D.C. United coach Ben Olsen has been named to coach of the MLS team that will face Chelsea in the MLS All-Star Game next month. Philadelphia Union coach Peter Nowak was slated to coach the game before being fired last week.
“Apparently, they ran out of candidates for this All-Star thing,” joked Olsen, those his reluctance wouldn’t come as a surprise. “They chose the closest guy, save some money on train tickets and things.”
Nowak had been named coach because the All-Star game takes place July 25 at PPL Park, the Union’s home stadium in Chester, Pa., outside of Philadelphia.
Instead, MLS named Olsen, whose team is one of Philadelphia’s two immediate geographic rivals – the one that is also currently in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-4-3 record. Olsen, who hails from Middletown, Pa., just across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg, played for the Philadelphia-area FC Delco as a youth.
“It’s an honor,” Olsen said. “This league’s been a huge part of my life, both playing and coaching. It’s given me a lot, and to represent them on a big stage like this is a real honor for me. But ultimately, I think this recognition comes from this group of guys and doing a pretty good job up until this point. It’s recognition for my staff, who’ve done a great job always helping out a young coach and daily keeping this place afloat.”
