WASHINGTON -- Friday was a joyous day at the office for D.C. United employees as club sponsor Volkswagen brought a bevy of their new models out to sunny RFK Stadium, inviting players and staff on test drives across the vast parking lots that surround the venerable facility.
Meanwhile, down in the basement, United's locker room was the site of a happy homecoming as Christian Gomez, one of the team's biggest stars in recent memory, was once again handed the keys to the D.C. attack after a year of exile in Colorado.
Monday saw Gomez traded back to the club where he began his MLS career in exchange for winger Ivan Guerrero, a Designated Player roster spot and a second-round pick in the 2010 SuperDraft, and on Friday the Argentinean was warmly welcomed by his old teammates before joining them for a lively midday training session.
"I feel good," said Gomez after a workout where he looked a bit short on fitness but still sharp with his touches on the ball. "I feel good with my teammates, to see them again. I'm ready to begin a new season."
A proven performer in the clutch, Gomez was the heartbeat of United's attack in his first stint with D.C. and he returns to a club in need of his assertive mentality since the exit of designated player Marcelo Gallardo, his replacement in the team's playmaking role.
"I think he's really happy to be back," said head coach Tom Soehn. "He's got a locker room full of friends and we're happy to have him back."
Gomez and United have endured substantial trials and tribulations in their year apart. Gallardo was plagued by injuries during his time in the nation's capital and the team's form suffered badly as a result, causing the proud club to miss the playoffs for only the fourth time in MLS history. While Gallardo owns a more illustrious international resume, United believe that Gomez's proven MLS track record can help them return to prominence in a competitive Eastern Conference.
"The way he plays, you surround him with the right players and the right formation, and he'll excel," said Santino Quaranta, himself a prodigal son in his second stint with United. "He's one of the best players in this league, still, and there's so many different ways you can play Christian: as a second forward, in a 3-5-2, in a 4-4-2 -- whatever way you want to play him. I think that's going to be a good thing about our team this year: we're going to be unpredictable."
Conversely, Gomez's Rapids career began brightly but the midseason departure of head Fernando Clavijo saw him fall far out of favor as new boss Gary Smith imparted a new philosophy to the side.
"When Fernando Clavijo was there, the game plan was to play through me," said Gomez, when asked about his fading fortunes in Colorado. "And obviously when he was let go a new coach came on board and he wanted to play more of an English style, and that doesn't suit me."
Gomez's 3-1/2 seasons in D.C. were studded with success. His August 2004 arrival in Washington sparked United to an MLS Cup championship run, while the next three seasons featured sustained regular-season excellence with back-to-back Supporters' Shield trophies in 2006 and 2007 and league MVP honors for the playmaker in '06.
But when he and the United front office were unable to agree on terms of a new contract a year ago, the Black-and-Red sent Gomez west in a blockbuster trade that set him up as the centerpiece of Clavijo's Rapids squad -- and laid the groundwork for D.C.'s capture of Gallardo. Yet on Friday Gomez showed little sign of the bad blood that reportedly lingered at the time of his departure.
"No [there were] no hard feelings," said Gomez. "I was looking for a contract that was in the best interests of me and my family. There was another team that was interested in me and obviously I couldn't reach a deal with United, so I had to do what was best for me and my family."
Gomez was a centerpiece of United's brightest moments this decade, so it's little surprise that the rest of the Black-and-Red are also more than happy to go "back to the future" as they search for a more effective formula in 2009.
"Getting the gang back together slowly!" joked United veteran Ben Olsen. "I think him coming back is a big step for us going forward, and hopefully the chemistry is still there with everybody. He's the type of guy who is an unselfish player. He can hurt you both with his passing and vision, and scoring."
The Spanish phrase gran expectativas (great expectations) kept popping up in Gomez's many interviews on Friday as he made clear that he acknowledges -- and welcomes -- the pressure created by his illustrious United past.
"When you first arrive to a club -- or in my case, I am coming back for a second time -- I would call it good pressure because you want to have a good season and win a championship," he said. "It's something a player cherishes, to have that sort of pressure."
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