Something I Was Looking For: Indiana Vassilev’s Fresh Start in Philadelphia

A Versatile Midfielder Reunites with Carnell’s Vision.

(Credit: Philadelphia Union)

On February 21, the Philadelphia Union swung a trade with St. Louis CITY for versatile midfielder Indiana Vassilev, setting the stage for a pivotal reunion this weekend against his former club. Philadelphia marks the third MLS team for Vassilev in five seasons. Inter Miami brought him on loan from Aston Villa in 2021. After the 2022 season, St. Louis CITY paid $50,000 in GAM to Miami for Vassilev’s MLS rights, and on January 17, 2023, St. Louis acquired him on a permanent transfer from Aston Villa.

Vassilev was a key part of Bradley Carnell’s St. Louis CITY squad until Carnell’s firing in July 2024. He appeared in 62 matches (48 starts), scoring five goals and providing nine assists in 3,937 minutes. Though he didn’t want to delve too deeply into the trade between Philadelphia and St. Louis, he admitted that it was something he had been looking for and that the Union was the perfect fit for him to continue his career.

“All I want to say is it definitely was something that I was looking for, and I think it was just the right fit—coming here with the coaching staff I was familiar with, with a system that I was used to, that I know, and with a team that obviously last year underperformed in [some] ways but, in other ways, performed very well,” Vassilev told The Free Kick.

“So I don't think what's going on right now here is surprising, given the personnel, the players, and then, obviously, I was familiar with the staff, and they're obviously fantastic. So yeah, that's kind of all I really want to say about that. I was definitely looking for [this], and this was the best fit,” Vassilev said.

Throughout the preseason and early stages of this season, multiple players have highlighted Carnell’s strong communication skills. His ability to clearly define expectations and roles has been a recurring theme in press conferences. Carnell often emphasizes that “competition is good,” and it appears the players have bought into his philosophy.

"Communication is vital. That's one of his [Bradley Carnell’s] strong suits. Also, in terms of how we want to play, he makes it so, so clear,” Vassilev said. “When you're on the field, you know exactly what your job is, you know exactly what your role is. If you're coming in as a sub, you still know your jobs and roles—communication goes throughout the whole team. And not just Brad, but the whole staff is quite good at it as well. So yeah, I mean, that's just one of their many qualities that they bring. And obviously, that's been highlighted, and it's definitely true."

Carnell has also brought in some of his former staff members from St. Louis CITY, including assistant coach Mitch Hildebrandt and, more recently, Sean Rooney as director of team analysis, replacing Dean Costalas.

Meanwhile, longtime Union staff members Phil Wheddon (director of goalkeeping and assistant coach) and Frank Leicht (assistant coach) have remained with the team. Both played crucial roles in the Union’s success under Jim Curtin from 2020 to 2024, and their continued presence has helped maintain the established culture within the squad.

Despite a busy year and a half, during which key players like Julián Carranza, José Martínez, Leon Flach, and Jack Elliott departed, the Union retained a core group. That continuity has played a significant role in their early-season success, according to Vassilev.

"I think the cohesion and togetherness of the team prior to Brad [were] already there, and I think the coaching staff came in and added to it," Vassilev said. "Winning definitely helps. It's very easy to be a good teammate, and it's very easy to be a good person and a good staff member when you're winning. I think we'll find out—not even find out—I think when it gets tough, that's when you'll truly see how good we can be."

The Union will face their first major test this weekend against St. Louis CITY, following their first loss of the season—a 3-1 defeat to Nashville. The game was marred by controversial referee decisions, as well as an overall subpar performance by the Union.

To add to the challenge, Philadelphia will be without seven players on international duty, including stars Andre Blake and Dániel Gazdag and Tai Baribo, alongside Jesús Bueno, Danley Jean Jacques, Neil Pierre, and Frankie Westfield. Additionally, Olwethu Makhanya will be unavailable after receiving a red card for throwing the ball at Nashville’s Jacob Shaffelburg’s face late in the game.

Carnell had stuck with the same starting XI for the past four weeks, but with this roster shakeup, Vassilev is poised to step into the lineup. The question remains—where does he see himself contributing in Carnell’s 4-2-2-2 formation?

"Kind of wherever I'm needed, [I'll try to just] plug in there. We've got a ton of quality in the team, which I'm sure has been seen early this season,” Vassilev said. "But it was very apparent last season as well, which I know is harder to find those positives because this team didn't make the playoffs. But there is an abundance of quality here, and I'm kind of just happy to add to it.”

This could be the deepest bench the Union has had in years. They boast three legitimate starting forwards in Tai Baribo, Bruno Damiani, and Mikael Uhre—Damiani should finally get his shot in the XI with Baribo away. At No. 10, Dániel Gazdag and Quinn Sullivan shine, but Vassilev could step in there too. The No. 6 role features Danley Jean Jacques and Jovan Lukić, with Jesús Bueno and Alejandro Bedoya as backups—and Vassilev’s versatility extends there as well.

Carnell might even tweak the system to a 4-2-3-1, deploying Vassilev out wide to exploit St. Louis’s high-pressing style, a tactic he knows well from his time there. Regardless of the formation, the Union’s depth will be tested this weekend. As Vassilev said, when things get tough, we’ll truly see how good this team can be—and this matchup promises to be a stern challenge.

Vassilev, speaking before the Nashville game, emphasized that he approaches matches on a game-by-game basis and had not yet been thinking about the St. Louis fixture. However, he insisted he does not feel he has a personal point to prove against his former team.

"Not necessarily. I haven't really thought about St. Louis too much, if I'm being honest," Vassilev said. "We work game to game, so I'm just focused on Nashville and getting a positive result there. And then, when St. Louis comes, we'll see how we deal with it."

One thing Vassilev is certain of, though, is his admiration for Bradley Carnell, both as a person and as a coach.

"He's obviously, first and foremost, a great person, which I think is why it's so easy to connect with him and to follow him as our coach," Vassilev said. "And obviously, as a coach, he's more than proved himself."