Ankle Injury Leaves United Without Its Heart

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Behind the Column: Catching Up With Ben Olsen

The Washington Post's Mike Wise catches up with D.C. United midfielder Ben Olsen.

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"Tactically, I can't say; I'm not a coach," he said, adding he doesn't think the tailspin is Soehn's fault. "But from a guy who's been here a while and a guy who knows what D.C. United is about, we're still missing an edge to us. We're missing [the mind-set] of guys who will do anything for this club.

"I don't know if it's because there are new guys here and they don't have the appreciation for the club and the fans and the organization and what it means yet. But right now we look just very uninspired. For anybody that's for this organization, it's very frustrating. It's not about talent. We look like a defeated team."

He spoke late Thursday as he drove his wife, Wells and a reporter home from the game. Olsen wore a smart gray suit and red and black patterned tie, the uniform to which he's unfortunately become accustomed. Doctors are unsure they can fix the cartilage defects in his left ankle, and time is not healing the last surgery -- one of a half dozen on his ankles the past 10 years.

Olsen said he is okay with his career and accomplishments, if this indeed is it. But another part of him knows he still has so much left to give. "Other than my ankles, I'm fine and ready to go."

He often portrays himself as American soccer's accidental tourist, who just happened to have the good fortune of playing on an Olympic team (Sydney 2000), in the English first division, a World Cup team (Germany 2006) and two MLS championship teams (1999 and 2004).

"I'm not a very good player in the end," he said. "I'm an okay soccer player. I work hard. I'm a pretty good team guy, but I've always been lucky enough to play with great teams."

But others, like Wells, know better.

"Ben has the ability to call out anyone on any given day and no one really takes it personally and that's what we need right now," the goalkeeper said.

Added Harkes, his former teammate: "He digs in. He chases things down. He really puts himself out there. He has always been a guy, for me, that I've always wanted to take under my wing when we were younger, to show him what it means to play for the crest of D.C. United. He took that on and took it even further.

"It would be a shame if he didn't get back on the field. He's got a lot of football still left in him. I think he can do it."