Lion Links: 12/7/18

Happy Friday, folks! I’m filling in for Marcus today and it’s my honor to welcome you to the end of the work week.

It’s the somber anniversary of a day that will live in infamy, as today marks 77 years since the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. It’s a bit more somber for me personally as I’ve lost some real favorites on this date, including ELP front man Greg Lake, who died on this day in 2016 and actor Harry Morgan, who passed on Dec. 7, 2011.

Sorry, didn’t mean to bring everyone down. Let’s get back on track with the news of the day.

Orlando City Taps Oguchi Onyewu as Technical Director of OCB

Surprising news dropped Thursday as former USMNT center back Oguchi Onyewu will begin his post-playing career as the Technical Director for Orlando City B. Gooch will report to OCB General Manager Mike Potempa and will help academy players make the transition to the USL League One side as part of the club’s development pipeline. This is exciting news, as it shows a real commitment to the Lions’ chain of player development and Onyewu should be a good steward for such a role with his extensive club background in Europe and a history with the U.S. Residency Program. Here’s what Gooch had to say about his new gig:

Orlando Pride Star Marta Joins the Top 100 Women Players List

The Guardian’s list of top 100 women’s footballers continued to count down yesterday with Orlando Pride forward/midfielder Marta slotting in at No. 14. The Brazilian joins Alanna Kennedy and Emily van Egmond on the list with the top 10 still yet to be revealed. Personally, I think Marta is getting shortchanged. I think she’s still a top 10 player in the world, though not as high up the list as she was a few years back. I’m looking for her to have a bounce-back season in 2019. I’m also looking forward to seeing where Alex Morgan falls on the list.

SeaWolves Goalkeeper Honored for Week One

Orlando SeaWolves goalkeeper Rainer Hauss came off the bench when Piotr Sliwa went down with a hamstring injury last Friday night and played his way into the Honorable Mention list on the MASL’s Week 1 Team of the Week. Hauss played well in relief of Sliwa, making several big saves despite the SeaWolves eventually falling in a penalty shootout to the St. Louis Ambush, 5-4. I’m a bit salty that Luke Boden didn’t make the list, as he scored the team’s first ever goal and added two assists in his first professional indoor game.

Another Young Yank Could Be Headed to Germany

It seems like all the top U.S. youngsters are heading to Europe in droves of late. The latest to be headed out is 19-year-old center back Chris Richards, an FC Dallas prospect, who is reportedly on his way to Bayern Munich. Goal says the move is practically a done deal between Dallas and Bayern. Good luck to the youngster and we’ll look for him on the senior team in the coming years.

Oh, and more U.S. youth international news out of Germany:

Free Kicks

• Speaking of FC Dallas, the Texas club’s USL League One affiliate has a new name.

• ESPN FC put together its list of the top 100 male soccer players in the world. It’s a little difficult to navigate but here you go.
• Jordan Morris is signing a long-term extension with the Seattle Sounders that will pay him around a million a year.
• The Columbus Crew unveiled plans for a new downtown soccer stadium in Confluence Village. It looks a lot like our place in the renderings, only yellow instead of purple.
• FC Cincinnati appear to be closing in on a deal to acquire David Accam. The expansion side may also be targeting Accam’s Philadelphia teammate, CJ Sapong.
• The helicopter crash that killed Leicester City’s owner was the result of a mechanical issue.
• Those born on this date include actor Eli Wallach (1915), Caddyshack star Ted Knight (1923), hockey legend Gerry Cheevers (1940), “Cat’s in the Cradle” singer Harry Chapin (1942), baseball’s Johnny Bench (1947), singer and actor Tom Waits (1949), hoops legend Larry Bird (1956), wrestler Rick Rude (1958), Westworld star Jeffrey Wright (1965), actor C. Thomas Howell (1966), football’s Terrell Owens (1973), longtime England and Chelsea defender John Terry (1980), and baseball’s Yasiel Puig (1990).

That’s all for this morning, everyone. Let’s get through this final work day of the week and enjoy our weekends. Don’t forget, tomorrow night the MLS Cup will be won by one team and lost by another. It should be a fun game.