Lion Links: 5/1/15

Friday has arrived, and with it a new month that brings closure to a pretty bad month for Orlando City SC. Let’s kick May off the right way, with a fresh set of Lion Links and some friendly soccer tomorrow against Ponte Preta.

Heath and Paterson Speak to the Media

Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath and injured forward Martin Paterson spoke to the media on Thursday following training. It was the first time we have heard from Paterson this season, and he says that his recovery from a hamstring injury is coming along. He would not reveal the timeline that the training staff has him on, but said he does not want to come back until he’s sure he is at 100 percent.

Heath said that the Lions were able to get a few players some rest and talked about the opportunity that will be presented to his young players this weekend in the friendly against Ponte Preta.

Depth Could Be Holding MLS Back in CCL

Matthew Doyle, MLSsoccer.com’s Armchair Analyst, argues in this post that Major League Soccer teams need to build better depth in order to win the CONCACAF Champions Leage following Montreal’s loss on Wednesday night. Doyle says that academy programs will be key in this initiative, noting academy products like Bill Hamid for D.C. and DeAndre Yedlin from Seattle.

Out best players need indoctrination in not only the right techniques and tactics, but also an understanding of the worldwide culture of the game. LigaMX teams murder MLS teams in the competition when given an inch. The few times the shoe has been on the other foot, MLS teams have left the door open and suffered as a result.

Houston Dynamo to Host Manchester City in Summer Friendly

Houston announced Thursday that it will host Manchester City of the Barclays Premier League as an opponent in its BBVA Dynamo Charities Cup this summer. The friendly match will take place on May 28 at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Man City, winner of two Premier League titles in the last three seasons, will be the first big-name club from abroad to face the Dynamo in their home stadium. The brand name of Manchester City gives Houston a big-name opponent to rival the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona, Manchester United and Barcelona, who will be playing in America this summer as part of the International Champions Cup.

USMNT Schedules Friendly with Guatemala for July

With the Gold Cup set to start on July 7, the United State's Men's National Team will get one last tune up in when the U.S. hosts Guatemala in Nashville on July 3. No announcement has come on the friendly, but one is expected in the next few weeks. The game is listed on FIFA's web site currently.

The USMNT will face Honduras on July 7 in its first Gold Cup match, and is already scheduled for pre-tournament friendlies in Europe against the Netherlands and Germany in the month of June.

Drogba to MLS a Possibility?

Another big-name player from a European league has been linked with MLS, this time in the form of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. Orlando City is not named, but rather New York City FC, where Drogba’s former teammate Frank Lampard is set to join the expansion side this summer. Lampard and Drogba were integral parts of a Chelsea side that won three Premier League titles and the 2012 UEFA Champions League in an eight-year span.

The 37-year-old Drogba, who has scored over 100 goals in the Premier League, will be out of contract in the summer, and his future with Chelsea is not clear as of yet. The Ivorian striker reportedly received MLS offers in 2012, and although the money would not be near what was offered three years ago, the Telegraph is saying that Drogba to America is possible. Like most transfer rumors, who knows how legitimate it is, but time will tell.