Philly native Albright at home with Union

CHRIS ALBRIGHT has played for four MLS teams, the U.S. national team, the Under-20 and Under-23 national teams, and was a member of the 2006 U.S. World Cup team in Germany.

But more than anything else, he wants it understood that he never played for local youth powerhouse FC Delco.

"I want to set the record straight," Albright said during a conference call yesterday from the Union's training camp in Orlando, Fla. "I never played for FC Delco. It's a great, great club, but I grew up playing for Juniata YSA in Juniata Park, and from there FC Bayern and from there Council Rock [Dynamo]."

And now the native of Philadelphia, a graduate of Penn Charter, can add the Union to his list of local teams.

Albright signed with the Union Monday after training with the team during the last week. Naturally, after playing in Washington, D.C., Carson, Calif., Foxborough, Mass., and Harrison, N.J., he's glad to be home - even if it's really Chester.

"It's been a dream of mine to come home and play," he said. "The terms were right and the time just worked out now."

Albright played with the New York Red Bulls the last two MLS seasons, but was notified with a phone call that the team would not pick up the option year of his contract.

"This was definitely my first choice," he said. "There were some other options out there, but I wanted to be with Philly."

But what his role will be with the Union is undetermined. Hampered by injuries, the defender and former all-league performer has played in only 27 games during the last three seasons. And the words that the 33-year-old Albright and Union manager Peter Nowak kept using were "leadership" and "experience," neither of which is a field position.

"He'll push the guys, the youngsters, which is vital," Nowak said. "Chris is a great example. He trains very hard.

"We don't know what's going to happen. He's got to stay healthy. We'll benefit from his experience. If the time is right, he'll push for a starting spot."

"I've had a lot of different experiences in the game," Albright said. "I'm at the point right now where I want to win. If that means coming off the bench, if that means working with the young kids on the reserve team to try to get better, that's great. I'm willing to take on whatever role that is. It's easy for me to put pride aside."

Nowak wouldn't address a question about the team's sale of all-time leading (only?) scorer Sebastien Le Toux to Vancouver.

"I'll let you ask that question at some point when the time is right, if ever," he said. (Le Toux and Vancouver visit the Union at PPL Park on March 31).

He also sounded like he's set to go into the season with a very young team.

"We made all our major moves in December," he said when asked about further acquisitions. "We addressed our needs. I'm happy with the roster we have."

But it was Albright's day for some nostalgia.

"I grew up in Juniata playing on fields that were pretty beat up," he said. "To play on this field [PPL Park] in Philadelphia in front of people I know . . .

"I understand what it is to be a Philadelphia fan. I have that passion in me to do everything I can to keep the Philly fans happy and do my best."