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Lion Links: 1/8/17

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8 years ago

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Good morning, Mane Landers. I hope your Sunday is going to be better than mine. I’m on a liquid diet today in preparation for tomorrow’s always enjoyable colonoscopy. Hey, when you get old like me you have to have these things every once in a while. The day before is usually worse. You’ve got to intake only clear liquids and then the fun begins in the evening while you drink like a gallon of this nasty stuff that will have you running for the bathroom every few minutes. But enough about that.

It’s match day! Florida Cup begins today at St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Stadium, with a pretty awesome doubleheader. Estudiantes is taking on Bayer Leverkusen at 2 p.m. and the Tampa Bay Rowdies will battle Wolfsburg at 4:45 p.m. Why not save 15% on your tickets and head on over today? You can find out how to save that cash here. If you can’t make it, our Gavin Ewbank is all credentialed up and ready to bring you the news from St. Pete. Need info on the teams? We’ve got you covered.

It’s also Conor Donovan’s 21st birthday today. The Generation Adidas product made his return from an ACL injury in 2016 but never quite seemed to reach his full range of mobility and the form he showed in 2015. But sometimes it takes a player nearly two years to fully regain not only the range of motion in the joint but also the confidence to make the sudden, explosive movements they need in order to fully regain their form. Here’s to hoping Donovan can take a giant leap forward in 2017.

Now, for your Sunday Lion Links…

Orlando City Preseason Hints

While many fans around MLS know where their teams will be playing preseason games, the Lions tend to leave these things until later. Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis mentioned on the latest episode of the PawedCast that the team expects to play five or six preseason games, including an intra-squad scrimmage. That will take place at the beginning of February. This story from OrlandoCitySC.com mentions a friendly against Jacksonville University and that three or four matches — “most likely against MLS opponents” — are still being finalized. We look forward to getting the full preseason slate. The agreement with Atletico Paranaense announced Nov. 1 includes a friendly against the Brazilian side in Orlando this year, which could also be part of the team’s preseason schedule.

Florida Cup: Rowdies Look to Make Their Mark

USL side Tampa Bay Rowdies seem to be jumping at their chance to play in the 2017 Florida Cup. With matches scheduled against German side Wolfsburg and Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro, the Rowdies will not be favored to get results in the tournament, but the club has MLS ambition and sees this as an opportunity to grow awareness. Mike Gramajo of the Orlando Sentinel spoke with Tampa Bay’s PR director:

“Playing in the Florida Cup is a no-brainer,” said Nico Castillo, director of public relations for the Rowdies. “The tournament is going to broadcast live in over 140 countries, why wouldn’t we want our brand, our stadium and city to be showcased?

“And when you add our MLS ambitions, it opens up to a new audience, and we’re definitely using the tournament to prepare for our USL season for 2017.”

As mentioned earlier, the Rowdies will face Wolfsburg at 4:45 p.m. today. We’ll have a recap and potentially a chat with newest Tampa Bay defender Luke Boden.

Chicharito Rumors are Back

It’s the gift that keeps on giving, really. As Chicharito’s Bayer Leverkusen side visits the U.S. with a couple appearances in the Florida Cup on the schedule, rumors have been swirling that the German team is willing to sell the Mexican striker this summer. Chicharito’s contract runs through June of 2018, but if the club’s technical staff feel they can get paid for him now, there’s a good chance he’ll at least be offered up. That always fuels the Chicharito-to-MLS rumors, which we’ve enjoyed because — unless something has changed — Orlando City have his MLS discovery rights, per our conversation with Paul McDonough in August of 2015.

How close was the club to landing Chicharito Hernandez?

PM: "There were discussions. It just didn't work out for whatever reason. The club had authorized us to go and try to get it done. We did try. He's back at Man U right now and this is the last year of his deal, so we'll continue to monitor that and see how it goes. We looked at some other guys, too, and the finances in some of the places where these guys went were just so far out of reach it was ridiculous for us to compete with."

Does Orlando City own Chicharito's MLS discovery rights or would his signing require another move?

PM: "We have his discovery rights and we will forever." (laughs)

So get out to Bayer Leverkusen’s Florida Cup games and make Javier Hernandez feel welcome in Central Florida.

NASL Taking Over Our Northern Neighbors

As NASL instability continues, the Jacksonville Armada are being sold. The NASL will take over ownership and operation of the club while looking or a new owner. Armada owner Mark Frisch announced the news yesterday. Frisch said that he’s lost a lot of money getting the team up and running. Results probably haven’t helped, but neither has attendance. Frisch mentioned the team playing in a baseball stadium affecting the atmostphere.

