Football
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Philadelphia Union hire Earnie Stewart as sporting director

Former U.S. national team veteran Earnie Stewart will take over in January as sporting director for the Philadelphia Union, the club announced on Monday.

Stewart, who is currently the director of football affairs at Dutch Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar, will oversee and guide all Union technical and football-related decisions, "working closely with the Union first team, USL team and youth academy," the club said.

The three-time World Cup veteran guided AZ Alkmaar to Europa League qualification for the last six straight seasons. In 2015, AZ was honored with the Rinus Michels Award for having the best youth academy in Dutch football.

Stewart, who is currently the director of football affairs at Dutch Eredivisie club AZ Alkmaar, will oversee and guide all Union technical and football-related decisions, "working closely with the Union first team, USL team and youth academy," the club said.

The three-time World Cup veteran guided AZ Alkmaar to Europa League qualification for the last six straight seasons. In 2015, AZ was honored with the Rinus Michels Award for having the best youth academy in Dutch football.

"In searching for a Sporting Director, we defined specific criteria we were looking for a candidate to fulfill. Earnie rated highly on all our key metrics. His understanding of the international soccer landscape and viewpoint on Major League Soccer, combined with his experience in player development and strong work ethic, make Earnie an excellent fit for this important role," said Philadelphia Union owner Jay Sugarman. "Earnie's long-term vision and desire to positively impact soccer in the United States aligns closely with our vision for the Philadelphia Union and we are excited to welcome him back to the USA and put him in a position to drive the Union to long term success."

Stewart registered 101 caps for the United States from 1990 until he retired in 2005. He was a regular starter for the United States in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups and his 111 goals as a professional in the Netherlands make him the highest-scoring American in international club play. Stewart also played in MLS during the 2003 and 2004 seasons and was a member of the D.C. United team that won the MLS Cup in 2004.

"I am thrilled with the opportunity to come to the Philadelphia Union and help create a winning team which the fans can identify with. I look forward to working with everyone at the Union to establish a clear playing philosophy and use my experience to create a competitive edge in our methods of recruiting and developing players at all levels of the club, from the Academy up through the First Team," Stewart said. "From the first moment I spoke with the Union about the direction they wanted to go I was excited about the long term opportunity and my ability to help execute on our shared vision.

"I would like to thank AZ for giving me the chance to follow my ambition in coming back to the United States and I remain committed to fulfilling my duties here at AZ Alkmaar through the end of the year."

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