Ben Olsen wants Houston to be “consistently playing for trophies”

HOUSTON – Ben Olsen joined an elite class Wednesday night, becoming the third coach to win the U.S. Open Cup with two different teams.

The first-year Houston Dynamo head coach led the men in orange to a 2-1 victory over Inter Miami FC to claim the Bayou City clubs’ second U.S. Open Cup trophy. Houston’s tournament run and eventual championship comes a decade after the former midfielder coached D.C. United to its third U.S. Cup title in 2013.

Olsen’s history with the tournament extends to his involvement in D.C. United’s 2008 U.S. Open Cup championship run.

To put it simply, Olsen respects what the U.S. Open Cup represents.

“I’m a romantic with it. It means a lot to me.” the 2014 MLS Coach of the Year told the media after the final.

“Growing up, the FA Cup and these Cups that these amateur teams can play bigger teams and the bigger teams get the to play the bigger teams. I always thought it was just a really nice concept and idea. And with D.C United, we always had success, we always took it in the right way. And we did that this year.”

Olsen’s decade’s worth of MLS coaching experience was among the reasons he was hired to helm the Dynamo and take them from being an afterthought to being talked about.

The path to the U.S. Open Cup and the slow rise up the Western Conference standings dealt Houston tough losses and lessons that cast doubt on Olsen’s hiring.

“I think Ben needed some time, and he and his staff needed some time to work with them [players], figure out the best system and style of play,” said Dynamo General Manager Pat Onstad. “I still don’t think we’re exactly where we want to be. We’re still a work in progress.”

The work in progress continues throughout the season, including helping players reach their full potential on the pitch.

Playing for Olsen

Dynamo left-back Franco Escobar said Olsen has built a good relationship with the players, allowing both parties to talk openly, knowing it’s for the better good of the club.

Olsen had one such recent conversation.

Dynamo winger Nelson Quiñónes entered Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup Final against Inter Miami FC, coming off back-to-back subpar performances.

Before the U.S. Open Cup Final, Olsen pulled Quiñónes aside and conversed with the Colombian international on his substandard performances.

“We had a nice little chat before the game about what I thought of his last couple of games and where he needs to be. Where he can go if he changes his mentality in how he prepares in being a pro,” said Olsen at the U.S. Open Cup final post-conference.

“I told him, ‘I’m not going to let you stay here when you have this much talent and you can go to some serious places.’ And that’s playing for the national team, both young and the full team.”

Quiñónes took Olsen’s words to heart as the 21-year-old was a menace on the left wing and gave USMNT right back DeAndre Yedlin more than he could handle. The Colombian winger was instrumental to Houston’s 2-1 win over Inter Miami, earning a penalty in the first half for the Dynamo’s second goal.

“He’s a young kid, but he’s fearless,” added Olsen. “This was a championship game, and he was nasty.”

Quiñónes is among a handful of players that have had a resurgence under Olsen compared to their performances last season. Others in that same boat include Griffin Dorsey and Corey Baird.

Each player has blossomed under Olsen and his coaching staff, and for Olsen, it’s all part of getting Houston to play for trophies consistently.

“When I got to Houston, everyone said it: this place, there’s a lot of disrespect going on, and we’re almost invisible,” said Olsen.

“And then I saw firsthand over the first couple of months. And again, that’s our job. That’s what tonight’s about. That’s what winning games, and that’s what trying to get into the postseason is about, is this progress and this process of us putting Houston back on the map a little bit and making sure that we’re a postseason team that is consistently playing for trophies.”