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Should slipping Seitz take spectator's seat? | Twenty-three year old goalkeeper Chris Seitz of the Philadelphia Union hasn’t exactly had a pleasant start to his 2010 season, allowing two goals in each of the Union’s three games en route to a 1-2 record. This performance has caused many in Philadelphia to clamor for him to take his spot on the bench. A clamor that may very well be warranted.
Seitz was a stand-out at the University of Maryland for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. As a freshman he led the Terps to the NCAA National Championship by posting a 13-1-2 record with a 0.89 goals against average, also netting ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006. Success that has yet to translate to the MLS.
Seitz was selected fourth overall by Real Salt Lake in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. Seitz, however, only made seven appearances for RSL from 2007-2009, and in his first two starts allowed five goals, making this rocky Union start not nearly an isolated incident. In 2009 he was loaned to the Cleveland City Stars of the USL First Division for one game where he allowed another three tallies.
Philadelphia back-up Brad Knighton’s no superstar, either, and only two years older than Seitz, but more than worth handing a chance to, taking Seitz’s apparent lack of aptitude for the MLS stage, and Knighton’s years under top goalkeeper Matt Reis into account. Knighton is calm, athletic, and shows flashes of brilliance for close range, something that cannot be said of Chris Seitz through his first set of MLS starts.
Seitz’s recent gaffes only serve to prove that he may need a bit more developmental time before becoming a starter on the first team. Unfortunately for Philadephia, their average goalkeeper age is a shade over twenty-two; there’s no seasoned veteran to step in and steady the ship. It’s either Chris Seitz’s ship, or Brad Knighton’s ship. Philadephia would do well to test the reigns with both.
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