“(The Baseball Grounds) was part of the problem, frankly when we think about the attendance. You don’t really get the atmosphere playing in a baseball stadium. You don’t. It’s a great venue, it’s amazing, first-class, but you’re away from the field and you have the concourse and people are just kind of roaming, they’re not into it,” he said. “A soccer field is just different.”

Good luck to Armada fans as their team goes through some troubling times.

Free Kicks

Everything you need to know about the MLS SuperDraft…Once again this season, the NWSL Draft will be streamed live…Orlando City isn’t the only team re-signing players from the 2016 squad. New York City FC re-signed both Tommy McNamara and RJ Allen…Boom or bust? A history of No. 1 MLS picks…In addition to Conor Donovan, those born on this date include F Troop actor Larry Storch (1923), comedian Soupy Sales (1926), “the king” himself, Elvis Presley (1935), James Bond theme singer for Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, and Moonraker, Shirley Bassey (1937), game show host Bob Eubanks (1938), Monty Python’s Graham Chapman (1941), physicist Stephen Hawking (1942), Doors guitarist Robby Krieger (1946), David Bowie (1947…RIP), Loverboy vocalist Mike Reno (1955), R. Kelly (1967), baseball’s Jason Giambi (1971) and Mike Cameron (1973), and  Atlético Madrid midfielder Koke.

Well, that’s all I have for you today, folks. I’m off to enjoy a day full of chicken broth and Jello. If you’re headed west on I-4 to check out Chicharito at Al Lang Stadium, have a great time. I leave you with Wayne Rooney making history by equaling Bobby Charlton’s all-time goal-scoring record with Manchester United:

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

Orlando City transfer rumors, Orlando Pride preseason begins, USMNT at Inter&Co, and more.

Published

7 hours ago

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January 22, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The ManeLand

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Up here in Tallahassee, I’m waking up to snow/sleet, closed schools, closed government offices, and potentially icy roads. Many people will get an extra day off of work, however, I still get to go to work. I’m sure you can imagine how happy I am about that. Enough of my winter grumbling. Let’s get to the links but not until after we wish Orlando City fullback Michael Halliday a happy 22nd birthday.

Orlando City Reportedly Targeting Croatian International

While I can no longer say that Orlando City hasn’t signed any new players, the club is still moving at its traditionally slow speed as compared to other MLS clubs. We had the signing of Nicolas Rodriguez last week. Now, we have Tom Bogert report of yet another winger prospect for the club in Croatian Marco Pasalic from HNK Rijeka, though it is not a done deal. Hopefully the other targets Bogert mentions are of the striker variety.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881755961125449765?s=46&t=pMoq7Wulqfb35D7C8ydroA

Pride Preseason Begins

The 2024 NWSL champions are back to defend their title. The Orlando Pride returned to training on Tuesday. The club hasn’t needed to add many pieces, though some of the players already here, like Simone Charley and Grace Chanda, haven’t actually played any minutes for the Pride yet. Most of the chemistry is in place for Seb Hines, but reinforcing those bonds will be the challenge as the Pride look to repeat.

USMNT at Inter&Co Tonight

Hopefully you have tickets to the USMNT friendly match versus Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The match starts at 7 p.m. and there are television and streaming options if you’re not going in person. Despite the squad having 14 players with three or fewer caps, Mauricio Pochettino does not consider this an “alternative” squad, nor does he want the players to think of themselves like that.

Girma Reportedly Nearing Completion of Chelsea Move

USWNT defender Naomi Girma is reportedly headed to Chelsea FC Women for a record $1.1 million transfer fee. That is a very big chunk of change for San Diego FC to use to try to replace one of the best defenders in the world. The deal is not complete as of Tuesday evening, but according to the original report from The Athletic, it is close to being done. Girma would be the first women’s soccer player to earn a transfer fee of over $1 million.

MLS Transfer Updates

Other MLS clubs keep on putting pen to paper when it comes to new players. The Chicago Fire are bringing in Jonathan Bamba on a Designated Player deal from La Liga side Celta de Vigo. The Luca de la Torre loan from Spain’s RC Celta de Vigo to San Diego FC is also official.

https://twitter.com/sandiegofc/status/1881741042904350864

Cucho Hernandez evidently wants to stay with the Columbus Crew, though he is still waiting on a new offer.

https://twitter.com/tombogert/status/1881786193693823104

Free Kicks

https://twitter.com/weareangelcity/status/1881749040863588770?s=12&t=_WZBNG4ILAyRLdwBeB4mpQ
  • Keep your eyes peeled later today for the NWSL schedule drop.
https://twitter.com/nwsl/status/1881749035218042954?s=46&t=pN-YJp3s7ZQlCXqnTAgSfw

That will do it for today. Stay warm out there, my friends. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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1 day ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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