Well, it's official. Sort of. The ill-fated Rais M'Bohli experiment seems to be finally drawing to a close. The French born-Algerian has endured a torrid time in Philadelphia since his arrival from CSKA Sofia on July 30, 2014 and his nightmare seems finally to be coming to an end.
Having intended to be a mentor as a senior presence with World Cup experience to aid “youngsters” Zac MacMath and Andre Blake, the Algerian missed much of the 2014 season as the result of injury and international call up with original starting keeper Zac MacMath being brought back into the fold to fill in for him. But when he did play his performances had many questioning his ability, calling his heroics at the World Cup a one off.
MacMath departed on loan to the Colorado Rapids this past off season where he's currently spending his days on the bench. Fast forward to the beginning of the 2015 MLS season and M'Bohli was the undisputed number one. That is until a series of high profile errors set off a chain of events that brings us to today. M'Bohli was benched in April before being sent back to Europe to get his head straight. However, whether the result of training injuries to John McCarthy and Blake or having been brought back presumably to maintain his fitness ahead of a summer transfer window exit' M'Bohli returned to Chester this past week. Then, further shenanigans ensued when on May 6th, the team confirmed that M'Bohli would not travel with the team to Vancouver and former trialist Brian Sylvestre and emergency pool goalkeeper Trey Mitchell, who had been with the Los Angeles Galaxy earlier in the season would serve as starting and back up goalkeepers for the Vancouver match.
Finally, the exit has been all but confirmed after comments from Union head coach Jim Curtin on May 8th made to Jonathan Tannenwald that, "He and I have a difference of philosophy right now." He's not going to play any more games with us.” Whether the Union will be successful in their efforts to offload M'Bohli once the summer transfer window opens remains to be seen, but it does appear that the saga has finally come to a close.