Sideline reunion
Revs’ Arena, United’s Olsen have forged a deep bond
New England Revolution head coach Bruce Arena and his D.C. United counterpart Ben Olsen forged a mutually beneficial relationship that dates back decades.
The master teacher and the apt pupil will employ competing strategies when the Revolution (1-1-1) engage D.C. United (1-1-1) in an MLS is Back Tournament Group 3 encounter tonight at 8.
The match will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.
The Revolution beat Montreal 1-0 in the Group 3 opener and would advance to the knockout round with a win over D.C.
“He’s been there a long time and I think he’s the second most tenured coach in Major League Soccer if I’m not mistaken, so that’s pretty remarkable,” said Arena, during a Zoom video conference.
“Each and every year we see that they produce a good team. They won the U.S. Open Cup under Ben, have been consistently in the playoffs and now they have a new stadium. They are growing their product more in D.C. and he does a good job.”
Olsen would merit the title of underboss in the Arena pitch family.
The association began in the early 1990s when Arena was the head coach at Virginia and Olsen was a blue chip prospect at Middleton Area High School in Middleton, Pa.
Virginia was winning national championships on Arena’s watch (1978-1995) and Olsen wanted a piece of the action. They competed together for one year at Virginia before Arena decamped to become the head coach at D.C. United. Olsen played two more seasons in Charlottesville before entering the MLS Project 40 and rejoined Arena at D.C. United.
When Arena left D.C. United for the U.S. National Team, Olsen was part of the package. Olsen continued to play for D.C. United and for Nottingham Forest FC in Nottinghamshire, England, while representing the U.S. in international play.
“Ben’s an icon at D.C. United,” said Arena. “I actually recruited him at Virginia and recruited him for Project 40 in Major League Soccer and he lived in my house his first year with D.C. United.
“So, we have a long history together and he’s an outstanding person and a great player. If it wasn’t for the injury he suffered playing in England for Nottingham Forest, he would have had an outstanding National Team career as well.
“But you know, he stayed with D.C. United as a player and a coach now.”
D.C. United battled Toronto FC to a 2-2 draw in the first game, but the final score does not tell the whole story. Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 first-half lead and enjoyed an 11-10 man advantage when
D.C.’s Junior Moreno drew a red card in the 51st minute.
D.C. United could have packed it in, but they regrouped and scored two late goals to salvage the point.
Arena recognized Olsen’s influence in the way D.C. United came back from the dead.
“Ben was a fighter as a player and you see those characteristics in his team right now,” said Arena.
“They battle each and every game and that was pretty obvious against Toronto the other day as well.”