Pulling YoU(nion) Back In — Cavan Sullivan Called Up, Looking to Make History
Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
Cavan Sullivan could make history this week when he dresses for the Union’s home tilt versus the New England Revolution.
Jonathan Sigal of MlSsoccer.com first reported the news.
Sullivan is a fourteen-year-old homegrown phenom who is already set to transfer at eighteen to reigning Premier League champion and global soccer force Manchester City. The City was eliminated in the Champions League Semifinals by Real Madrid this year 4-3 on penalty kicks. That is how highly he is thought of around soccer. If the younger brother of Quinn Sullivan appears Wednesday, or against Nashville Saturday at Subaru Park, he will surpass Freddy Adu for youngest debutant among the top North American professional sports leagues (MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NWSL). Adu debuted for D.C. United in 2004 at 14 years and 306 days old.
Back in mid-June, Jim Curtain said “The sky’s the limit. I do still say he’s a generational talent, one who can really change the game by himself and one that has such a quick first step [where] it’s maybe something we need too, to unlock a defense, to go 1v1.”
He was also quoted as saying, “It’s a hard thing to do in our game, is to beat the first man. That changes the whole picture of the game in front of you and Cavan certainly has that whether it’s at the U-17 level, the second-team level, and now the first-team level in the training sessions that we’ve gotten to work with Cav. He’s only going to get better and better each and every day.”
That is great news for Union fans over the next few years but it may not solve their problems this year. Though they lost Julian Carranza, in an earlier-than-expected transfer, to Feyenoord of the Dutch Eredivisie, they currently sit tied for 4th in the Eastern Conference in goals scored. They are tied for 4th-worst in goals allowed and above six teams in goal differential yet dead last in the table. The awful timing of some of those goals allowed has certainly played a part in what has been a very rough Union season so far.
“Cavan’s earned the right to be in the 20 if you just go through the numbers,” Curtin said. “He’ll get that opportunity now and the next step is working hard to get your first minutes. Sometimes that might be one minute, that might be 15 minutes, that might be 90 minutes. But you have to earn it and I think Cavan understands that and recognizes it.” said Jim Curtin.
One of these days will be that opportunity and, in a year that seems all but lost, we can witness (all willing) what may be a generational talent for our club. The Sons of Ben and all the Union fans will give him a great ovation and announcers will tell you all about him. Enjoy it. Embrace it. Also, remember that he is fourteen, and the season up until this point was not his fault nor is it his job alone to save it. If lucky, we have over 3 years to witness his special talent on the pitch with his brother and that is a really cool story.
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