MLS has finally decided that DC United merits a big name import, and it has transformed us into a dangerous side with ambition. The brand new Audi Field will be the venue for eight of our last ten games. Before Rooney's arrival, we were mired at the bottom of the MLS standings. Now, we're six points from the last playoff (what is it about Americans and playoffs?) spot with three games in hand.
DC United was the premier MLS team in its first decade. We won the MLS Cup four times (including three of the first four years), the CONCACAF Champions League, three US Open Cups, and four Supporters' Shields (best regular season record). But as the rest of the league moved into soccer-only stadiums, we were still playing in funky old RFK; and the league concentrated on building up the New York and LA franchises at the expense of the rest of the teams. We were pretty awful for quite a while. The one triumph was an unlikely US Open Cup in 2013, a year we finished dead last in the league.
There's nothing wrong with coach Ben Olsen, local hero. We just didn't have enough good players. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid is top class, and I'm delighted he returned from a disappointing European stint. Luciano Acosta is excellent. Most of the rest of the players had to be replaced, though, and that's what happened. Still, it was not clicking for United until Audi Field became Wayne's World. He's provided leadership, a damned near perfect example, incredible effort, and sublime skill in driving us to pick up points and climb the table. He's gotten five assists and four goals in (about) ten games, and has rejuvenated the play of Acosta, who now looks like one of the most dangerous players in the league. Here's a really nice blog post from PlanetFootball with clips. The one from the Orlando game is incredible--check it out if you have not already seen it. The stuff of dreams!
Rooney is 32 years old. He's a Manchester United and England legend. But he's already well on the way to becoming a DC United legend as well.
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