Instances of player-coaches are rare, but D.C. United has had one twice in two years. Veteran forward Josh Wolff added assistant coach to his job description last week, in part as a budgetary move — a portion of his salary now won’t count against the team’s salary cap — and because it won’t be long before the 35-year-old makes a permanent transition to the sideline.
United goalkeeper coach Pat Onstad did the same thing at the start of last season while the team awaited Bill Hamid’s return from injury.
“He said it’s easy,” Wolff said. “When need be, I’ll be in with the coaches, but first and foremost, I need to be a player.”
D.C. coach Ben Olsen, who said Wolff has basically been a player/coach since signing with the team last season, said it’ll give him the kind of taste of the coaching profession that he never got, having been thrust into United’s head job in the summer of 2010.
“I certainly would’ve liked that look,” Olsen joked. “I might be in Hawaii right now, on a beach, working at a pool bar.”
– Craig Stouffer
