Ben Olsen
Ben Olsen
Benjamin Robert "Ben" Olsenis an American former professional soccer player and the current head coach of D.C. United. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Olsen grew up playing for FC Delco, an elite club program near Philadelphia. He later attended the University of Virginia, when he was named 1997 Soccer America Player of the Year...
ProfessionSoccer Player
Date of Birth3 May 1977
CityHarrisburg, PA
besides buried feels fourth gave goal good kept months nine playing question score screwed third though took
It always feels good to score the first one -- even though it took me nine months to get it, ... We just screwed up on the goal we gave up. Besides that, it was good soccer. We kept playing well and today, finally, we buried a team. That's what we have been missing. Once we had the lead, the question was, could we get that third goal, could we get that fourth goal? We did it.
again dealt goal score seeing smile special
He's dealt with a lot. To see him smile again after seeing him score a goal is a special moment.
dealt goal last score seeing special year
He's dealt with a lot in the last year and a half. Just seeing him score a goal was a special moment.
best coming died goals happen help knowledge mania people player pressure score season soccer takes
I think, fortunately, some of the mania has died down for him. That can help all parties. It takes a little of the pressure off him. The expectations coming in for him were unrealistic. The people who don't have any knowledge about soccer thought he'd come in and score 15 goals a season and be the best player in the league. It doesn't happen like that. It's a process.
biggest deal early good success
It's still early, and being in first place right now isn't the biggest deal in the world. But it is the two first-place teams. We know they've had some early success and they're a good team, as good as they come right now -- and I think they know we're as good as it comes right now.
belong cup prove
Everybody's here to prove that they belong on the World Cup team.
biggest deal goals guys kept league remind
I kept having to remind the guys that I had scored goals in this league before, ... They all thought it was the biggest deal in the world for me.
bubble fill gets guy healthy injury knows needs obviously people realistic several spots trouble trying
I'm trying to be realistic about this thing and I'm obviously a bubble player. Where I am on that bubble is up to Bruce. If people don't get healthy and he needs a guy who can play in several positions, he knows I can fill in those spots if he gets into injury trouble with the other guys.
far freddy learned maybe
It's done as far as I'm concerned. Freddy maybe learned a lesson. He said some stuff, he got punished, and now it's done.
game help nerves nervous yes
Yes, yes a lot. I was probably more nervous for this game than I have been in a long time. Nerves help sometimes, though.
certainly heads hopefully opportunity turn
This year, he's going to hopefully turn some heads and give us a lot more. His opportunity to play will certainly be more, and that's key.
decisions facing game hard lessons manage overtime sudden wrong
The way we manage the game has to be better. Those were some hard lessons -- hard ones to swallow. When you do something wrong at this level, all of a sudden you're in overtime and facing PKs down a man. Some of the decisions we made were not good; it's that simple.
focus guilty maybe move nowhere playoffs tough
Sometimes it's tough when you are already in the playoffs and there is nowhere to move up or down to maybe focus as much. I think we were guilty of that tonight.
bet national people
I bet a lot of people didn't think I would be back on the national team.