WASHINGTON -- Between new stadium developments and the return of former star Christian Gomez, there's been plenty for D.C. United fans to buzz about as the 2009 season opener approaches. The reacquisition of a unique playmaker and former league MVP certainly deserves its share of attention, but another, less-heralded arrival to the United engine room could pay important dividends this year as well.
Andrew Jacobson, once known to the D.C. faithful as "the one that got away," has made a strong impression in preseason workouts thus far (notwithstanding his current hamstring injury) and some teammates have already tipped him as a potential contributor in the center of midfield.
In fact, his displays have played a role in United's decision to release Joe Vide, a well-liked holding midfielder who earned ten starts in all competitions last year, scoring one goal and generally performing yeoman's work for the club during some of its darkest times of 2008.
"We have a competitive roster and one of our young guys [Jacobson] has shown really well there," said head coach Tom Soehn on Tuesday. "I knew there were going to be some hard decisions, and I still think there's some hard decisions to come. ... It's been competitive in every part of the field."
Jacobson's progress is particularly encouraging given the fact that, like Gomez, he's spent the past 12 months struggling in a distant locale. United selected Jacobson with their top SuperDraft pick a year ago, but the lanky Californian elected to try his hand in France's top flight with Lorient FC instead. A promising start to his time in Brittany was derailed by a foot injury and most frustratingly, life off the field proved difficult for him and his longtime girlfriend Kelly, who accompanied him on the trans-Atlantic move.
"I was always encouraged by the coach; he would always say I was playing well," said Jacobson of his stint with the Ligue 1 side. "It wasn't really soccer, it was more the culture. It was very keep-to-yourself, very family-oriented. Everyone on the team had families and we were a little bit isolated there."
So when the international transfer window opened in January, he decided to make a move. A Danish club expressed interest, but "it looked like more of the same" to Jacobson and he soon returned stateside in the hopes of catching on with United, where he received a warm welcome despite his year away.
"I think all of us have that goal where we want to do as much as possible in our soccer careers," said Clyde Simms, D.C.'s incumbent in the holding midfielder spot. "As a matter of fact I was in the same position this offseason, thinking about going overseas. So I'm glad he did it and kind of got it out of his system, and I think that experience that he had over there will help us as a team."
Despite the struggles he and his girlfriend endured in France, Jacobson calls it "a great experience" and believes it dramatically improved his tactical acumen and overall professionalism. Now he and Kelly are quickly warming to life in the capital city, having moved into one of the many new apartment buildings constructed in the neighborhood near Washington's new baseball stadium.
"I'd never really been here before I came a few weeks ago," he said. "My view of it was, there's the capitol area and everything else is a little dangerous. But I find it's a great city, I really like it. [...] It seems like every day we get more oriented with the city, adjust better with the life, and we're both happier here."
On the field, he's looking forward to learning the MLS ropes under veterans like Gomez and Simms.
"There's very talented center mids on the team and if I can watch what they do and learn from them, whenever I get my chance to play then I can hopefully perform with them, up to their level," said Jacobson. "I'm just happy I'm in a place where I can look at players in my position and strive to play like them. That gives me room to progress."
The respect is mutual. United have several other contenders for playing time at defensive midfield with Simms, Ben Olsen and Devon McTavish all in the frame, but Jacobson also possesses an attacking dimension that could lead to opportunities further up the field as well.
"Offensively I think he's great with the ball," said Simms. "He's going to add a lot of versatility to our midfield, for sure. If you put him in there -- say Christian's injured -- I think he'd be able to fill that void pretty good."
Jacobson is taking a more modest outlook towards his new surroundings, focusing on his own day-to-day learning experience as United looks to dramatically improve its fortunes in '09.
"My goal is for the team to win. If that means me sitting on the bench and watching them win, that's fine with me," he said. "Personally, my goal in life is to have a good career -- it's not a one-year career. So I want to progress this year. If that means getting a lot of playing time than that's what it takes, and if it means getting better in practice than that's what it takes."
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