A Tale of Two Interim Coaches

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are both currently helmed by interim head coaches, but that might be where the similarities end. It’s quite an interesting time for the club given the circumstances, though interesting isn’t always a good thing. You shouldn’t expect any decisions to be made soon, but let’s look at where these two situations are similar and where they are decidedly different.

How We Got Here

Martin Perelman has been the interim head coach for Orlando City since the departure of Oscar Pareja. Prior to that he was the head coach of Orlando City B from 2022-2024. He then was promoted to assistant coach with the senior team, and has now been in charge for 19 regular-season matches, three Leagues Cup matches, and three U.S. Open Cup matches. He has a record of 11-9-5 across all competitions.

Perelman has at least one more Open Cup match, and 12 regular-season matches remaining to prove he deserves the job.

Yolanda Thomas was just announced as the interim head coach for the Orlando Pride on Monday. She was hired as an assistant coach for the Pride under Seb Hines in 2023. Unlike Perelman, Thomas has helped an Orlando team win some trophies. She will lead the Pride for the first time on Sunday.

Thomas only has eight regular-season matches to make her case for the position. I’m not including any playoff matches, as there is absolutely no guarantee that either team makes the post season.

The Decision Makers

Ricardo Moreira is the general manager and sporting director for Orlando City. He originally came to the club as the director of scouting in 2018. Luiz Muzzi was then brought in as general manager, and then Oscar Pareja was hired. Moreira worked under Muzzi for several years before taking over the position he now holds. It was Moreira who hired Perelman for the Orlando City B job and gave him the interim tag earlier this year. Moreira could have done a coaching search following the departure of Pareja but ostensibly decided that because of the World Cup he needed to — or simply could — hold off on looking for a bigger name to take over.

Caitlin Carducci is the vice president of soccer operations and general manager for the Orlando Pride. The club hired her after the departure of Haley Carter. Typically when a new GM comes on board, they like to hire their own coach and institute their own systems and style of play. Carducci walked into a club coming off a record-breaking 2024 season that saw the club win both the NWSL Shield and the NWSL Championship before barely missing out on the final again in 2025. Seb Hines had also won NWSL Coach of the Year in 2024. If Carducci had let Hines go immediately, there would have been riots. It was her decision to give Thomas the interim tag.

So You’re Saying There’s a Chance?

Yes, there is a chance for both of these coaches, though I think the likelihood of either getting the full-time gig differs greatly. Perelman has had much more opportunity to prove he deserves the job. He could conceivably lead the team to a second U.S. Open Cup trophy and a seventh straight playoff berth. There have been zero rumors floating around about an earnest coaching search for Orlando City. I continue to believe that Moreira wants Perelman to give him enough reasons to offer him the permanent position. I’m not saying it’s the right thing to do, just that it is the impression that I get.

Carducci inherited Hines and his staff. Given the team is languishing in 12th in the standings with so few matches left to play, I believe that Carducci is employing Thomas to make the most out of a roster that will have a ton of turnover following the season. It’s not a recipe for success if you’re Thomas — or Hines, if I’m being honest — but that’s the hand she’s been dealt. It is possible that Thomas is being given the same chance that Hines was given when he took over for Amanda Cromwell, but I think it is unlikely. This is an opportunity for Thomas to show what she can do to hopefully get another gig elsewhere, and to give Carducci more time to find the coach she’s probably wanted since she was hired.

Those are my thoughts on the current situations, but I’d love to hear what your think in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!