The Philadelphia Union, the expansion Major League Soccer club set to begin play next year, has hired John Hackworth as coach and youth development coordinator. Hackworth comes to the Union from the United States Men's National Team that recently qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.
"He [Hackworth] has proven his ability to nurture young players and that talent will be essential in our plan to develop them into successful professionals," said Union coach Peter Nowak.
Hackworth spent the last two years alongside Nowak as an assistant with the USMNT and helped guide the squad to a first-place finish in group play in the World Cup qualifying round and a second-place finish in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
"After working with Peter on both the National and Olympic teams, I knew that I had to be a part of what he and [CEO and managing partner] Nick Sakiewicz are building here," said Hackworth. "It's going to be something very special."
Hackworth played at Wake Forest under soccer legend Walter Chyzowych, where he helped the Demon Deacons to a No. 3 ranking nationally in 1991 and 1992. He went on to play professionally for the Carolina Dynamo of the A-League.
