By DAN KARELL
Orlando City is less than a month away from beginning its long-awaited journey in MLS.
It feels like forever ago that Orlando City began its push for an expansion place in MLS, and once that place was granted on Nov. 19, 2013, the gears slid into motion. The club won its third regular season USL Pro title last season, but its eyes were always on March 2015.
From signing Kaka to a Designated Player contract last fall, to adding a whole host of young Latin American signings such as Brian Rochez, Carlos Rivas, and Cristian Higuita, to reinforcing its squad with MLS veterans such as Amobi Okugo and Aurelien Collin, Orlando City has prepared well for its inaugural season in the top division of American soccer.
If the squad can gel over the course of the season, it looks possible that Orlando City can push for a playoff place come November.
Here’s a closer look at how Orlando City’s squad is coming along ahead of its first season in MLS:
GOALKEEPER
Orlando City has a bit of an embarrassment of riches at goalkeeper.
While former U.S. Men’s National Team call-up Tally Hall continues his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament last season, former Portland Timbers and LA Galaxy shot stopper Donovan Ricketts is expected to start from opening day.
Once Hall is fully recovered, Orlando City has either a great trade chip to upgrade its roster at another position, or Orlando can go with two proven MLS goalkeepers to keep competition at the position high. Backing up the pair is former U.S. Under-17 goalkeeper Earl Edwards, who was drafted after five seasons with UCLA. Former Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Josh Ford battles for the final goalkeeper position.
DEFENSE
Orlando City made a big acquisition in the hours before the MLS Expansion Draft, picking up center back Aurelien Collin
Collin rose to stardom from 2011-2014 with Sporting Kansas City, forming an elite partnership with Matt Besler and becoming a regular on season-ending MLS Best XI lists. He’ll likely join Brazilian center back Gustavo in the starting lineup.
In the fullback positions, Luke Boden should lock up the left side and either Tyler Turner or Rafael Ramos will man the right back spot. Draft pick Conor Donovan, like Turner a U.S. U-20 international, will provide solid depth behind Gustavo and Collin, along with fellow U-20 center back Tommy Redding. New signing Eric Avila could even play right back in a pinch.
MIDFIELD
Kaka is the shining star of a midfield that should be able to compete in MLS from day one. The addition of Brek Shea is a big one assuming he can recover his form, and he’ll be a major piece of the club’s plans on the left side. Kevin Molino should patrol the right side of the midfield three.
MLS veteran Amobi Okugo will anchor the defensive side of the midfield, and the club can partner either Harrison Heath or Estrela with him.
Tony Cascio, who missed almost all of last season with a torn ACL, is still a question mark, as are youngsters Carlos Rivas and Cristian Higuita.
Molino and Darwin Ceren, both holdovers from the USL Pro team, could provide some quality assuming they can make the jump without a problem, and former Union draft pick Pedro Ribeiro should add solid depth on the wing.
FORWARDS
Orlando boosted its forward ranks in late January with the signing of Northern Ireland international Martin Paterson, but this section of the roster is high on potential and low on proven MLS talent.
Danny Mwanga, the former first overall MLS draft pick, is an option, as is the first selection of the 2015 draft, Cyle Larin. Rivas can play up top as well and there are options in draft picks Akeil Barrett and Sidney Rivera.
The biggest question mark is Young Designated Player Bryan Rochez. The Honduras U-20 forward is an unknown quantity. Young Designated Players have a mixed record adjusting to MLS, and Rochez could end up at either the Erick “Cubo” Torres or the Alex Lopez end of the scale.
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What do you think of Orlando City’s squad? Do you believe they can contend for a playoff place? How excited are you to see Kaka play in MLS?
Share your thoughts below.
I would like Imperative Voice to check back in with us after 10 games. Kaka will likely score 20 goals alone, without blinking. This team will end up in top 5 of Eastern Conference.
Ha. You must be new to the league. Even Thierry Henry never scored more than 15 goals in a season, and Kaka’s not the goalscorer Henry was. People familiar with MLS know it’s no cakewalk.
OC looks strong in defense but poor in the attack. Other than the aged Kaka it’s like, who? If the talk is move Shea back they aren’t seeing rationally what their offense looks like.
I don’t think the defense looks very strong, actually. Looks slightly below average to me. Midfield looks good. Forwards could be good but someone has to emerge from that pack to lead them.
This is how u build a team from scratch, well done. I wonder if Saputo has any criticism for their ownership spending money…..
Kaka is the best player in the league.
I thought Gustavo went back to Brazil instead of signing with Orlando?
That was Paulo Andre
If this is what a playoff team looks like, NYC should win euro champions league this year.
leastern conference playoff team
Coach Heath has said on multiple occasions that he is looking at Brek Shea primarily as a left back right now. Also, Cristian Higuita or Darwin Ceren are more likely to start next to Okugo at CDM. Harrison Heath and Estrela are prime candidates to move to Louisville FC. Very little chance either starts for Orlando immediately.
truly hope Brek doesn’t play LB for club.
NYCFC’s lineup looks better (especially after Lampard shows up) but Collin and Kaka should be best 11 for in MLS if they can stay healthy. Nice work Orlando, this is very strong for an expansion side.
*For the record, not a supporter of either expansion team
feel like collin’s best days are behind him. he’ll have a solid season but cant be counted on much beyond this year. that said, best XI might be pushing it this year….
That could be true about Collin; Vermes has a track record of cutting bait on a player right before his form drops. I hope that isn’t true about Collin because he has been fun to watch over the past 2-3 seasons.
wonder if OCSC has a no-opening-clothing-shop clause in his contract because Collin was awful once his store opened.
NYC looks strong in back and mid but the GK crew is iffy and it’s like they forgot about forward. Lampard won’t address that, he’ll crowd the midfield. Who’s going to finish?
David villa should be pretty good at that
I hear that Villa guy ain’t half bad….