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Lion Links: 7/25/17

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Happy Tuesday, everyone. We’re now just four days away from Atlanta United getting dumped when the Lions invade the Peach State. It’ll be glorious, of course, like when Ramsay Bolton got fed to his dogs.

Sorry if that seems a bit graphic for this early in the morning, but I’ve been Thronin’ it up more than ever and wondering when ol’ Euron Greyjoy will get his comeuppance, even if he did us a favor by ridding us of at least two Sand Snakes.

Anyway, that’s all Greek to those of you who aren’t down with Game of Thrones, so let’s just move into today’s Lion Links.

World Cup to Orlando?

The City of Orlando has been contacted by the joint bid for the U.S., Mexico, and Canada to host the 2026 World Cup. Mayor Buddy Dyer has been a friend to soccer and has been ambitious in chasing the sport’s largest events. Getting the World Cup to the City Beautiful would be the icing on the proverbial cake.

“We received the formal bid documents on Friday and are currently evaluating the bid and what this would involve from our community,” read a statement released by the city on Monday evening. Fox-35 was the first to report Orlando’s invitation to join the U.S. World Cup bid.

Orlando would make a great location for the event, with plenty of infrastructure, including hotel rooms, world-class training facilities, and several stadia which could host matches. We’ll continue to follow this story as it develops.

More on Dom; Why Off-Year Gold Cup Should be Scrapped

Embedded in this column about doing away with the off-year Gold Cup and holding it only once every four years, FourFourTwo writer Paul Tenorio provided a small nugget about the recent Dom Dwyer-to-Orlando transfer rumors.

Two league sources confirmed that Orlando City and Sporting Kansas City are engaged in trade talks and that a deal could be completed early in the week. Those sources were not able to confirm what Orlando City would send back to Kansas City as part of the deal. Stay tuned…

OK, so it’s not much, but it’s nice to have a second (and third) source on the story and that there is a potential timeline. Don’t hold your breath, though. As we explained, this could be a complicated deal.

The main section of the column is accurate. There’s little need for the two-year Gold Cup cycle. In the off years, the bigger CONCACAF teams have no incentive to field a top squad, and the quality of play suffers, as we’ve seen this year in the group stage. What do you think? Are you in favor of the status quo, or going to a four-year rotation?

Zidane Expects Tough Test from Kaká, MLS All-Stars

Real Madrid Manager Zinedine Zidane spoke about his club’s upcoming match against the 2017 MLS All-Star Team. Zidane is looking for his club — going through its preseason — to gain fitness and chemistry, while he says the difficulty of playing the MLS guys is that they’re in mid-season form.

“Obviously, it’ll be nice to see Kaká,” Zidane told reporters through a translator Sunday after Real Madrid’s loss on penalty kicks to Manchester United in an International Champions Cup exhibition. 

“He’s an important player in the history of Real Madrid. It’ll be nice for his ex-teammates so see him, as well.”

Fabian Johnson Mulling International Retirement

Borussia Monchengladbach and USMNT star Fabian Johnson may be done with international soccer after the 2018 World Cup. Further, his appearances in lower profile games between now and then will also drop off a bit.

In a wide-ranging Q&A, Johnson also revealed that he has an agreement in place with Bruce Arena to only play for the U.S. men’s national team in the “more important” matches. While he was among the lengthy list of regular first-team players to be omitted from the current Gold Cup roster, he has missed several friendlies in the past several years.

When asked if the 2018 World Cup could be a good stopping point for his international career, the 29-year-old didn’t rule it out saying that it “could very well be” for him.

Need a Striker or Midfielder? Here are Some:

FourFourTwo put together a list of five strikers who could be realistic options for MLS teams in this transfer window. As someone who follows a team that needs more scoring punch, this interested me greatly. Interestingly, writer Steve Davis didn’t see Orlando City as a potential fit for any of the players listed, despite a need for another target man. Of these five, I’m most intrigued by Andre-Pierre Gignac (obviously) and Bryan Ruiz. Which of these guys, if any, would you like to see in purple?

Davis also pushed out a list of midfielders. Interestingly, he did not list Orlando City as a possible good fit for Juan Quintero, but he did think Adam Maher of PSV might fit the bill.

Another Obstacle to Beckham’s Endless Miami Deal

If David Beckham’s group ever brings an MLS team to Miami, the book about the journey is going to dwarf the length of anything Stephen King ever wrote. The latest obstacle for the group is a wealthy Miami resident who is suing Beckham in an effort to kill the stadium plan. Bruce Matheson contends the stadium will destroy the Overtown neighborhood's quality of life with noise, traffic, and pedestrian congestion because it will also host concerts. I’m sure the fact that Matheson owns nearby land has nothing to do with it.

“It’s apparent that Mr. Matheson hates professional sports,” Michael Hernández, the mayor's spokesperson, told the Herald. “He’s doing his best to drive out the Miami Open from Key Biscayne, and now he hopes to block Major League Soccer from coming to Miami.”

Free Kicks

  • Howard Megdal from Vice Sports posted an interesting Q&A with Orlando Pride star midfielder Marta.
  • Predictably, Atlanta United is up for MLS Goal of the Week and MLS Save of the Week, because that’s what it takes sometimes to beat Orlando City in the Purple Palace. Villalba and Guzan definitely turned in super human efforts for the bad guys, with the latter also making MLS Team of the Week.
  • In a Sports Business Journal story that created some Twitter buzz yesterday, Major League Soccer rejected a $4 billion global media rights deal from international media company MP & Silva, which stipulated the league adopt promotion and relegation. It’s not clear why the offer was made, as the league is contractually forbidden from participating in media rights discussions with other distributors.
  • Among those born on this date are actor Walter Brennan (1894), football’s Walter Payton (1954), model — and David Bowie’s widow — Iman (1955), baseball’s Doug Drabek (1962), hockey’s Tony Granato (1964), Friends actor Matt LeBlanc (1967), hockey’s Evgeni Nabokov (1975), MLS and USMNT striker Conor Casey (1981), Brazilian footballer Hulk (1986), and Chicago Fire midfielder John Goossens (1988).

That’s all for me today. I leave you with this brilliant tribute to Full House put out by the Orlando Pride:

Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/22/25

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

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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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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.

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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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