Back before the start of preseason, D.C. United center back Bobby Boswell claimed to be caught off guard. During the team’s media day, head coach Ben Olsen had discussed the possibility of using Sean Franklin as a center back. Considering the other center back, Steve Birnbaum, was away with the US national team for their January camp, it was safe to assume that Olsen was looking at Franklin to partner Birnbaum, with Boswell potentially left in the cold.
“That’s the first I heard of that,” Boswell said back in January, when asked about the possibility of Franklin moving to center back, and affecting his role within the team.