PASSION OF THE PLAYOFFS
Ben Olsen interview: ‘Houston Dynamo was a blank canvas’
Ahead of Sunday’s playoff semi-final, the two-time MLS Cup winner tells AS USA that he is focused on securing long-term success.
When Ben Olsen joined Houston Dynamo one year ago, few would have predicted the success that his first 12 months would bring.
He took over a team that had not reached the post-season or won a trophy in five years, one that was drifting into obscurity in an increasingly competitive league. But for Olsen, the Houston job offered a long-term project as he considered a return to MLS coaching.
Speaking to AS USA, the Houston Dynamo head coach recalls what attracted him to the job after a period away from the league.
“I started to get the itch to be back in the locker room, to build something. This opportunity came and I liked that it was different to DC [United]. This was a blank canvas, an opportunity to be a small part of building something new.”
“It was a chance to recapture a fan base and a team that has, for the last decade, been down on its luck. That opportunity just really resonated to me.”
Houston must build on promising start
Olsen spent more than 20 years with DC United, first as a player and then as a coach. He is a club legend for DC but in 2020 decided that his time in the capital had come to an end. Rather than moving straight into another MLS job he decided to do something different, taking the opportunity “to step away and see a different walk of life.”
He served as club president for NWSL side Washington Spirit, guiding them to their first-ever Championship in 2021. He became a regular on ESPN’s MLS coverage. He spent time painting, regularly visiting a local arts studio to hone his craft.
But in November 2022, after two years away, Olsen returned to MLS to pursue a new opportunity with Houston Dynamo. He saw potential in the club and in this squad, but admits that the speed of the turnaround has taken him by surprise.
“It’s ahead of where I thought it would be. My expectations were to sneak into the playoffs, but with a focus of building over the next couple of years. But that goes out of the window when things click a little quicker, when you lift that first trophy.”
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They have enjoyed considerable success but Olsen’s Houston will not be resting on their laurels. He knows how rare these opportunities for MLS Cup glory are and is demanding that his players build on the progress made in his first 12 months.
“As I’ve said to the guys many times, you have to take advantage of these moments. The team’s playing well. You’re in good form, with a group that fights for each other and has a pretty clear identity.”
“Things have gone our way, but that can happen. You can have a year when things click, but the thing here with Houston is ‘Can we do this again next year?’ and continue to put ourselves in a good position in the post-season and in spot to win trophies.”
Olsen targeting long-term growth
In his first year at the club Houston have broken their streak of playoff absences and lifted the US Open Cup, their first piece of silverware since 2018. Olsen’s side beat Inter Miami in the final and showcased Houston’s more expansion style of play.
But despite those early triumphs, Olsen is reluctant to accept any praise for the turnaround. For him, real success goes beyond the coaches’ influence.
“This isn’t about me. Anytime I win silverware it’s about the collective. It’s about that moment of winning a trophy with a team, a staff and an organisation, with the fans and the city. That’s the special thing for me, it’s nothing individual.”
“I just want to build something here that’s sustainable and make this a better place for when I’m not here.”
When he was announced as Houston Dynamo head coach, Olsen said that he had been attracted to “ownership’s vision” for the club. After one year in the role, he looks to be on track to make that vision a reality.
Houston enjoy home advantage for KC clash
For all the talk of long-term targets, Olsen’s sights are now fixed on the Western Conference semi-final against Sporting Kansas City. Houston have home advantage for Sunday’s clash and their fervent Texan support could be a real difference-maker. Across 2023 Houston’s home record is the fourth-best in all of MLS, while their away record is 21st.
For Olsen, making Shell Energy Stadium a fortress has been a key part of their success this year.
“We set out this year knowing that if we were going to do what we wanted that would be a huge part of it, winning games at home. Our away record is ok, but really it’s our home record that we hang our hat on. We’ve been, for the most point, pretty damn good.”
“This is why we fought for home field advantage. This is why we pushed towards the end when we were already in the playoffs, for a moment like this when we can have another home playoff game. It helps, it certainly helps.”
They take on a Sporting KC side that have been one of the big surprises of the playoffs so far. Peter Vermes’ side only secured qualification on the final day of the regular season but have looked imperious in the playoffs, blitzing past Western Conference winners St. Louis City in the previous round.
Olsen admits that Sunday’s game will be a real challenge, but wants his team to make the most of this opportunity against Sporting KC.
“We’re looking forward to it, but this Kansas City team went to St. Louis so they’re not scared. We’re going to have to be at our best in all the areas that we’ve talked about through the year.”
“Everyone will have to be dialled in. If we get a few chances we just have to make sure we stick them. It’s playoff soccer.”
Houston Dynamo take on Sporting Kansas City at Shell Energy Stadium on Sunday 26 November, at 7:00pm (ET) / 4:00pm (PT).