Orlando City is – once again – undergoing a culture shift. Players, Orlando City’s front office and the team’s coach have all commented on it ahead of the team’s season opener against NYCFC.
In particular, club CEO Alex Leitão is looking to make sure this shift is one that lasts. There was talk of a culture shift last season, and 2018 was a disaster for the Lions.
Leitão told Pro Soccer USA he was avoiding distractions – including Twitter — while assessing everything that happened during the Lions’ 2018 campaign, which was the worst in the club’s four-year MLS history.
“A lot happened in order for us to be at this stage, looking [forward to] Saturday with a lot of excitement and, in my opinion, in a very good shape,” Leitao said during an interview with Pro Soccer USA. “I took time to really look internally and really put a lot of work on it.”
After reflecting, it was about making sure head coach James O’Connor, executive vice president of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi and director of scouting Ricardo Moreira – three men who weren’t with the team at the start of the 2018 season — were all on the same page.
Leitão said changing the culture wasn’t just about changing people running the show.
“It’s really coming from the mentality that we want from the players that we want,” Leitão said. “The way we as a club have the relationship with the players. More close to them with people around understanding what’s going on. In terms of injury, we were one of the worst last year, so how can we prevent that? How can we do a proper and better preseason in order to avoid having injuries in the middle of the season?
“We looked to all the aspects of that. Who should be up front? Who should be more out there from the organization? All the aspects of the team. Instead of just looking for individual performances of the club, it’s really all of the departments, at the end of the day, have impact on the field performances. Looked for best practices, looked for clubs that do better than us. Learning from our own mistakes and then trying to do better.”
Muzzi said the club understands what went wrong. Now, it’s time to deliver success.
“I think there’s been a lot of valleys and sometimes those valleys have been a little too long,” Muzzi said.
Raising his hands up and down to simulate peaks and valleys, Muzzi said, “That’s a challenge with everything, I think. Once you get here, you know there’s going to be a little drop, but you have to come up again. You have to be here. You can’t allow yourself to just boom, drop down.”
Veteran midfielder Sacha Kljestan said the culture shift is noticeable when you look at what players are doing with their spare time, among other things.
Members of the team are watching soccer. A small thing, but something that makes the difference when talking about who wants to get better, Kljestan said.
“A thing, for me, that we lacked a lot last year was guys that actually watched soccer outside of ourselves,” Sacha said. “So, guys that were talking about watching Champions League games, watching the Premier League, watching La Liga, watching Liga MX, watching other MLS games. Last year, that part for me … was at, like, the lowest level I’ve ever seen in my life.
“A lot of the younger guys, I would say the two in particular that impress me are Cam Lindley and Chris Mueller, who are constantly watching and talking about soccer. It shows me that they want to become better every day. I think part of getting better is watching the highest level and seeing what that takes.”
O’Connor said he’s noticed that particular shift.
“I’m always looking at ways to improve,” O’Connor said. “I want to be around people that want to improve. I don’t like people to be static and to believe that they have all the answers. I most definitely have a growth mindset. I want the players to have that same appetite. I think with ambition should come growth.”
O’Connor said while investing in molding a new team culture, he’s focused on making sure there isn’t a dropoff in quality when a player goes down due to injury.
“Too often, if certain personnel are missing, the next man up maybe struggles to fulfill that role, whether it’s fitness, whether it’s mentality, whether it’s attitude or whatever it is,” O’Connor said. “Our goal is to make sure there’s a seamless transition to any personnel changes that are made.”
Is there moment when it’s clear the attempted culture shift has taken hold?
“Not six weeks in,” O’Connor said with a laugh.
He added, “I think that something that you’re never going to feel as if you ever achieve perfection. You’re always going to strive for perfection. We feel as if we’ve made some great strides.”
Autore: Stefano Bentivogli
Other news - The Opponent
Other news
- 13:35 One absent for New York City FC for the trip to Charlotte
- 13:29 New York City FC 2024 team numbers confirmed
- 16:52 Three Keys of NYCFC 0-0 Red Bulls
- 16:23 NYCFC 0-0 Red Bulls, Cushing: "Incredible atmosphere at Yankee Stadium"
- 01:20 The Knicks can sacrifice Immanuel Quickley for a star
- 00:01 Maxi Moralez: "I can't wait to be reunited with the fans"
- 23:00 Maxi Moralez back to NYCFC: "I couldn’t be more excited"
- 22:03 David Lee: "Maxi will bring leadership and experience to our group"
- 22:00 OFFICIAL - Maxi Moralez Returns to New York City Football Club
- 13:00 David Lee: "We're excited to integrate Fernandez into the team"
- 07:20 NYCFC Signs Argentinian Forward Julián Fernández
- 15:30 Bernardeschi can leave Toronto: there is interest from an Italian club
- 14:30 Los Angeles Galaxy crazy offer to Hriving Lozano
- 13:42 CR7: "Saudi Pro League is much better than the MLS"
- 18:44 NYCFC, failing season. The trend needs to be reversed
- 17:27 Birk Risa: "I'm happy to be here, I can't wait to get started"
- 15:39 OFFICIAL - NYCFC Signs Norwegian Defender Birk Risa
- 13:44 Taty Castellanos moves to Lazio
- 13:40 Inter Miami, Alba también se sumará al proyecto
- 23:36 OFFICIAL - Inter Miami, Gerardo Martino named new coach
- 22:58 Timothy Weah has landed in Turin, he will be a Juventus player
- 22:56 OFFICIAL - Kai Havertz is a new Arsenal player
- 15:30 Bayern Munich on Kane, there is an agreement on the contract but not the one with Tottenham
- 14:30 West Ham reject Arsenal's third offer for Rice. Manchester City are considering withdrawing from the auction
- 13:24 Mbappé at Real, the striker's mother-agent is the key: she will be the one to deal with PSG
- 19:15 OFFICIAL - "Welcome to Finnesota". Center forward Pukki restarts from MLS
- 19:13 OFFICIAL - Mateo Kovacic leaves Chelsea and signs with Man City
- 18:30 AC Milan wants Pulisic. Berhalter advises the US midfielder
- 18:00 West Ham: 100 million not enough for Declan Rice, rejected offers from Arsenal and Man City
- 17:30 Timothy Weah moves to Italy
- 17:00 NYCFC may pursue former Vancouver Whitecaps player
- 16:30 Antoine Griezmann wants to play in MLS and rejects the offer from Saudi Arabia
- 15:59 Keaton Parks: "I'm happy to be able to do goal and assist"
- 15:32 Bayern Munich, formal offer for Harry Kane
- 15:23 Andrea Pirlo returns to Italy, signs with Sampdoria
- 13:28 Manchester City's Champions League win could impact NYCFC's future
- 12:00 James Sands Selected To Represent The USMNT At The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup
- 08:30 Lionel Messi lands in the MLS: pros and cons
- 23:48 Real Salt Lake vs NYCFC: one player unavailable for Cushing
- 23:46 NYCFC, Cushing: “We’re Desperate For The First Road Win"
- 22:34 MLS statement on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF
- 21:54 OFFICIAL - Messi is a new player of Inter Miami FC
- 19:09 Messi's signing with Inter Miami FC