Jim Curtin wins incredibly close 2022 MLS Coach of the Year race

Curtin has claimed the award for the second time in three years

Jim Curtin is the 2022 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year, but only took the prize by the narrowest of margins.

The Philadelphia Union boss, for the second time in three seasons, was the winner in polling involving players, media, and club general managers. He’s the fifth coach to win the award multiple times, and at 43 is the youngest to do so.

Curtin guided the Union to the top of the Eastern Conference, with his side picking up 67 points and missing out on the Supporters’ Shield only via the games-won tiebreaker. Philadelphia finished the year with by far the best goal difference in the league, a +46 mark resulting from setting club records in goals scored (72) and fewest goals conceded (26). Both marks were best in MLS this season.

He also seemed to find a new gear this year for the Union, who had previously been characterized purely by their pressing tactics and defensive organization. In 2022, those aspects remained intact, and were augmented by a far more dangerous attack that saw Dániel Gazdag, Julián Carranza, and Mikael Uhre each manage to produce at least 19 combined goals and assists.

Despite all that, Curtin won the award by just 0.1% of the vote. While the player and GM votes both leaned towards him, the media ballots broke heavily towards CF Montréal coach Wilfried Nancy. LAFC’s Steve Cherundolo (who won that aforementioned Shield) also ran Curtin close in all three categories. The breakdown gave Curtin 23.57% of the total vote, besting Nancy’s 23.47% mark by less than one percentage point.

Curtin and the Union will be busy this weekend, as they host the Eastern Conference final on Sunday night against NYCFC (8:00pm Eastern, FS1/Fox Deportes).

Watch Curtin get the news at Subaru Park

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