All this week, the writers of MLS Multiplex have been presenting 10 reasons why Bruce Arena of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Gregg Berhalter of Columbus Crew, and Oscar Pareja of F.C. Dallas should be named MLS Coach of the Year. In this edition we will be taking a look at the candidacy of Ben Olsen, the coach of D.C. United. As always feel free to give your thoughts using our comment section below!
1.) A comeback season for the ages: D.C. United’s record in 2013: 3 wins, 24 losses, and 7 draws. D.C. United’s record in 2014: 15 wins, 9 losses, and 7 draws.
For as much as the other candidates have improved their teams from the previous season, no team has seen a greater improvement in their record. While there are many people to thank for this, it starts with Coach Ben Olsen.
2.) Built a team on the fly: It is easy to buy players, but to have them work together as well as United has in such a short period of time is a miracle. While acquisitions of defender Bobby Boswell, midfielder Davy Arnaud, and forward Fabian Espindola would have helped the squad, it took a good coach to bring everyone together.
3.) Getting players to buy into his system. D.C. United did not pick up a bunch of wide-eyed kids this off-season. Players like Boswell and Espindola have pretty much seen it all and would have only come to D.C. if they believed in what was being done. It takes a certain level of trust for a player to play for a team coming off of three wins the previous season.
Sep 20, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; D.C. United midfielder/defender Perry Kitchen (23) reacts after scoring a goal against the Chicago Fire during the second half at Toyota Park. The Chicago Fire and D.C. United end in a draw 3-3. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
4.) Helped groom the next generation. Getting a few good veterans on your team and to have them play hard is one thing. But the real key to any good squad is the infusion of young talent and having them live up to their abilities.
Goalkeeper Bill Hamid has successfully overtaken Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson for the best young American goalkeeper. Midfielder Perry Kitchen has made the next step to becoming a great midfielder by becoming more involved in the attack. But perhaps Olsen’s best job as a coach has come with turning forward Luis Silva (leads the team with 11 goals) into a dependable striker.
All three players are now sure-fire prospects for the US Men’s National Team and Ben Olsen is directly responsible for this.
5.) He got something out of Eddie Johnson. To say that the Eddie Johnson tenure in got off on the wrong foot would be an understatement. Whether it is calling out teammates, fighting with ex-MLS players, and being left off of the US World Cup roster. Johnson has a history of shutting down when things do not go his way.
Yet Johnson’s problems on (only seven goals in all competitions) and off the pitch have not really affected United. Once again it goes back to management. This club was not built solely around Johnson. Instead Johnson was just a part of the team, albeit a very expensive one.
Olsen as a player was someone who would tough through adversity and keep going. As a manager, he has brought this philosophy to his team. Weaker sides would have wilted under the Eddie Johnson situation. This team did not.
Aug 20, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; D.C. United fans wave flags in the stands against Waterhouse FC in the second half during a CONCACAF Champions League match at RFK Stadium. United won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
6.) The return of fortress RFK. During D.C. United’s glory years, RFK Stadium was known as an intimidating place to play with boisterous supporters and stifling defenses. While the supporters never left, the commitment to defense did.
At home this season, United have allowed just 11 goals which is the lowest in the league. Considering that five of those goals were scored during the first two home matches of the season that means the club has allowed just six goals over 15 matches.
Olsen’s decision to bring untested players left-back Taylor Kemp and Steve Birnbaum helped contribute to a team that has seven shutouts at home this season. Their record of 13-2-2 is also quite impressive.
7.) Domination in CCL. While many teams see the CONCACAF Champions League as a nuisance, United have thrived during CCL play. The club has gone undefeated in Group 5 (4-0-0) and already qualified for the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Beyond results, Olsen has used the tournament as a way to get players who are on suspension in MLS or coming off of injury. Both Johnson and Espindola contributed to the CCL cause while serving suspensions and forward Chris Pontius was able to shake off the rust while rehabbing from his torn hamstring.
8.) Won the I-95 Derby. While winning a derby may not seem like a big deal to some, being able to handily defeat the New York Red Bulls in 2 out of 3 matches and earn that little bit of swagger back.
9.) If United didn’t turn it around he was going to be fired. With his contract up at the end of the season, Olsen was on shaky ground. Although he had led the club to the playoffs in 2012 and had won the US Open Cup, United’s abject performance in the MLS Regular season was a fire-able offense.
None of the other managers being considered (Arena, Berhalter, Pareja, and Schmid) were under such pressure. Being able to turn around this team and save his job at the time were problems that no other faced. Given the obstacle he overcame merits the honor over the others listed.
10.) Winning season=better chances at getting new stadium. Perhaps this is not a traditional reason for voting for a person coach of the year, but make no mistake: if D.C. United did not have a strong season then in all likelihood this team was moving. No one was going to give United a stadium if there team was winning three games a season.
Olsen himself gave a very powerful speech at one of the recent hearings for the new stadium which showed precisely why he should be the one leading this team. Here is just a snippet:
“The District of Columbia has been my home for more than a decade and a half. Fresh out of the University of Virginia, I embraced the city just as D.C. United did in its early days. Just as supporters groups sprouted organically, I naturally dove into the culture and vibrancy of the District. The fans and the team were both diverse, and they fed on one another’s spirit and success. RFK Stadium, where I plied my trade and where the fans made the stands bounce, was a hallowed ground for soccer. The foundation for the sea change we are witnessing with the current World Cup was laid…Today, years later, I am now a husband, father, and homeowner. I have children enrolled in a District charter school. I work, eat, shop, pay taxes, live and breathe every day inside D.C.’s borders. It is part of who I am and who I have become. I am privileged to be part of a city that has more to offer than ever before. My role with D.C. United is to win games and bring home championships. But more than ever, the team’s future, and the District’s future, are intertwined.”