Jim Curtin lowers expectations for the rest of the Union’s season, but his job isn’t in danger yet

In a lot of other circumstances, Union manager Jim Curtin would have been fired by now.

He certainly would have been in any league with relegation, a hallmark of the soccer world just about everywhere except the United States. And he probably would have been with any other Philly sports team, because no one calls in to sports talk radio to talk about the Union.

But it’s so clear that the team’s biggest flaws aren’t his fault, that even casual followers aren’t pinning this year’s collapse on him. That must help his sanity as he watches goalkeeper Oliver Semmle flop and many other players play poor defense.

“As a coach, as players, as owners, we’ve built up some good equity over the last five seasons with the fan base,” Curtin said Friday. “And I think we’ve earned that, and they’ve been behind us for sure. I think the way that we’ve lost games recently, and the alarming way that we’ve lost games, is what maybe escalates things feeling very negative.”

The only thing that can fix the sour mood at Subaru Park is winning, which the Union haven’t done in their last eight games and have done just once in their last 15. Their last home win was way back on March 30, in the fifth game of the regular season.

» READ MORE: Union blow late 3-1 lead to suffer another ugly loss, 4-3 at Chicago

“We recognize that winning is the only thing that cures it,” Curtin said. “Winning is the most important thing. You can talk about developing players, you can talk about a million different things, but winning comes first.”

The mood will doubtless be sour again on Saturday when the rival New York Red Bulls visit (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It will be the first home game since fans chanted “Sell the team!” at the 2-0 loss to Charlotte on June 22, and there’s been chatter on social media that the Sons of Ben supporters’ club has a protest planned.

“We know when we step on the field, if we lose, we’re going to get booed again,” Curtin said. “That’s going to happen. If we win, we’re going to get cheered off the field. It’s a very simple equation. Our fans are intelligent.”

So is he, and he’s done some self-reflection in recent days.

“I always look in the mirror first at everything that goes on at this club,” he said. “Not just the good things, the bad things too. I think that you have to be self-reflective. Some things I can say publicly, and some things I know that have gone wrong this year have to stay inside.”

At least there are no chemistry problems in the locker room. That much is clear — and it would be pretty clear by now if there were problems. But Curtin conceded that he’s had to lower expectations for the rest of the year with his team next-to-last in the Eastern Conference (4-9-8, 20 points) and 26th out of 29 teams leaguewide.

» READ MORE: The Union’s woes mostly aren’t Jim Curtin’s fault, but a big piece of their latest loss is on him

“I have put my hand up too, I haven’t had my best season, but we all still know that there’s 13 games left,” he said. “We have to get in the playoffs, that’s going to be our goal at this point. Do our expectations shift? And is it annoying to not be talking about fighting for a top four seed like we usually are? Yeah, it hurts.”

Semmle’s return to the starting lineup lasted just one game, thanks to his role in the late-game meltdown in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss at Chicago. Curtin said Andrew Rick will start Saturday, and signaled Rick will remain the starter until Andre Blake is back.

“We’ve put them in an unfair situation,” Curtin said. “We aren’t stable and strong defensively. I don’t like going back and forth. It’s never the plan. But at the same time. we have to make a decision that hopefully gives us a spark and gives us the best chance to win. So that’s our decision.”

Blake’s return could come soon. Curtin said he should be back in full practice next week, which might put him on track to start July 13 at Toronto.

Blake hasn’t played for the Union since April 27, a span of 13 games, and had to miss the Copa América after having knee surgery in late May. He has missed a total of 17 games this year with various injuries.

» READ MORE: Some advice for Jim Curtin as the Union’s season falls apart, from South Jersey-born veteran manager Peter Vermes

The rest of the Union’s absentee list will finally start to get shorter on Saturday. Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya (quadriceps) will be available off the bench, striker Tai Baribo (back spasms) will be able to start, and centerback Damion Lowe will be back from a Copa América absence that was extended by his 6-year-old daughter’s needing emergency surgery.

Forward Markus Anderson (hip) will also be available off the bench. But midfielder Jesús Bueno will miss the game after suffering an ankle injury when he took a hard tackle late in the game Wednesday.