Olsen fired, ending lengthy tenure
Longest coaching stint for franchise comes to an end
Ben Olsenwas fired asD.C. United coach Thursday, ending the longest coaching stint in club history and one of the lengthiest inWashington pro sports.
Olsen, a star player who became head coach 10 years ago, is likely to move into another role within the organization, the team said in announcing the change, which comes amid a 2-9-5 campaign and the fewest points in 26-teamMLS.
“It is nowtime for a change. It is the right move,” Olsen, 43, said in a written statement. “The club needs a new face and this is the right time for the club and also forme personally tomove in a different direction.”
Chad Ashton, a longtime assistant, will guide the team on an interim basis through the end of the season. Team officials said the search for a long-term replacement will commenceimmediately and include candidates from theUnited States and abroad.
Since late last season, United is 2-10-7 with a 33-13 scoring deficit. The injuryplagued team has conceded four goals in each of the past two matches and iswinless in six straight, with the latest lossWednesday atNew York City FC, 4-1.
Olsen has one year left on his contract, which included a clause for him to continue a relationship that began as a player in 1998, shifting to coaching in 2010. His first full season as head coachwas 2011.
“Ben has been a fabric of theD.C. United organization for more than two decades, including his role as head coach for the last 10 years, andwe are forever grateful for his contributions and leadership,” Jason Levien, United’s chief executive and cochairman, said in a written statement. “Ben has been a total professional and has represented this organization with incredible class and distinction. It is our sincere hope and belief that Ben will continue to have a big impact on the organization.”
Locally, only Joe Gibbs, an NFL Hall of Famer who oversaw three Super Bowl titles, coached more consecutive seasons (1981-92). The Senators’ Clark Griffith (1912-20) and the Capitals’ Bryan Murray (1981-90) are next on the list.
None of United’s previous coaches were on the jobmore than three years. Olsenwas one year behind Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City’s current leader, for longest continuous service with one team inMLS’s 24-year history.
“My overwhelming emotion right nowis that I have been incredibly fortunate to be associated with this great club for 22 years,” Olsen said. “No one gets that opportunity in professional sports, and I am so much richer for all the amazing experiences and relationships along theway. I will always be grateful.”
Olsen had a losing record (113-137-84 in the regular season, 132-152-94 overall) but kept his job because he usually squeezed the most from a roster constrained by budget limitations— United is often among MLS’s thriftiest spenders — and he rebounded from each poor season.
In 2014, Olsen was voted coach of the year after a 14-victory, 43-point improvement. Even in that disastrous 2013 campaign (3-24-7), United won the U.S. Open Cup, a national tournament modeled after England’s FA Cup. In 2012, United jumped to 17 victories from nine in 2011; in 2018, the club improved by five victories and 19 points from 2017.
Olsen’s teams embodied his tenacious character, often overcoming technical shortcomings with effort and defensive resolve. That style was not always attractive, earning the moniker “Benny Ball.”
Although United qualified for the MLS playoffs five of the past six years, it hasn’t won a postseason game since 2015 or advanced tothe conference final since2012. United last appeared in MLS Cup in 2004, when Olsen was midway through his playing career. Olsen alsohadlastingpower as coach because of his strong bonds with the organization, an emotional tie that, as both a player and coach, madehimUnited’s heart and soul and its most recognizable figure most seasons. The formerUniversity of Virginia midfielder has spent more than half his life with the team.
Beyondsoccer, he is a visible figure inthe community, promoting the District and the soccer team. He and his wife, Megan, chose to raise three children in the middle of the city. Olsen also had Levien, United’s chief executive and co-chairman since 2012, on his side. They became good friends, socialized and played tennis together. Levien always spoke highly of Olsen the person and believed in him as a coach.
However, last winter, in the wake of United’s failure to win a playoff game in two seasons with English superstarWayne Rooney, Levien considered a change.