ended up coming back and signing a one-year deal for 2022. He then got a two-year deal for last year and this year. What happens after this season remains to be seen.

When he arrives in Colorado Springs, Real will see some familiar faces. Switchbacks manager James Chambers was part of the Union’s reserve team from 2016 to 2019, when it was called Bethlehem Steel, and West Chester-born midfielder Zach Zandi played with the squad from 2019-20.

New academy chief

The Union promoted from within for their new academy chief, picking director of scouting Jon Scheer to succeed Tommy Wilson.

Scheer came to the Union in 2018, first as the academy’s director of talent identification. He was promoted to the top scouting role in July 2021, a few months before Chris Albright left his high-ranking front-office job to become FC Cincinnati’s general manager.

“Jon’s pathway from the academy to the professional side speaks volumes not only to his wide-ranging capabilities on the sporting side, but also the effectiveness of his leadership,” Union sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a statement. “He adopted our style of play and philosophy at the earlier stages and his implementation of our principles will be vital in keeping the consistency that is needed with our youth development.”

Before joining the Union, Scheer was an assistant coach at the University of Delaware, his alma mater, and a scout for the U.S. Soccer Federation.

“I’m thrilled to continue expanding my role at the Philadelphia Union,” Scheer said. “The holistic system we have in place to streamline our efforts from the academy to the first team, and apply consistency throughout, is a key pillar to our competitive strategy and has been vital to our success as an organization. I look forward to overseeing the development of the future generation of professionals here at the club.”