Bedoya, Davies finally converge after a career of walking in each other’s footsteps

Recent Philadelphia Union signings Alejandro Bedoya and Charlie Davies never played on the same field together in college, but their connection to the city of Boston and the ACC program they both played for makes this Saturday’s road trip a fitting one.

Bedoya could be in line to make his debut for the blue and gold in Saturday’s game not far from where he was an All-American for two seasons. Davies, who made his Union debut as a substitute in Washington D.C. last week, left the Boston College program just before Bedoya transferred in from Fairleigh Dickinson in 2007.

“I think the Union are getting a real partnership with Ale and Charlie,” Boston College head coach Ed Kelly said in an interview last week. “Both of them have had ups and downs but they’re fantastic players who are the best of friends.”

Bedoya and Davies forged their relationship while both were playing in Europe and if you track their careers you’ll notice an interesting pattern.

Both played at Boston College, but not at the same time. Both have played for the U.S. national team, but not at the same time. Both played in Sweden but not at the same time. Ditto for France, where Davies once played with much-missed former Union midfielder Vincent Nogueira and where Bedoya had been playing since 2013.

Whether it’s Saturday against the New England Revolution or the following week back here in Chester against Toronto FC, their journey will finally come full circle on the soccer pitch.

“It’s a great move for Philadelphia,” Kelly said about the deadline day signings. “They’re two different types of players, but you couldn’t get two better guys.”

Kelly, who coached Bedoya’s father Adriano while an assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson in the early ‘80s, said Davies and Bedoya were two of his favorite players he’s ever coached.

“Charlie is so dynamic,” said Kelly. “And Ale, I’ve yet to see anyone make the runs from deep in midfield like he does.”

While the pair are the first from Boston College to play for the Union, Bethlehem Steel FC head coach Brendan Burke was a teammate of Davies for two seasons, and Kelly has fond memories of his teams battling with Union head coach Jim Curtin during his playing days with Villanova in the old Big East.

“I’m definitely going to have to figure out a way to watch more Philadelphia Union games,” Kelly said.

Like the veteran coach entering his 28th season at BC, Ocean, N.J. native Ryan Sherman had a unique perspective of the budding stars as a teammate and roommate of both during his time at Boston College.

“Bringing them together at Philly is exciting for the soccer world because both players will help in different ways,” said Sherman, who now owns his own Jersey shore CrossFit gym, Ocean CrossFit. “It’s also exciting for Boston College Athletics and teammates like me because we never saw them together. I think if Ale came a year before we would have been national champions. We will settle for an ACC title though!”

A chance at a title is what the BC greats coming together at last in Philadelphia will hopefully bring to a fan base reeling in recent weeks from a drop in form that has cast serious doubt on a once probably playoff berth.