Orlando City B
Report: Anthony Pulis Leaving Orlando City B to Become Next Saint Louis FC Head Coach
Anthony Pulis has been a Lion since 2012. He was a player coach during the USL days, and retired after the 2014 season to become a coach. He started as an academy coach for Orlando City and then took the reins of Orlando City B. After two seasons managing the young Lions, Pulis is now rumored to be making a move to be the head coach of Saint Louis FC.
Getting word Anthony Pulis plans to leave Orlando B head coaching job for St. Louis top position, replacing Preki #usl
— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) November 20, 2017
In moving to Saint Louis FC, Pulis would be taking over for Preki, who officially left left the midwestern club earlier today.
NEWS: Saint Louis FC has mutually parted ways with head coach Predrag Radosavljevic. https://t.co/PezwXCHO9R pic.twitter.com/fIcQmyJqq7
— Saint Louis FC (@SaintLouisFC) November 19, 2017
Saint Louis will reportedly name its new head coach Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
During his time as a player coach with Orlando City, Pulis played 44 USL games, scoring four times and winning one USL Pro championship and two Commissioner's Cups. Once he became the head coach of OCB, Pulis showed his quality in both fielding a competitive team and developing players for the MLS squad. He can be credited with the development of such players as Pierre Da Silva, Richie Laryea, and Hadji Barry. He also helped develop Tony Rocha and Mikey Ambrose, both players who are now on MLS contracts.
Pulis also had to work with an ever changing roster of players with those being sent up to the MLS squad, and those coming down for playing time. Given that, he still posted a 9-13-8 record in 2016, and a 10-10-13 record in 2017, reaching the playoffs in the club’s first year in the USL. While some might complain that OCB failed to make the playoffs this last season, anyone who was paying attention knew the challenges a development squad faces while also trying to compete. Despite missing the postseason in Year 2, Pulis led the young Lions to a 12-game unbeaten run in 2017.
Amid rumors earlier this off-season that Orlando City B wouldn’t be back in 2018, Alicia DelGallo reported that the club was committed to the USL in 2018.
Club spokesman told me Orlando City B will play next year. Also writing an OCB column today with some other info, will be up later.
— Alicia Rose DelGallo (@OSAliciaD) October 18, 2017
If the report by Goff is true, this is a significant loss for the Orlando City organization. For over five years, Pulis — one of the few holdovers from Adrian Heath’s time in charge in Orlando — has given his everything for this city, and we wish him well no matter where he ends up in 2018.