Branko Boskovic and D.C. United finally appear to be on the same page, agreeing to a new contract barely two weeks before Boskovic’s previous deal was set to expire on July 15.
After two seasons as a Designated Player ($409,000 in base salary and $545,000 total), Boskovic accepted a pay cut – even though he’ll still be earning solid money on the Major League Soccer scale – and signed standard MLS contract that will keep him in Washington through next season.
“After this difficult two years for me, I think it’s a good beginning,” Boskovic said. “Also the team play good, and I have a chance to play better and play more, to prove myself.”
The 32-year-old Montenegrin attacking midfielder is in his third season in Washington, but it is only in the last five games that his contribution became too important for the team to take a chance by letting him go.
With just five starts total this season, he started the first three matches during United’s recent four-game winning streak – the team’s longest such stretch since 2008 – while changing the game and nearly helping bring D.C. back in last weekend’s 3-2 loss at New York.
“He makes us a better soccer team,” United coach Ben Olsen said. “But it’s not always about soccer in this league, and there’s times when you need more than that, and that’s always the decision I have. We’ve got a bunch of guys that I think can contribute in a bunch of different areas… There’s all these reasons why I think he’s in a spot where he is. But he’s been great. I’m happy about the contract and I’m sure he’ll continually see more time as this year goes.”
All the while Boskovic has been intent on remaining with United. He said he had nothing concrete in Europe if he hadn’t been able to reach a new deal.
“I want really until the end of my contract to give something to D.C. United,” Boskovic said. “I was focused on that, and I’m also happy that they offer me something after this two years. I must be honest, I didn’t show what I can do.”
When he arrived during the summer of 2010, Boskovic was miscast as D.C. United’s savior during its worst season in franchise history. He was also partly to blame for his struggles, having come to Washington after a full offseason after his prior year at Rapid Vienna, and he’s been in a constant battle ever since to satisfy the team’s description of what it means to be fully fit.
He was essentially a forgotten DP last season as well before suffering a season-ending knee injury in a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match in April. Boskovic also started the first match of 2012 but was immediately relegated to the bench again. He’s never put the blame on anyone but himself, and understood that remaining a DP wasn’t practical.
“Normally it’s hard, but I must also be honest to myself, that D.C. United also give me for the last two years a good contract and everything,” Boskovic said. “I was injured one year, and the first year I didn’t play like what they expect from me. I didn’t show, and also for me, after this injury, I want to come back. Normally everybody play for money, but in my case, it’s a little bit different, and really I want to come back and to play, to finish season with this team. We find each other, we find, we make a good deal.”
Olsen said he wasn’t concerned with past.
“I think we’re at the best point in our relationship, from him to club, and myself to him, and him and the team, than we’ve ever been with this club,” Olsen said. “So that’s good.”
Still, it was only when a number of injuries in May forced Dwayne De Rosario to move to forward that the starting playmaking role opened for Boskovic to fill. He’s picked up his first three MLS assists, and he seems likely to start when D.C. hosts Montreal on Saturday. He also expects to be involved with the Montenegrin national team when World Cup qualifying gets under way in Europe this fall.
In the last two months, a number of players had expressed their support and hopes that Boskovic wouldn’t leave.
“We wondered, of course we wanted him to stay, to be a part of this team because he has played a big role,” United midfielder Perry Kitchen said. “We’re just very excited for him and the team as well.”
