Lion Links: 1/23/19

Happy Hump Day, everyone. It’s a short work week for me but it already feels long. Hopefully we’ll scoot through this week quickly and get to the weekend.

I’ve been in my new house just over a week but there’s still plenty to do. Most of the boxes are unpacked but there’s some painting and shelf hanging in my future that I’m not too psyched about. Also I need to see about getting some custom shelves hung in the man cave for my books and CDs because I’m an old and I like to have those things around even though we live in the digital age. Oh, and I still have no internet.

But enough about my trials and travails. Let’s get to the news of the day.

Something Something Nondescript Big-Name Transfer Rumor

This is an…interesting…way to do a transfer rumor. Steven Goff threw this out yesterday afternoon:

I suppose most MLS teams would have some level of interest in a player with the pedigree of Dani Alves. I think the Lions would have a great deal of interest if Alves would come play for the league minimum. However, it’s an odd way to put a rumor out there. At least Goff contacted the club to see if an offer had been made.

Alves is not a player who fits the current Orlando City profile and it would be interesting to see how they’d use him after signing the speedy Ruan. However, we reached out to our sources to gauge the accuracy of the rumor and got a response of, and I’m paraphrasing here: “Um…no.”

Can we get some attacking bite in the midfield, please?

Benji Michel Happy to be Home

Jordan Culver of ProSoccerUSA.com caught up with Orlando City Homegrown Benji Michel and the new Lion is happy to be coming home to play his professional soccer. Michel said at first he didn’t know he qualified as a Homegrown Player but signing as an HGP allowed him to have a say in his professional destination.

“I grew up watching Orlando City. I was there [when they were] in USL. My friends are here. My family is here. I have all the support that I need to begin my first professional season. I feel like me signing as a Homegrown player for my city, it wouldn’t be as difficult for me because I live here and I have all the support that I need.” 

Pinho Signs with Thailand Team

Former Orlando City striker Stefano Pinho has landed in Thailand of all places, signing with PT Prachuap FC. The club plays in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand, and is nicknamed the Killer Wasp. Pinho announced the move via his social media channels, which later prompted Orlando City to release the news that the club has waived him, despite the news breaking a week ago via Jordan Culver (and Pinho’s social media). Pinho told The Mane Land that the decision was mutual for his departure. We wish him luck with his new club. #ForeverALion

USWNT Bounces Back with 1-0 Win in Spain

Christen Press scored the game’s only goal as the USWNT bounced back from a loss in France and won the team’s first ever meeting against Spain, 1-0. The United States welcomed back several missing players from Saturday’s match, including Tobin Heath, Julie Ertz, and Megan Rapinoe. Pride striker Alex Morgan started up top for the U.S. but could not inch closer to 100 career international goals. Morgs remains stuck on 98 for now. The USWNT will be back in action in late February and early March in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup.

Diego Officially Back with Flamengo

As we’ve been saying for a while, midfielder Diego Ribas made it official by returning to Flamengo with a contract renewal. The Brazilian No. 10 would have been a great addition to Orlando City but his heart was with his current club and from what we’re hearing, he’s not getting the big raise he wanted. In the end, it’s about being where you want to be and we can’t fault the player for that. We think he’d have loved celebrating goals in front of The Wall, but alas, it wasn’t to be.

Skinner Says Pride Compares to Birmingham

New Orlando Pride Head Coach Marc Skinner spoke to The Guardian and talked about how his new organization is a lot like Birmingham City. Both, says the skipper, are family-oriented clubs that place a high value on doing things the right way. He also said the Pride organization fits his personality and he’s eager to get the “project” started.

It’s really important for me that we connect with the fans in the stands, give them an identity, I tried to do that at Birmingham, so they feel a part of what we’re doing. This without the Orlando Pride fans is nothing for me.”

Free Kicks

• Former Lion Aurelien Collin has caught on with the Philadelphia Union.
• Former OCB and OCSC academy player Paul Clowes signed with Greenville Triumph SC of USL League One.
• Pride defender Shelina Zadorsky started for Canada in her country’s 1-0 win over Norway yesterday. Christine Sinclair scored the only goal.
• USMNT legend and Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard will hang up his gloves and boots after the 2019 season.
• Extremely awful news: Argentine Emiliano Sala, who had just transferred from Nantes to Cardiff City, was on a plane that went missing yesterday. Officials called off a 15-hour search due to darkness and were slated to resume the search today. Sala was a record signing for Cardiff City, which canceled training on Tuesday after the news broke.
• Cristiano Ronaldo was fined $21.6 million for tax fraud but will not serve prison time.
• Don’t get pranked by Diego Costa. He doesn’t mess around.

• Those born on this date include supersized signature writer John Hancock (1737), actor Randolph Scott (1898), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century actor Gil Gerard (1943), Rutger Hauer (1944), Cheap Trick vocalist Robin Zander (1953), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit actress Mariska Hargitay (1964), Saved by the Bell’s Tiffani Amber Thiessen (1974), NFL kicker Phil Dawson (1975), and Dutch / Bayern Munich star Arjen Robben (1984).

That’s all my time for today. Enjoy your Wednesday and the rest of your work week.