May 25, 2011
COACHING DYNAMO
Reading United’s Burke juggles multiple roles

By Charles Cuttone
Executive Editor

Reading United AC coach Brendan Burke recently added Philadelphia Union Assistant Coach to his already extensive coaching resume. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue images

Brendan Burke might be the busiest guy in Philadelphia area soccer.

If you were at PPL Park Saturday night, you may have seen him working with the Philadelphia Union players before the game, and taking a seat on the bench along with Union Team Manager Peter Nowak and coaches John Hackworth and Rob Vartugian.

On Friday night, Burke coached Reading United A.C. to their fourth straight win in the Premier Development League, a 4-0 victory over the Ocean City Nor’Easters. Earlier in the week, United defeated the Westchester Flames in New York.

That win came just a day after Burke coached the Union Reserves to a 2-1 win over D.C. Untied in an MLS Reserve League game.

Since then, he has coached Reading in a pair of friendies, against the U.S. U17 National Team and the Harrisburg City Islanders.

“I am putting in 12-15 hours a day. That’s the only way to accomplish that,” Burke said. “I am doing a ton of work on the youth end as well at YSC. That was part of what I wanted when I came on, I wanted to be as complete as I could be in terms of coaching product.

“That means dealing with five-year-olds one night, top college players the next night and pros the next morning. It’s a lot. There’s definitely times where you’re stretched thin, but for this opportunity, I’d be crazy not to.”