Vanney Moves Onward And, He Hopes, Upward

Veteran Defender Embraces Acquisition by United

From a personal standpoint, Greg Vanney did not want to move again. He had done it two-plus years ago, when he left the French island of Corsica to return to MLS, and did it this past winter when he was traded from Dallas to Colorado.

Vanney and his wife, Amy, pregnant with twins, and their 3-year-old daughter were just beginning to settle into their new home in Denver -- perhaps Vanney's final stop on a productive pro path that began during MLS's inaugural season in 1996 -- when late last Thursday night, a few minutes after the Rapids' 4-1 loss to D.C. United at RFK Stadium, he was told he had been traded for the second time in 5 1/2 months.

And while Vanney dreaded the thought of repacking and relocating, his professional instincts told him to embrace it.

"There are organizations that talk about winning championships and then there are organizations that actively go out and try to win them," he said in a telephone interview Monday. "Professionally, this is a good move for me. I am going to a club with expectations to win and a history of winning."

Acquired for Argentine defender Facundo Erpen, Vanney practiced with United for the first time yesterday in Kansas City and is almost certain to start in central defense this afternoon against the Wizards at Arrowhead Stadium.

United essentially exchanged Erpen's inconsistency and potential for Vanney's maturity and predictability. The club recognizes that Vanney, 33, is not the same influential player who scored 21 goals and was entrenched on the Los Angeles Galaxy's starting backline for six seasons, and that he no longer carries the same international sophistication he did during three seasons with SC Bastia in France and during a nine-year run with the U.S. national team.

But he should bring understanding and order to a D.C. defense that has leaned heavily on young players -- such as Bobby Boswell, 24, and Troy Perkins, 25 -- for guidance. Once Boswell, the 2006 MLS defender of the year, returns from U.S. duty at Copa America in Venezuela, United hopes Vanney and Boswell will form one of the strongest central tandems in the league.

"One of the attractive things about Greg is his experience and his ability to organize," Coach Tom Soehn said. "We've lacked a little bit of that -- a veteran guy in the back that is going to make our shape better. . . . I think he's going to help Bobby in a lot of respects and teach him."

The trade surprised United players, including Perkins, who said: "I really don't know yet if it's a good move or a bad move. Obviously, he adds a lot of experience to the backline and a lot of veteran leadership, and I think that is going to help us out."

Vanney, who also might play left back, expects an adjustment period as he learns about his new teammates, saying: "I am sure there will be some moments where we'll be off a bit. The first games might be a little hard, but that will get better with training."

Vanney -- who was born in southern Virginia (South Boston), moved to Arizona when he was about 5 and later starred at UCLA -- said he welcomes the culture of winning associated with United, which has claimed a record four league titles and competes regularly in international tournaments.

"D.C. is closer than anyone in MLS to having that pressure to win and the expectation to win," said Vanney, who started in three MLS Cups for the Galaxy and lost each time, including twice to United. "I experienced that in Europe and I've really missed that part of it."

United Notes: Besides Boswell, D.C. will be without Copa America participants Ben Olsen and Jaime Moreno again today. Defender Bryan Namoff and forward Guy-Roland Kpene, both recovering from hamstring injuries, also did not make the trip. . . . The Wizards, in an 0-2-2 skid, are missing U.S. national team players Eddie Johnson and Jimmy Conrad. . . . United is 2-0-2 in its last four visits to Kansas City. . . . United has scored just four goals in five road matches -- on a penalty kick, an own goal, and two while trailing by two goals late in separate games. The Wizards have yielded six goals in six home appearances.