Ben Olsen emerges as the top candidate for D.C. United's head coaching position

By Steve Goff

After saying repeatedly that Ben Olsen is not ready to be a head coach, D.C. United is close to hiring the former midfielder and interim coach to guide the MLS club.

Olsen has moved to the top of United's list and could be introduced as the head coach this week, several sources said.

Per club policy, United officials do not comment on possible coaching candidates. Neither Olsen, 33, nor his representatives returned messages late Saturday night.

The club has also decided to replace longtime goalkeepers coach Mark Simpson. The leading candidate to step in, sources said, is Tim Mulqueen, who mentored World Cup keeper Tim Howard and has worked with the U.S. youth national teams. Simpson did not return messages, but one team source said the former United goalie has been pursuing other opportunities.

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United officials interviewed at least seven candidates for the head coaching job, including former Hertha Berlin boss Lucien Favre, who was in Washington for talks this month. It's unclear whether he turned down an offer, withdrew from consideration or did not make a favorable impression.

Olsen, the most popular player in team history, retired last winter after 12 years and was subsequently named to Curt Onalfo's coaching staff. When Onalfo was fired in August with a 3-12-3 record in league play, Olsen was named interim coach.

Initially reluctant to take the role, Olsen grew more confident as time passed and, by the end of the season, expressed interest in the permanent position. Despite a 3-8-1 record, he drew praise from the players for his communication and motivational skills.

Financial factors were also apparently in play in United's search. Onalfo was just eight months into a three-year guaranteed contract valued at an estimated $300,000 annually. Some observers believe that, with him on the payroll through 2012 and owner Will Chang actively searching for secondary investors, United does not have the budget to attract an experienced international coach.

Throughout Olsen's tenure, United President Kevin Payne said that, while he believed Olsen would someday be a head coach, he lacked the experience to be considered right away.

Two days after the worst regular season in United's history concluded, Payne said: "I don't think he's ready. I really believe Ben is going to be a very good coach someday. I just think his brain works the way your brain needs to work to be a successful. He's thoughtful, he looks for reasons why, he understands the mentality of the players, he has a fierce will to win and a competitive streak. But it takes time to understand how to manage a group through a long season. Some of it is technical knowledge, teaching them how to play."

"We saw the positive, and in general, the team played harder. We became more difficult to play against. And we didn't sacrifice the way we play and tried to play good soccer. We still had a lot of breakdowns and we still couldn't score. It's been a great learning experience for Ben and I am sure he will learn a great deal over the next couple of years. I fully expect Ben will be our head coach someday."

From all indications, "someday" might be sooner than anyone expected.

