Looking Ahead: DC United

Anyone who takes a look most of the articles I write know that I'm mainly a MLS fan. That isn't to say that I don't enjoy watching the Prem over in England, but in all honesty, my heart belongs to the MLS. Now, maybe thats because watching DC this past season was my first real foray into the world of soccer and maybe its because with only 17 years gone in the MLS, its a little easier to look into its history then looking into the hundred-plus years of history some of the european teams have.

This preseason is my first real preseason keeping up with a team, and while I watched the SuperDraft for all the teams, my eyes were especially following the three players going to DC United for the 2011 season. I visit United's website several times a day to keep up with the team during their training (Ft. Lauderdale for the week, 5-1 win in a friendly match against Canada's U-20 team), watching/reading interviews, keeping up with the latest formations and Starting XI and thats just the start of it. I can finally understand all those "crazy" sports fans (here in America, usually baseball fans. You know its true) and why their significant others get so pissed at them.

All that to say that right now I am so jacked for the MLS season to start to see what this new DC can do, because honestly this is a new era for DC United. The 2009-2010 season was absolutely abismal, easily the worst season in United's history (and subsequently possibly the hardest for a first-time fan to hang on), but we got through it. The coaching staff and players alike have shed last year's weight and are instead looking to prove to fans and the rest of the nation that 2010 was a fluke. Here's my reasons for having so much for the upcoming season:

Ben Olsen hired as Head Coach

After Curt Onalfo's absolute awful record during his time at DC (3-3-12 if I did my math right), Olsen was placed as Interim Head Coach, just one season after his retirement from being, quite possibly, the most popular player to don the black-and-red (200+ appearances for DC, 2 MLS Cups, 2 MLS Supporter's Shields, 1 US Open Cup, 37 international caps for the USMNT including the 2006 World Cup). Since that time, United seemed to perform better on the field, but in reality Olsen only had a month or so to make any changes and in reality a new coach might not want to make sweeping changes to a team that might not even be his for longer than two months. But, in November, Olsen was named the full-time head coach and "Benny" was finally able to make the changes we wanted. Shipping off forwards who struggled during 2010 season and getting a hold of established players like Dax McCarty, Joseph Ngwenya and Josh Wolff (not to mention almost-legend Charlie Davies is currently on trial...fingers crossed!), Olsen has brought in small squad of known leaders to try and get this team in shape.

But, the biggest thing that Olsen has brought to United this preseason is youthfulness, energy, and a player's familiarity to the game. To me, the fact that the players call Olsen "Benny" every time they mention him in an interview speaks volumes. If you watch a video of their preseason training, you'll see Olsen dressed just like the players and even see him getting into the fray a couple times. Only one season removed from his time as a player for DC United, this gives Olsen a great ability to identify with his players and I have a gut feeling his players want to and will perform for him.

Veteran players to lead the pack


As I mentioned before, players that Olsen and the rest of the DC coaching staff are going to be leaning on certain players to be leaders on the pitch: Dax McCarty, Joesph Ngwenya, Josh Wolff and Santino Quaranta (in his 10th year at DC United). Quaranta has seniority as far as playing time at DC and will probably see a couple matches with the captain's armband on. As far as a consistent captain, I think only Olsen and the rest of the coaching staff have an idea as to who will be captain for the black-and-red this season, but if I had to put money on someone I'd have to go with McCarty. McCarty just recently captained a USMNT friendly, and if the Coach Bradley thinks you're good enough to captain for the US of A, then McCarty's good enough to captain for DC United. Its up to Olsen however, to decide if he's the best fit for United.

Youth. And plenty of it.


Let me throw out some names for you. Perry Kitchen, 3rd-overall SuperDraft pick. Andy Najar,  2010 MLS Rookie of the Year. Bill Hamid, youngest goalkeeper in MLS history to win a game. All three under the age of 20. United currently has seven players under the age of 21, all promising additions to the United roster. In my opinion, Olsen and the older players I've mentioned are the right people to bring out the best in these young players.

