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Lion Links: 12/31/17

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7 years ago

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Good morning, Mane Landers. Today is the final day of 2017 before we ring in the new year and all that jazz. It’s certainly been a roller coaster of a year for Orlando soccer fans with the new stadium, Orlando City’s summer collapse, Orlando City B’s unbeaten run, Kaká’s retirement, and the Orlando Pride making the NWSL playoffs.

We said hello to new faces like Marta, Dom Dwyer, and Yoshimar Yotun while bidding farewell to a few faces as well. It was an eventful year and I think we are all better for it. I’m excited for the new year and even more excited about what we here at The Mane Land have prepared for you in 2018. But before we can put up new calendars, let’s get to the links for the last time this year!

Larin to Gladbach?

The silly season moves fast and after the recent rumor of Cyle Larin moving to Besiktas, which was refuted on Twitter by Alex Leitao, the hot gossip has the Canadian striker headed to Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach. The Sun says Cyle is set to snub both Besiktas and Leeds for Gladbach. Germany would probably be a better setting for Larin than Turkey, so maybe it’s not really fair to say it’s a snub. But, once again, rumors are only rumors until they’re not. We’ll keep scouring the interwebs for the latest.

Best of 2017 “Megalink”

In the spirit of New Year’s, every blog and its mother seems to be cranking out “Best of 2017” lists or recaps of this year in soccer. Below, you’ll find some of the best of the “best of” lists I could find.

  • In mlssoccer.com’s top five controversies, you’ll find Jermaine Jones in some rather inappropriate clothing and possible future Lion Sacha Kljestan earning a two-game suspension in a tunnel.
  • The final installment of this list is the top stories from The Toe Poke, a soccer blog devoted to the unusual and light-hearted side of the sport. Ronaldo’s ridiculous bust, knockoff Messi, Zlatan’s Photoshop skills, and the worst open goal miss of the year all land a spot in the 2017 top ten list.

Academy Standout Becomes a Pilot

Sorry for the misleading title. Cutting down on bad jokes is on my resolution list, I promise. Orlando City academy Alejandro Pereira verbally committed to the University of Portland, taking his soccer talents to the other side of the country to become a Portland Pilot. The Florida native may experience a culture shock up in the Pacific Northwest but at least he’ll remain in purple.

2017 Retired XI

In honor of the large number of big-name retirees this year, a whole team of those now former players can be formed. And it’d be quite the force if the players were to decide to come together and go full Avengers. The team includes German legend Philipp Lahm and a trio of Italians in Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti, and Antonio Cassano. And of course Kaká, who gets a nice anecdote about his first day in Milan where he impressed coach Carlo Ancelotti in training fresh off the plane from Brazil. It’s a nice look at his beginning after a year of endings for our captain.

U.S. Best 50 Players List Concludes

FourFourTwo’s list of the best USMNT players reaches the top ten, with a mixture of the old guard and the new. Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, and Michael Bradley all made the top five but it should come as no surprise that Christian Pulisic finished on top after a breakout year. Rounding out the top 10 are promising players like Bobby Woods, John Brooks, and Sacha Kljestan, who will hopefully be spending 2018 in Orlando.

MLS Rumors and Dealing

Apparently the new fad in Major League Soccer is to brave the cold and head to Scandinavia for talent. Minnesota FC started the trend last off-season, but I’d like to think Orlando City perfected it by snagging Yoshimar Yotun from Malmo this summer. Now it looks like yet another Malmo player could be headed to MLS.

Elsewhere in the league, the rumors that Iker Casillas could head to Chicago got stronger after a report that the goalkeeper has asked fellow Spaniard and NYCFC forward David Villa about the league and the U.S.

Free Kicks

  • There’s been some rumblings that the Kljestan move could be in doubt and that youngster Pierre Da Silva could be a deal breaker for some reason. Well, we can probably go ahead and blow those doubts out of the water.

  • USSF presidential candidate Paul Caligiuri sent a second open letter to the USSF after breaking down some potential unfairness in the voting structure which would devalue the NWSL’s voting power.

  • Let’s end our links on a fun note. After the USMNT’s collapse and Orlando City missing the playoffs, disappointment has been a running theme in 2017. But chin up, readers! Don’t get caught up in the doom and gloom when this sport remains insanely fun. In Scotland, a heavy snowfall threatened to postpone a soccer match at halftime. But the fans found fun on their own and had a snowball fight between themselves. There was no clear winner of the brawl, but sometimes the results just don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things

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That’s all I’ve got for you guys. I know I’m probably not the most recognizable contributor (heck, my identity in the masthead is just the default image and my name with an underscore), but I’ve really had a great time being a part of this site for my first full season. Stay safe tonight, please. Call an Uber if you need to and dance the night away. See you next year!

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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

16 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: 1/21/25

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

Published

2 days ago

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January 21, 2025

By

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

3 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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