Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
He’s one heck of a second-stringer.
With Rais Mbolhi the official starting goalkeeper for the resurgent Philadelphia Union, Zac MacMath has been relegated unceremoniously to the substitute’s bench. Though, considering Mbolhi has played a grand total of one game in a Union shirt, the demotion has been somewhat rhetorical.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting.
All reports of MacMath since the acquisition of Mbolhi stress his professionalism. He’s upset, sure, but he’s being a good soldier and putting the team first, keeping his head down, and working hard to be the best keeper he can be.
And what a keeper he can be.
Playing against Toronto twice in the last week, MacMath has kept two clean sheets, allowing the Union to win it’s first 1–nil game in what seems like years on Wednesday, then making several big saves in the second half to keep the Canadians at bay after the Union had gone up 2–0 in the first half on Saturday.
It’s getting to the point where it would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
Rais Mbolhi may be the better goalkeeper — who knows? — but MacMath is pretty darned good. And, with Andre Blake also on the roster, it’s looking less and less likely that the Union will even get anything in return for a player that has obvious value. Instead, MacMath will probably be taken for nothing during the offseason MLS Expansion Draft.
But what a farewell tour.
MacMath may be on his way out, but you have to admire the way he’s leaving. No sulking, no tantrums, just clean sheets and big saves — saves that might bring a U.S. Open Cup trophy and a playoffs appearance to a franchise that hasn’t had much success of that sort in its oh-so-short life. If the Union had any trade leverage, his value would be higher than its ever been.
So let him hear it.
MacMath will get a few more chances to play in front of the PPL faithful before the season’s end. So, when he’s out there, let him know you appreciate what he’s done and what he’s doing for the team. He’s a young professional that any team would be proud to have in their locker room, and a player most would like on the field.
That’s why he’s PSP’s Player of the Week.
It does not make sense at all that Rais was given a contract; instead they should have given a contract to a great forward (one who is a lot better than Brown..)
If multiple teams decide that they want him, then we have trade leverage. If it happens, I will be sad to see him go–he’s been everything anyone could have expected he would be.
MBolhi is supposedly better… Anyone get a chance to see how he did in the Algeria Game?
I stand by my original comments: if MacMath yields a quality player at a position of need, then it’s a job well done. Anything less makes M’Bolhi’s existence on the team, a complete waste. To me, there is no middle ground.
Great recognition for not just a great keeper but MacMath has been nothing but a poised gentleman amid this whole situation. As a 23 year old keeper, he is only 1 game shy of his 100th MLS start.
Not only am I a fan but my kids are too! We are going to the 9/20 game with the MacMath scarf giveaway whether or not he plays! I would hope the management recognizes all that he has brought to this team both on and off the field – and that he is the epitome of a class act in this unfortunate team situation.
I think that faced with getting nothing for MacMath, Sak will keep him rather than admit how badly he screwed up the goalkeeper situation. In which case we’ll have 3 again next year. Or maybe he’ll trade Blake for nothing so that the uproar is quieter. Sak clearly doesn’t like anyone questioning his management, and I think losing MacMath for a song will be ammunition for a lot of questions…
I don’t know. In order for that to happen, Sak would have to protect 2 GKs out of 10 players in the expansion draft. If he did that and the Union lost an important player, there would be way more questions than just losing Zac for nothing. If nothing else, he’ll be exposed in expansion draft, and he’ll be taken I think.
We need MacMath. Blake and Rais will have a lot of Int’l duties next season. Loan out Blake and keep MacMath as a backup. Unless they are drafting Steffen which I doubt will happen next draft.
No way MacMath stays here for that.
The answer is simple. Admit it was a mistake to bring in a new keeper. Figure out a way to get rid of him. Keep MacMath and spend the keeper money elsewhere.