Now I'm Just Bragging

Check it: a signed Christmas card from DC United's head coach, Ben Olsen! Woot!!!

DC United Picks Up Three Defenders in MLS Superdraft

The Superdraft is still going on as we speak, but I thought I'd butt in and comment on DC's picks so far, Perry Kitchen,  Chris Korb (DF, Akron), and Joe Willis (GK, U. of Denver).

Perry Kitchen (CDM/DF, Akron)

Kitchen played a defensive mid while at Akron University, still posting up six goals in his freshman year with the Zips. Selected as an All-American, American Freshman First-Team, All-MAC First-Team and was even called up the January National Team camp, Kitchen definitely has a celebrated one-year at Akron. He's a fiercely physical player and getting to see him play in the College Cup this past season, he made an impression on me and many scouts around the MLS. Many deemed Kitchen to be the best player in the draft, so its no real surprise that United swooped in to pick him up. Sounds like a win-win right?

The only problem with this draft pick is that United is already pretty squared away in Kitchen's area of the field. Dax McCarty definitely springs to mind and you certainly have to mention Clyde Simms, even though I'm of the personal belief he's on the downhill and could be replaced. The black-and-red head coach, Ben Olsen, will have an interesting time trying to figure out how to get Kitchen, McCarty and Simms on the field.

Perry Kitchen (DF, Akron)

But that raises another important question...who is going to be playing forward? MLS ROTY Andy Najar scored 5 goals in the 2010 season (put that into prospective with United's 21 total goals), but Najar plays as an attacking mid, not a forward. Combine that with United passing on Danny Allsopp's and Luciano Emilio's contract option then trading Adam Cristman for a draft pick and it seems that United is lacking in names for the forward position. Now, I don't want to make light of the acquisition of forward Joseph Ngwenya and returning forward Chris Pontius, but I definitely think United is going to need to balance out their roster ASAP, and it will start with signing a young forward from the draft.

Chris Korb (DF, Akron)


With the 31st overall pick, United picks up another defender from Akron. Korb played all four years at UA and was part of a defensive squad that set the school record for GA average and shutouts his junior year (0.27 and 19 beeteedubs). That sounds nice. Regardless of how good a player Korb is, its the second defender that DC United has picked up, and the backline seems to be place United seems to be the most set.

On DC United's Twitter, coach Ben Olsen asked "fans to bear with us as we finalize the roster ... we have some promising leads right now [at forward]". That makes me feel a bit better, but my stomach won't feel better until I see a name on the transfer order.

Joe Willis (GK, U. of Denver)


A good signing I think. With the release of Troy Perkins to Portland (thank god, now we actually have some money), Bill Hamid will be stepping up the #1 spot. But Willis seems to be a great addition to the keeper list. Hamid is young anyway and the competition from another young player might make both keeps step up their game.

Hopefully with all of these defensive signings, our GA column will be much better then last season.

DC United: Reinvented

Yeah, I found one with the stars

Alright, so this past season for DC United kinda sucked for me. As a fan, it was really disappointing to see my team lose 20 out of 30 matches. The worst part of all of this is knowing exactly where this team has been in its 16 year history. I found a picture with the four stars for a reason, signifying just how many MLS Cups we have won. Yes, most of them were over 10 years ago ('96, '97, '99' and '04 and runners-up in '98), but to know that the Black-and-Red have the winningest history in the MLS and then go and be at the very bottom of the table in the 2010 season sucked. Royally.

However, during this off-season, United has been the most active (apart from the expansion teams, of course) in reinventing their entire organization. Nine players in, six players out.

