One man's take on new DC United coach Ben Olsen
by Steve Davis on Nov 29, 2010 2:46 PM EST
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You know what I always say: Why lift the heavy when someone else can do it for you? I have better things to do, like find myself a rock n’ roll band … that needs a helping hand. (Sorry, that damn little ditty has been stuck in me noggin all day.)
Seriously, as a journalist, sometimes you just get tired of beating up the same poor souls. I’ve whipped D.C. United and president Kevin Payne until my arms and back are sore. That franchise is lost. Young Ben Olsen may be a good coach, but the odds are against it – under the current circumstances at least.
United was in a pickle regarding their coaching appointment. Payne et al have burned bridges with their treatment of some potential candidates. They still have Curt Onalfo’s salary hung around their necks, which limits the choices. (At a reported $300K annually, by the way … and you have to ask why they offered Onalfo so much when he was out of a job, having been fired at KC?). The job at United has become one of the worst in MLS given the wacky management and the increasingly tenuous stadium situation. But, as I said, I’ve trampled this ground before. Let me allow my pal K-Mac to take the baton. And K-Mac (oh … Kyle McCarthy to you) runs a strong leg. Here’s his take on Olsen’s appointment Monday as the next in line, the next man hoping to sweep up the mess at RFK.
By the way, Olsen is the youngest MLS coach now, at age 33. This reclamation project is an awful lot to ask of anyone, much less the league's youngest, least experienced coach. Still, good luck to him.
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300k on onalfo next season?
Jesus mary and joseph. That’s terrible. Poor DC.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Nov 29, 2010 10:50 PM EST reply actions
It gets better
"DON'T SAY THAT! Please! That is the worst, most stupid thing anyone could say! Cause it quite clearly isn't "only a game." I mean if it was do you honestly think I'd care this much?"
by Bald Pollack on Nov 30, 2010 9:31 AM EST up reply actions
Wow, that is terrible
If I was a DC fan I would keep repeating the following words over and over again “at least we have Najar, at least we have Najar, at least we have Najar” to keep from wanting to stab myself in the eye.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Nov 30, 2010 6:42 PM EST up reply actions
Where is Chang's office?
I work close to the Westlake building in San Mateo, I will do a “Chang Out of DC” protest for you there.
Win or lose, we will always be here for you.
by johnjahafanclub on Nov 30, 2010 6:51 PM EST up reply actions
Personality could be a big key
When it came out that Olsen apparently told the DCU brain trust to go get McCarty (a task in which they succeeded, and actually may have even fleeced Portland depending on the amount of allocation money), I already started to think of the possibilities.
I think it’s fair to say that Olsen is more of a strong character than Onalfo. That’s why I never thought Onalfo would succeed in KC nor here. He’s too much of an assistant coach and not enough of a boss. Olsen may be inexperienced, but he’s a leader of men as well as a guy that will tell you what you need to do and who will hold you responsible if you don’t do it. He’s an authority figure.
Perhaps Onalfo and Soehn (another guy who always struck me as a great first mate but not a good captain) were simply pushed around by Kasper and Payne. My hope is that Olsen, who is not one to be pushed around by anyone, will bluntly tell Kasper and Payne what they need to do, and that the front office will listen. There are no guarantees that Olsen will always pick the right guy – he already gave a public backing of Burch as a full-time starter, which means we will be weak at left back once again – but I’d rather take a chance on Benny than bet on Kasper to end a long, long cold streak in terms of picking the right players.
