Orlando City add striker to USL Pro squad

Rainier Ehrhardt / Getty Images North America

By Mike Gramajo

Orlando City SC have been lacking a striker, not saying that Dennis Chin isn’t capable of doing the job on his own but depth wise, it was heavily needed. 

After the departures of Jean Alexandre, Long Tan and the improbable Dom Dwyer, the Lions announced on Tuesday that they have acquired striker Corey Hertzog for the 2014 USL Pro season. 

“We were in need of another striker, and Corey is somebody we know all about,” head coach Adrian Heath said in a statement. “He scored a hat-trick against us in 2012 and everyone we spoke to in Vancouver were really complimentary of not only his attitude, but they also think that he has the potential of becoming an MLS player so we’re looking forward to working with him this year.”

Hertzog joins the OCSC after playing most of 2013 for FC Edmonton, while being on-loan from the Vancouver Whitecaps. He finished with a total of three goals in 20 league appearances for both Canadian sides. 

While the final roster for the upcoming USL Pro season has yet to be completed, expect more roster changes to occur. OCSC's partnership with Sporting Kansas City in 2014 will guarantee Orlando two players, two-less than 2013 since Sporting KC also agreed to partner with Oklahoma City Energy for the upcoming season. 

Heath told reporters two weeks ago that despite the third MLS player signing was coming, two or three more players will follow then. 

Match Preview | Orlando City SC vs. Chicago Fire (preseason friendly)

Photo by USA Today

By Mike Gramajo 

With only a week of preseason now out of the way, Orlando City SC will kickoff their month of friendlies when they visit the IMG Bradenton Academy to play the Chicago Fire on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. 

“It should be a difficult task, Chicago has been down here for a couple of weeks,” Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath told the OSJ. “We’ll try to give everybody some playing time at some stage during the game.” 

While Orlando is entering Tuesday’s match as their first preseason friendly of 2014, Chicago currently have two preseason games under their belt, defeating most recently DC United last Saturday, 2-0. 

Last time the Lions played the Fire was on June of 2013 during the quarter final stage of the U.S. Open Cup, which saw Chicago claim a large 5-1 victory at Toyota Park. 

OCSC will look to benefit from Tuesday’s matchup, after acquiring their third MLS player Darwin Ceren last week, which is a clear indication that Heath will more than likely rely on his midfielders to create chances towards scoring goals. 

“We’ll probably give him an hour, maybe a bit more but we’ll see how he feels,” said Heath on his most recent player signing. “He said he feels well, we forget he’s in the middle of his season, so he should adjust well.” 

Heath also mentioned that academy players along with trialist’s will see action against the Fire, stating, “One of them is only 16 and two of them are 17-years-old, so I would like to give them some time as well.” 

The Fire saw last year’s head coach Frank Klopas resign after the 2013 MLS season. However, they were quick to bring in former San Jose Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop to manage and revamp the squad, which also saw CJ Brown and former US national team star Clint Mathis step into the role of assistant coach.

Perhaps the recent changes in the Chicago coaching staff would change the tempo of Tuesday’s friendly, however, the Englishman told the OSJ that he doesn’t believe the system the Fire have been playing hasn’t changed one bit. 

“I’m not sure if there’ll be a awful lot of difference with the system, obviously new approach, new coach, and there roster is a bit different from last year,” added Heath. “I’m looking forward to the game, they have a couple quality players, I like watching Mike Magee play and the young one they took from the draft.” 

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What are your score predictions for Tuesday's match? Do you think the Fire will claim another victory? Would you like to see Dennis Chin score? Out of the three Orlando MLS signings, who do you want to see the most?

Share your thoughts below. 

Orlando City SC sign El Salvador national team captain to MLS contract

By Mike Gramajo

After speculation of Orlando City SC’s third Major League Soccer signing arose last week, the Lions confirmed on Thursday afternoon that they have signed El Salvador national team captain Darwin Ceren to an MLS contract. 

“We’re extremely delighted that Darwin is joining us as our third MLS signing,” Orlando City President Phil Rawlins said in a statement. “We fought very hard to get him here, as several other MLS clubs were also interested.” 

Ceren, 24, joins OCSC after playing for Juventud Independiente of the first division in El Salvador for four-years. The midfielder has wracked up 16 appearances for La Azul y Blanco, playing most recently in the 2013 Gold Cup. 

A total of 83 appearances, with a goal tally of 15 goals with the El Salvador club lead to OCSC coach Adrian Heath to scope out the 24-year-old during his visit to the Central America in December. 

With one more season to go in the USL Pro, Ceren will take part of the Lions’ last season in the lower-division before joining Orlando’s MLS squad alongside other signees Kevin Molino and Yordany Alvarez. 

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What do you think of the signing? Who else do you see joining OCSC’s MLS squad? Would you like to see homegrown talent make Orlando’s MLS squad?

Nothing new for first year assistant coach

Ian Fuller (left) was promoted to full-time assistant coach during
the offseason. (Photo: Orlando City SC)

By Mike Gramajo

mgramajo@valenciavoice.com 

SANFORD, Fla. — Although playing a familiar role last year, Ian Fuller officially started his role as assistant coach for Orlando City SC on Monday morning during the club’s first preseason training at the Seminole Soccer Complex. 

