For the third straight day, D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsenclosed practice to the media as the Black-and-Red made final preparations forSaturday’s match against Montreal. While the team focused on the Impact, a pair of personnel moves werefront and center as Olsen met with the press after training.
First was word of Branko Boskovic’s new contract, whichprompted Olsen to discuss what he now expects from the Montenegrin midfielder.
"The quality he brings is pretty evident when he comes on the field," said D.C.'s second-year head coach, while also noting that Boskovic will see more time as the season progresses. "[We are] still working on getting him where he needs to be to be ninety minutes fit, but he seems to be getting there and he has looked stronger."
No player was likely happier to see Boskovic re-sign thanPerry Kitchen. After last week’sloss in New York, Kitchen hailed his midfield counterpart as the primary reasonfor D.C.’s late rally.
“I think you saw what he brings to the table in the lastgame,” Kitchen said Friday. “[He] comesin against New York and the game changed. Now we are on the upper hand, kind of controlling things. He’s a great guy in the locker room,and he is a great guy to have on our team and on our side.”
About 18 hours before the Boskovic announcement, the clubacquired 6-foot-1 forward Long Tan via a trade with Vancouver. D.C. gave up a 2015 SupplementalDraft choice in order to land a player the club has coveted for some time.
“I’ve seen him enough to know that he is a very good prospectfor the future of his club,” said Olsen of the first Chinese-born player to logMLS minutes. “We’ve liked him fora while and hopefully he can come here and integrate himself as quick aspossible. I think he will help usdown the stretch at some point.”
