No Gallardo or Fred on the first day of practice
There were only five new faces — four rookies and one trialist — when D.C. United took to the artificial surface at RFK Stadium’s auxiliary field for its first official practice of 2009, marking a significant lack of turnover since the end of last year’s disappointing campaign.
But the most notable participant Thursday was a familiar one, midfielder Ben Olsen, who is “cautiously optimistic” about returning from multiple surgeries on his left ankle that cost him all but 15 minutes in 2008.
“Today was the first day I was playing soccer against pros at a high level so today was a positive step,” said Olsen. “Saying that, talk to me tomorrow morning. This thing, from day-to-day, can change.”
Olsen, who’s guaranteed contract counts toward United’s salary cap even if he retires, said his ankle has reached a point where it isn’t getting better, but “I’ve gotten through every day. Some days I look like someone shot me, but for the most part I am getting through it.”
“The problem before was that he would train and then have to take a day or two off to get back,” said United general manager Dave Kasper. “Now he’s able to make it through several days of training. He looked good today.”
United head coach Tom Soehn was pleased with the entire group present — a few absent players, including Marcelo Gallardo (still rehabbing in Argentina) and Fred (renewing his visa in Brazil), are expected to join camp next week yet for the two-month buildup to the March 22 season-opener at Los Angeles.
“There are so many things that could’ve really deteriorated this group [last year],” said Soehn. “Even at the end, when we were still out guys, the group really came together. I think we finished on a real positive, with a real hunger to get back to work the following year. Sometimes you’ll find going through hard times like that brings guys together so I really fell like that’s what it did with this group.”