• INCOMING PLAYERS
• Dax McCarty (Trade with Portland)
• Joseph Ngwenya (Re-Entry Draft Stage 1)
• Ethan White (U. of Maryland)
• Josh Wolff (Re-Entry Draft Stage 2)
• Steve Cronin (Trade with Portland)
• OUTGOING PLAYERS
• Rodney Wallace (Trade with Portland)
• Jordan Graye (Expansion Draft to Portland)
• Danny Allsopp (Released)
• Juan Manuel Pena (Option Declined)
• Barry Rice (Option Declined)
• Brandon Barklage (Option Declined)
• Carlos Varela (Option Declined)
• Jaime Moreno (Option Declined)
• Troy Perkins (Option Declined)

Dang. A look at the outgoing players list and you can see a huge list of players that had playing time in 2010 (only one I don't recognize without looking up is Varela). We've lost a veteran and MLS legend in Jaime Moreno (long live #99) and even before the SuperDraft in January, United is guaranteed to have more than 50% new players come mid-March when First Kick comes to us American soccer fans. To say that new full-time head coach Ben Olsen is making his mark on this team would be an understatement. Luckily, we've got the MLS Rookie of the Year Andy Najar that signed a long-term contract with United, meaning he's sticking around for a while (by the way, don't mention the ROTY thing to Sam...he still thinks Tim Ream should've gotten it). 

I'm super excited to see how Olsen reshapes this team. With new assistant coach Pat Onstad, I think this coaching crew is going to be working overtime to get this team in shape for our home opener in March. I think it's really exciting to see all of this happening in the off season, knowing that DC can only go up. Once the SuperDraft comes and goes and I get some more information, I'm going to attempt to see what kind of formation and Starting XI we can see don the classic black and red jerseys in March.

Here's to a better season! 

MLS Draft(s)

Dear MLS,

I am writing to you to let you know that to even the most devoted of supporters of your league, all of these drafts do not make much sense. I have no concept of why they are there or what good they do. Does Dax McCarty want to play for FC Dallas, Portland Timbers, DC United, or none of these three teams? It seems as though he has no say in where he is going to play next season. To me this is a step towards the lessening of building fan loyalty and player loyalty like we love to watch week-in and week-out in the European leagues (with exception of Serie A, and I'm directing this at you Zlatan Ibrahimovic). Players should be allowed to leave a team if they feel as though they are not getting enough play time or not fitting in the system of the coach, but they should not be pawned around to various teams.

I am especially upset at how Red Bull legend Juan Pablo Angel can say that he is not interested in playing for New York next year, and suggest a move abroad, and then the LA Galaxy to pick him up because he is out of a contract. What has this done to the thousands of Red Bull fans with "Angel" on the back of their kits? Undermined respect in the league.

Sincerely,

Sam McFarlane,

Supporter of Soccer Everywhere (except Qatar)

Building off of the 3 drafts that the league has already conducted, the best teams in the league have already set up youth academies to cut down on the spending of signing a star college player or a reject at another first 11. See if you can wrap your head around these updated rosters. In just recently checking this page, they have since discontinued the ever-popular Facebook comments at the bottom of the page. I noticed only because I vented my frustration on the topic similar in tone to the above mock-letter.

Equally confusing to me is why Chivas USA have made off-season moves before they have hired a new coach. This new coach is probably going to be as successful as last season's coach, when they could've made some real moves like DC United did. Toronto FC continues the ongoing saga between their loyal supporters and their emperor of an owner. They have yet to make a real signing this offseason, which makes many think that they are waiting for a Robbie Keane or someone of the sort. After Mista failed to produce anything for them for the remaining games he came on this season, I would advocate TFC just getting a more solid midfielder to help DP DeRosario do everything for this team.

I read recently this week that no team with a DP has ever won the Cup. The asterisk here is that Schelloto for the Crew only became a DP after they won the Cup, under Zigi Schmidt. As DP's helped LA and NY become crowned the winners of their conferences, they failed to impress against teams that may have made more of an effort to win the MLS Cup. I believe this is an argument for the Supporter's Shield and Conference Title to be more important and give a first-round bye, although the play-offs have now been revamped completely.

Thought I would sign off with this video: In it, Schalke 04 FW Klass Jan Huntelaar is having some fun with FC Utrecht FW Ricky Van Wolfswinkel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTnpv8csOIw&feature=related

Van Wolfswinkel's Revenge:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MycGdoFGJOk