DC reap what they Soehn

In the aftermath of DC United's sixth loss, DC coach Tom Soehn is clearly feeling the pressure. According to uber-blogger Steve Goff, United's locker room kept its doors closed an extra 15 minutes following the 3-1 road loss to Chivas USA, a club who have had its own share of troubles lately.

Goff writes:

Managing partner Will Chang exited with a grim look on his face. Team president Kevin Payne declined comment. Coach Tom Soehn, who usually steps out of the locker room promptly to give his postgame address, was nowhere to be seen. Players started trickling out of the locker room and headed toward the bus.

When I was covering MLS for a couple of different soccer web sites, I had the opportunity to interview United president Kevin Payne. I found him to be a very serious dude. He had no time for small talk or clever quips. You asked him questions and he either answered them or didn't. And if you hesitated or seemed ill-prepared his judgmental stare would burn a hole through you until you thought of something or quietly backed away. He was not a guy who tolerated incompetence.

Another thing I know about Mr. Payne is that he loves DC United. He doesn't care who you are or what your credentials are, if you mess with his team be prepared for retribution. A few years ago he was given a bit of a promotion by AEG, then owner-operators of DC United, and made Director of Soccer Operations, in charge of all the clubs in the Anschutz empire. When AEG sold DC United to Chang and his DC United Holdings group, Payne left what must have been a lucrative position to return to United as team president. Under Payne's leadership, the team has won four MLS Cups, four Supporters' Shields, a US Open Cup, a CONCACAF Champions Cup and an InterAmerican Cup.

What does all this mean? Well, it means Payne has no patience for losers. Just ask, Thomas Rongen and Ray Hudson. Rongen won an MLS Cup in 1999, but was quickly replaced by Hudson in 2001 after missing the playoffs in 2000. Hudson was then replaced after two seasons. In 2003, after getting ousted in the first round of the playoffs, Hudson famously said, "Someone get me a blindfold and a cigarette!"

Which brings me to the current DC coach, Tom Soehn, who should be firing up that cigarette himself soon. Despite last season's Supporters' Shield victory, an early exit from MLS Cup and an embarrassing ouster in the US Open Cup, left Soehn on the hot seat this season. Add to that, the high expectations that came with the addition of Marcelo Gallardo to a squad that scored 56 goals and managed 55 points last year, and you can't help but think that Payne is warming up the firing squad once again.

Some fans, holding out hope, point to DC's slow start in 2007. After all, they didn't win a match until May 6. The difference is that they were only 0-3-1 at that point and then they went undefeated until June 23rd. A run like that doesn't seem likely given the poor showing this April and May. United is 2-6-0 this season, managing wins over a pre-Guevara TFC and Real Salt Lake who also only have two wins to show for 2008.

So, what does Prez Payne think about this terrible start. Well, following DC's 2-0 loss to Chicago on May 8, Payne called the players out for poor effort.

"We have a personal accountability issue on the field," he said. "I hope that the players know; some of them probably don't, actually. There are certain players who play maybe 75 or 80 minutes out of 90, but they take off critical plays, and it happened tonight twice."

But after this loss, Payne had no comment. And I think it is this silence that says volumes. The death knell has sounded for Soehn. I'm just not sure he's heard it yet.

United they fall, divided they are

There is trouble in the nation’s capital that has nothing to do with an unpopular war, taxes or global warming. Major League Soccer’s winningest soccer club DC United is awful. Really, awful! How awful, you ask? Their recent loss to the Kansas City Wizards was the absolute worst game that they have ever played and that includes the nightmare of 2000 when they only won eight games under Dutch coach Thomas “Wrong-Again”.

Should you panic DC fans? Well, not yet, but the problems extend beyond a slow, bloated Bolivian that Bob’s brother (see last post) would blame for United’s woes. The real culprit is a suspect defense and a team that looks about as disjointed and confused as a Corey Haim interview. When considering the team’s success last year, many fans are scratching their heads, as Colorado, Kansas City and Columbus seemed to carve up the United defense with ease. Granted that their last game against the Crew was played in a driving rainstorm (complete with a lightening delay), the goal they allowed was soft. How soft? It was scored by resort-island national Ezra Hendrickson, with his foot for fuck’s sake, as his long, stick like legs awkwardly knocked back a rebound through a shattered DC defense. The 35-year-old, 6’3” EZ hasn’t scored a goal with his foot since Milton Cato issued the referendum to make St. Vincent and the Grenadines the last of the Windward Islands to gain independence on the 10th anniversary of its associate statehood status.

Goalkeeper Troy Perkins summed up their current struggles in The Washington Post:

“If this happened in the middle of the season, it would be a little different … But we haven't gotten a win yet and we've given up seven goals in three games. It's tough to sleep at night, I'll tell you that. It's not a good environment to set for these guys right now.”

And who sets that environment? Who decided to shake up the backline by inserting Devon McTavish for Facundo Erpen, while keeping a dreadful Brian Carroll in the line-up?

After the dismissal of Polish pit bull Peter Nowak, United named long-time assistant Tom Soehn as their new head coach. This decision, likely made to reward Soehn’s loyalty, was a mistake and although they are only three games in, I will be surprised if Soehn lasts till the All-Star break. The players do not seem to be gelling under his direction. It’s a shame because they looked good in the preseason CONCACAF Champion’s Cup against CD Olimpia and CD Guadalajara.

If DC is to right this sinking ship, then it needs to see if it can get a few more hands on deck to bail all this water that they are taking on. Crew Stadium wasn’t the only think soaked on Saturday. Maybe they can call some players up from the DC United reserves, as the Post reports, at least they won they’re opener.