Lion Links: 11/17/22

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a fairly rough week for me while dealing with some lingering sickness, but every day gets a little bit easier to deal with it. This week is at least flying by for me, and I’m looking forward to the weekend. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to former Lion Nani, who turns 36 today.

Seb Hines Seeks to Unlock the Orlando Pride’s Potential

Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about his desire to bring a championship to the Orlando community. Hines has been in Orlando for quite some time, joining Orlando City before its inaugural season in 2015. He coached Orlando’s youth after retiring and then joined the Pride’s coaching staff in 2020. Marc Skinner then left for Manchester United the following year and Amanda Cromwell was placed on administrative leave during this past season. Hines stepped up as interim head coach, brought in fellow former Lions Miguel Gallardo and Giles Barnes, and helped the Pride earn results during a difficult season. Now, the 34-year-old head coach faces a crucial off-season as the Pride continue to rebuild.

“You want to build an identity, which I’ve said many times after games, so that people know what an Orlando Pride team looks like in the future,” Hines said when asked about his goals. “Leaving a legacy – leaving something where fans can walk away and go, ‘I was there to witness that.’

“It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to take a lot of time. It’s going to take a lot of work, but it’s something that we know that we can achieve. I think everyone can be excited about what the [future] holds for this team.”

Young Lion Headed to Spain for Tournament

Orlando City Development Academy player Zackory Campagnolo was called up by the U.S. Under-16 Men’s National Team for the Football Federations Cup U-16 in Spain. Campagnolo is one of two goalkeepers on the roster and the U.S. will play its first match on Wednesday against Spain. This will be the first training camp and tournament with Michael Nsien as head coach as he was appointed to the position earlier this week. After its match with Spain, the U.S. will then face either Japan or Wales on Nov. 25 and play a third match on Nov. 27. A good showing in this tournament by Campagnolo could strengthen his chances of playing in the Concacaf U-17 Championship in Guatemala next year.

MLS Season Pass Will Launch in February

The 10-year partnership between MLS and Apple will kick off next year with the introduction of MLS Season Pass, the subscription service that will allow fans to watch every regular season game and all of the playoffs. Fans can subscribe starting on Feb. 1 and it will be $14.99 per month or $99 per season. If already subscribed to Apple TV+, it would be $12.99 per month or $79 per season. A subscription will be included in season ticket packages as well. The 2023 MLS schedule will be announced next month and the opening weekend will be free to watch on the Apple TV app.

MLS Free Agency Begins

There are many talented players who are now free agents as the MLS off-season rolls on. Goalkeepers Sean Johnson, Tyler Miller, and Bill Hamid are all proven starters who would be great additions for teams looking for someone between the sticks. Center backs Alexander Callens and Aaron Long could also shore up a team’s defense heading into next season. Former Lion Sebas Mendez is another free agent to keep an eye on, along with veteran forwards like Ola Kamara, Will Bruin, and Darwin Quintero. You can check out the full list of free agents here. Stage 1 of the MLS Re-Entry Draft is set to take place today at 1 p.m. and you can view the list of players eligible for that as well.

Free Kicks

• Orlando’s Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena both started in Peru’s friendly with Paraguay, as did former Lion Carlos Ascues.

• St. Louis City SC unveiled what its players will be wearing for the club’s inaugural season next year. The color is a bit lighter than I was expecting, but I do like the black trim.

• Nashville SC traded away $300,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money to Toronto FC in exchange for Canadian winger Jacob Shaffelburg. The 22-year-old joined Nashville on loan in August and signed a four-year contract with the club.
• It’s official. New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City FC will have a soccer-specific stadium built in Queens.
• The United States Men’s National Team may be young and doesn’t have much World Cup experience, but winger Timothy Weah spoke about the team’s maturity. The team has plenty of players in some of the biggest leagues in the world and knows how to handle the pressure.
• Roger Bennett, a cohost on the Men in Blazers podcast, detailed why he’s pulling for the U.S. during this World Cup.
• Cristiano Ronaldo won’t play in Portugal’s warm-up match against Nigeria today due to a stomach bug. Portugal has a week until its first match against Ghana on Nov. 24.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful day and rest of your week!