One international forward departs and another arrives as the Orlando Pride lost a bigtime player with Adriana’s transfer to the Saudi Women’s Premier League. While the Brazilian attacker will be missed, the club acted quickly in snapping up Prisca Chilufya from Juarez. The Zambian forward will hopefully fit right into Seb Hines’ system as the Pride look to defend their NWSL Shield and NWSL Championship in 2025.

Speaking of Hines, we have an exclusive interview with the Pride’s head coach in our second segment. The gaffer took time out right after a meeting with his team over at IMG Academy during preseason preparations to talk to us about the team’s championship run, how he’s spent his off-season, how he plans to motivate his team to repeat, what to expect from some of the players we didn’t see (much or at all) last season, and much more. It’s always great to talk with Seb, as he’s seemingly always in a good mood and positive.

Following our interview, we checked in with some of Orlando’s other off-season transactions, with a goalkeeper moving to Canada and an Argentine loaned out to her home country. We discuss the moves and dive into the Pride’s 2025 preseason roster.

After that, it’s time for us to check our mailbagbox, which asks us about free agents, sports cliches, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

We’re in our off-season schedule, so we’re not sure if our next show is a week from now or perhaps early March, but we’ll let the news dictate that. For now, we’re monitoring things and we’ll be back before you know it.

Here’s how Episode 74 went down:

0:15 – We open the show with our breakdown of Adriana’s departure and the arrival of Chilufya.

10:14 – Seb Hines jumps on with us to talk about winning trophies, preparing to defend the team’s title, and more.

30:09 – More off-season Pride transactions, the team’s preseason roster, and our mailbagbox.

It’s been almost a month since we broke for the off-season and as of our recording this episode, Orlando City hadn’t yet used the open Designated Player slot left behind by Facundo Torres. The Lions lost another forward with the sudden retirement of Jack Lynn. We discussed how that leaves Orlando City quite thin at the top of the attack.

However, the Lions did add a winger, although it’s not necessarily the guy who will immediately replace Torres. Nicolas Rodriguez is a promising U22 Initiative arrival from Colombia who has the upside to develop into that type of player. Whether he plays a lot or even starts in 2025 remains to be seen.

We also discuss what the reported possible transfer of Cesar Araujo would mean for the Lions as we are now just weeks away from the start of the regular season. It’s not too late to get something done to help this team improve. It only feels that way.

This mailbagbox for this episode asked about workout songs, our experiences with cold, some of our favorite Apple TV shows, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag.

Finally, we discussed a pair of friendlies at Inter&Co Stadium this week, including the USMNT hosting Costa Rica and Orlando City playing Atletico Mineiro in the FC Series. We should have reports on both matches for you at The Mane Land. And we end the show with news we didn’t want to discuss — the departure of Homegrown goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake.

Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we’ll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show.

Here’s how No. 462 went down:

0:15 – The Lions had one arrival to go along with the departures and we discuss the holes in the roster.

30:01 – The first mailbagbox of 2025!

49:16 – Upcoming friendlies in Orlando for the USMNT and Orlando City as well as another player departure we didn’t want to talk about.

We’re in our off-season podcast schedule, which means things can be a bit unpredictable, except that you’ll get a new show at least monthly before the season starts back up. We didn’t have a ton of news, but circumstances warranted an episode, because we’re about to lose one of our favorite people.

After we discussed Orlando’s signing Monday afternoon of Wake Forest defender Zara Chavoshi, the first rookie signed since the NWSL did away with the draft, we have a special guest. Longtime Orlando City/Orlando Pride Director of Communications Jackie Maynard is leaving the club after nine seasons to take on a new challenge. She’s going out a champion, but she’s always been one in our book, as she’s been one of the best PR people on the MLS or NWSL side for years. She has set up so many of our interviews over the years and listened in on them, so it was only right that we let her take the microphone for herself before she leaves the City Beautiful.

Jackie discusses her career in Orlando, how the club and women’s soccer have evolved in her time here, some of the crazy, behind-the-scenes stuff she’s had to deal with on the road, and much more. Big thanks to Jackie for all her help through the years and our deepest wishes for success in the next step of the journey, which she is not at liberty to discuss publicly just yet as of this writing, but it’s a nice gig and we’re happy for her.

After our chat with Jackie, we dive into our mailbagbox, which asks us what position group we’d most like the Pride to address this off-season and makes us pick an over/under on Orlando goals in 2025. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.

After the mailbagbox, we discuss the Pride re-signing team captain Marta for two more seasons. As the Brazilian soccer icon prepares for her 39th birthday, she also readies herself for the first season of a new two-year deal with Orlando that will likely see out her illustrious playing career. Marta was remarkable in 2024, helping her team win two trophies, and if she can keep playing at that level, she’s welcome here for as long as she likes.

Here’s how Episode 73 went down:

0:15 – The Pride add their first rookie since the NWSL dropped the draft. Welcome to Orlando, Zara Chavoshi!

8:14 – Jackie Maynard jumps on with us to discuss her nine-year career with Orlando City SC/Orlando Pride and we can’t thank her enough for her time on this show and her help throughout the years.

33:47 – We open up the mailbagbox and then discuss Marta’s return for two more seasons with Orlando.