Orlando City B Announces New Head Coach for 2019 Season

Orlando City B announced the appointment of Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita as the team’s head coach for the 2019 USL League One season.

De Argila makes the move to head coach of the returning professional team after spending the previous three years as head coach and director of methodology at the Soccer Institute at Montverde Academy (SIMA), the home of Orlando City’s development academy. Rather than going outside of the club for a coaching candidate, the hiring of De Argila by OCB General Manager Mike Potempa is one of continuity, bringing someone in who already understands the philosophy.

“With his vast experience in the youth systems of FC Barcelona and as a head coach of various professional teams in Italy, Spain, and Greece, Fernando is the perfect fit for what we are striving to accomplish,” OCB general manager Mike Potempa said. “His passion for football and extensive knowledge of our current methods of development at Montverde Academy will be extremely beneficial as we transition to USL League One.”

Prior to joining SIMA, De Argila served as head coach of FC Barcelona’s famed youth academy and professional futsal program. He also took up various professional coaching roles in Italy, Greece, and Spain, which included the positions of head coach, assistant coach, tactical analyst, and goalkeeping coach.

De Argila holds a UEFA “A” coaching badge, a professional coaching license from the Argentine Football Association (AFA/CONMEBOL), and a goalkeeping instructional degree from the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

He will be the second head coach of OCB in its existence. Former Lions midfielder Anthony Pulis managed the team during the 2016 and 2017 seasons, before leaving to take the head coaching role at USL side Saint Louis FC.

Stay tuned to The Mane Land for more updates on the construction of OCB’s coaching staff and roster ahead of the 2019 USL League One season.