Are There Any Positives That Orlando City Could Take from Missing Out on the Playoffs?

Head Coach Jason Kreis seemed perplexed when asked about the defensive frailties that continue to plague Orlando City after yet another big loss. This third consecutive loss puts the Lions in an even worse position in regards to their playoff hopes, and as the weeks go on, postseason play is seeming like less and less of a possibility. Though many City fans may have been hoping for a bit of extra stress added to their normal lives, there are a few reasons why Orlando could benefit in the long haul from missing out on this year's postseason play.

To be honest, there aren't that many reasons why it's a good thing that the Lions could miss out. The experience, both as a club and for the fans, is invaluable for a young club like OCSC. MLS is still a young league and cementing your club's place among the elite is essential for future success. However, there is a silver lining.

The upper management at City could benefit from a longer off-season by truly examining the club and its assets in an effort to dispose of deadwood and otherwise auxiliary players and staff. As stated by myself and many others in the media, the decision to hire Kreis should come along with the expectation that the club will adhere to his decisions in regards to how the team plays and not the other way around. Giving the former Real Salt Lake and NYCFC head coach all the necessary tools to build a squad that is both successful and sustainable is something that is entirely possible with enough time, given Kreis' track record to compete in this league. The longer off-season should consist of a full squad audit from the Nebraska native, allowing him to implement every nuance of his favored tactics down to a T.

This revamp should also include the first team's general tactics in the youth academy. One brand of football throughout an entire system has proven to be the key to success at other high-quality clubs, and it's certainly something Orlando could benefit from.

Streamlining the entire system around one coach may seem like an insane idea, but Kreis hasn't been given the right tools to make his system whole. Allowing him the luxury could result in mass success for Orlando, and since the league has no relegation, the danger is limited.

Kreis also isn't a coach that would go budget crazy. His competitive teams at RSL were well under cost, and the spend at NYCFC is more of something that City Football Group, the overarching string puller of the club, was more involved than Kreis.