Soehn returns to RFK as coach of Whitecaps Josh Wolff never got a chance to play under Tom Soehn with D.C. United, but he knows the former coach better than most of his current teammates.
“Old touch-tackle Tommy,” said Wolff, who was Soehn’s roommate when the two played for the Chicago Fire during its inaugural season in 1998. “I bring that name out here, and guys like that. We kind of threw it around the locker room in Chicago. He wasn’t afraid to lay into some guys.”
Though most D.C. United players know Soehn only as a coach, they understand exactly what Wolff is talking about in the unapologetically hard-nosed, blue-collar former defender who guided D.C. United to a Supporters’ Shield in 2007 and a U.S. Open Cup title in 2008.
| Up next |
| Whitecaps at D.C. United |
| When » Saturday, 7:30 p.m. |
| Where » RFK Stadium |
| TV » CSN |
Parting ways with United after the 2009 season, Soehn landed on his feet with the Vancouver Whitecaps. As director of soccer operations, he built a roster and prepared for the jump from the minor leagues to Major League Soccer, signing U.S. defender Jay DeMerit, French striker Eric Hassli (10 goals) and Swiss midfielder Davide Chiumiento (eight assists). All three have an element of Soehn’s signature toughness.
But 12 games into a disappointing and injury-plagued start to the expansion club’s first MLS season, Soehn fired coach Teitur Thordarson and found himself back on the sideline again.
Thus, with the Whitecaps (3-11-9) at the bottom of the league, Soehn returns Saturday to RFK Stadium for the first time since his departure to face D.C. United (6-6-9) with the title of interim coach. Martin Rennie was announced as Vancouver’s 2012 coach this week, a move that will allow Soehn to return to the front office.
“[It’ll be] a little awkward,” said United assistant coach Chad Ashton, Soehn’s former assistant who will manage D.C. United since coach Ben Olsen is suspended for his ejection last weekend. “We were teammates for a long time, and we’re both competitive. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing checkers or we’re coaching against each other. We always want to win, and it’s kind of irrelevant to the situation.”
The most pressing concern for United will be the mental state of goalkeeper Steve Cronin, who is poised to make his first MLS start of the year in place of Bill Hamid, who also is suspended after last week’s red card against Toronto.
Coming off the bench in that match for his first minutes of the year, Cronin allowed three shaky goals, punching a ball he should have caught into his own defender, misjudging a shot and allowing another to sneak through his legs.
“In hindsight, there are some things I would’ve liked to have changed,” Cronin said. “It was tough circumstances all the way, but I’m ready to bounce back.”
Ashton has maintained that the competition is open between Cronin and third-string keeper Joe Willis, but an immediate benching could deal a significant blow to Cronin’s confidence.
