D.C. United Approval Ratings: Kurt Morsink

We're spending the first month or so of the D.C. United offseason grading each player on the roster with an approval rating. A vote for APPROVE means you were satisfied with the player's performance and want to see him back in D.C. next season. A vote for DISAPPROVE means you want United to move on without him. There is no middle ground, so please leave salary and contract implications out of your decision.

The timing of the approval rating poll for this particular D.C. United player is unintentionally convenient, because Steven Goff of the Washington Post tweeted last night that Kurt Morsink has removed his name from the second round of the MLS Re-Entry Draft, and appears set to re-sign with United for the 2012 season.

If the reason that Morsink removed his name from the RED is actually that he's retiring and joining the United staff as an assistant coach, I think we'd all nod our heads in understanding. It would make sense. After all, Morsink earned the 2011 Coach's Award from the club for setting a positive example for his teammates in the locker room and practice field. Morsink would probably make a pretty good assistant coach. Probably a better assistant coach than player.

Morsink saw just 157 minutes in two starts for United this season. They were the second and third games of the year, and they were both losses. Some might say that 157 minutes was about 157 minutes too many.

With Clyde Simms likely to be a member of different team as of Monday, re-signing Morsink does make a bit of sense. He can fill in for Perry Kitchen at central defensive midfield in a pinch, and is a cheap asset as a locker room leader. But he'll need to improve on his ball possession skills and passing, as well as try to cut down on his reputation for excessive fouling.