“I’ve been looking forward to this day for a while,” Fuller told the OSJ. “I been wanting to coach my whole life and now I’m doing this full time.” 

While the new year brings plenty of changes, the role of assistant coach isn’t new for Fuller. Despite playing a player-coach role for the Lions for three seasons (2011-2013), the Portland, Oregon native worked as an assistant coach for USL Pro rivals, Charleston Battery, in 2010. 

With MLS one year away, Fuller emphasized his commitment to the Lions, stating that he’s happy here and focused on the present.

“Adrian (Heath) has given me this opportunity, and it’s up to me to see if I perform. I know my role within the system, but there are little things that I will see a slight different,” said Fuller. “I’m committed to the club and will be from now until the future. I think one day if that role presents itself, I’ll love to move on but at the moment, I’m more than happy. I got so much more to learn still, and this is just the beginning.” 

While holding the title of second-in-command doesn’t change anything, Fuller did say that Heath will always choose the game day starting XI, but does come to him for his opinion on the selection. 

“For him, it’s the next stage in his career and development, and I have every confidence that he will do well,” said coach Heath. “He started inserting himself into an assistant coach role last year, due to his lack of playing, but it becomes official this year.” 

No other changes were made to the coaching staff, however, James O’Connor was promoted to player-coach early during the offseason. 

Seizing a major opportunity for the future

Yordany Alvarez (left) was seen training on Monday morning (Photo by OSJ Staff)

By Mike Gramajo

SANFORD, Fla. — When the opportunity arises, seize it. 

Sounds cliche, right?

For Yordany Alvarez, that’s something he lives by especially since returning to the place where he got his first opportunity. 

A relationship between a player and coach is something that can blossom into glory. For some, that could be individual success, for others it mostly means winning trophies, a lot of them. 

“I’m really happy to be back in the city. The way the welcomed me back was great, and I have a feeling that once we enter MLS, it’ll be one of the greatest cities in the league,” Alvarez told the OSJ last Saturday during the club’s jersey unveiling. “I give all the credit to Adrian (Heath) for giving me the chance to return to the club. He’s been a very important person to me in my life, he gave me my first opportunity, and I’ll always have that in my heart. 

“I’m really grateful to coach, but also Phil (Rawlins) and the whole team. I come here to work hard, not to relax, but to win a championship, and I want to go to MLS with a good impression.”  

Heath and Alvarez working together isn’t new, both coach and player were part of the Austin Aztex franchise in 2009, which followed by them working together during the Lions’ inaugural season in the USL Pro in 2011. 

“We’ve always had a good relationship from the very beginning,” says Heath. “It’s well documented, we met at a combine in California, and I’ve always been an admirer of him as a player and a person.

“We got a great guy, and a great player. He’s grasped the opportunity with both hands, and I’m proud of that. We got a player that can play really well no matter which league he plays in.” 

With day one of preseason training out of the way, the Cienfuegos, Cuba native will sport the No. 10 on the back of his jersey, signaling that he could or can be an important figure to Orlando’s last run in the USL Pro. 

For Heath, his job as “opportunity giver” continues. Heath says, “I think that’s part of my job, giving young talent the chance to take it to an extra level.” 

Rawlins: We're going to kick Miami butt

Photo: Mark Thor / Orlando City SC

By Mike Gramajo

ORLANDO, Fla. — Let the rivalry begin. 

With a major announcement scheduled in Miami on Wednesday, which many believe will be Miami’s return to Major League Soccer, Orlando City SC President Phil Rawlins plans to welcome MLS’ second Florida club with a butt-kicking. 

“We’re going to kick Miami-butt,” Rawlins told fans that attended the clubs 2014 kit launch. 

David Beckham, who is guaranteed owning an MLS club due to his contract with the league, is expected to lead the Miami-based club into MLS alongside Bolivian billionaire Marcelo Claure. 

Despite already having the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL as their I-4 rivals, Orlando’s rivalry with Miami could result to marquee matchups for the league, when Beckham’s Miami club is expected to join the league in 2016. Port of Miami is the projected location where Miami will build their water-front stadium. 

Heath: We got a big MLS signing coming this week

By Valencia Voice

By Mike Gramajo

ORLANDO, Fla. — Preseason camp kicks off on Monday, and it looks like more players are expected to join the team according to Orlando City SC head coach Adrian Heath. 

The former Everton man told the reporters that a third Major League Soccer signing is expected this week, hinting the Orlando-bound player is a captain of his national team in South America. 

“We got a big signing this week. We got an international player signing, he’s the captain of his national team in South America, we’re really excited about him coming in,” Heath told reporters. “Probably in the middle of the week, along with two other players signing.” 

The contract is expected to be a multi-year deal, which will run from the upcoming USL Pro season to the end of Orlando’s inaugural MLS campaign in 2015. 

The Lions currently have two players with MLS contracts, Kevin Molino and Yordany Alvarez will take part of Orlando’s MLS journey after they agreed to join the club for the final USL Pro before making the jump with Heath, who will head the Lions in 2015. 

While no new reports on Kaka joining OCSC have erupted, Heath did tell the OSJ that a Designated Player for 2015 is still in the top of their agenda.