Platform to Build Upon for Kreis Following Orlando Appointment

When Orlando City fired long-time head coach Adrian Heath last month, the club’s support bemoaned a lack of understanding over what the former Everton midfielder had done for the central Floridian franchise. His departure was viewed as a severance of ties with the club’s grassroots. Supporters voiced their disgruntlement on the internet and in the stands. That grievance subsided with the appointment of Jason Kreis, however. 

Indeed, by hiring Kreis, Orlando City have snatched arguably North American football’s brightest young coach, despite his dismissal as New York City FC boss at the end of last season. By sacking Heath so early in the season the Lions, in a sense, stole a march on the rest of the league. 

The Seattle Sounders, for instance, were too late in making their managerial change, sacking Sigi Schmid without a replacement waiting in the wings. Kreis would have surely been that man, especially with his former Real Salt Lake colleague Gareth Lagerway at CenturyLink Field, but Orlando City got there first.  

But what will Kreis have to work with at his new club? Orlando might have not have progressed as they have hoped this season, but they are hardly a club in trouble as they sit in the play-off places in the Eastern Conference. The former RSL and NYC FC boss only has fine tuning to do if he is to achieve his immediate objective. 

Kreis’ style is very much based on passing and the ability to retain possession. However, at Orlando City he is without a central operator to help his side do that. David Mateos (50.5 passes per game) is the team’s most prolific passer of the ball, but he is a central defender. He has Christian Higuita, but he is more of a combative midfielder than the pass-master Kreis needs to implement his philosophy. What’s more, Higuita isn’t even assured of a starting place in the lineup. 

Of course, Orlando City are certainly not short of attacking talent, with Kaka one of the league’s marquee stars. The Brazilian has shown over the past 18 months that he still has plenty to offer, and with three goals and six assists to his name already this season the former AC Milan and Real Madrid playmaker is certainly carrying his weight. 

In Cyle Larin, Kreis can also call upon the brightest young forward in Major League Soccer. The biggest concern he’ll have over the Canadian will be whether he can keep hold of him beyond the end of the 2016 season. Kevin Molino has also been the breakthrough star of this campaign for the Floridians, with nine goals from his position on the right side of the attacking line. Kreis has a number of options in the final third that will serve him and his ideology well.  

It’s at the back where the biggest changes will surely occur under Kreis’ stewardship. The alterations have already begun, with Brek Shea used on the right wing in the win over the New England Revolution as opposed to the left-back slot he has made his own over the past year or so. Whether that will have a beneficial or detrimental impact on his creativity - Shea has contributed two assists so far this season - remains to be seen. 

Kreis needs to identify a central defender who can provide the link between the backline and the midfield. Seb Hines is Orlando’s third most prolific defensive interceptor averaging 2.3 interceptions per game, hinting at his proactive nature in stepping out from the back. The Englishman could prove an important figure for Kreis, although his ability on the ball isn’t quite up to the level of what he might hope for. 

The central midfield platform of Darwin Ceren and Servando Carrasco gave Kreis a lot of mobility and drive to work with, but the former was the best passer of the duo with just 44.4 overall passes per game before he was traded to San Jose on Thursday. That illustrates how the central unit will need some work and altercations made if it is to be tailored to the specifications of the new man in charge.  

But no matter which way you look at what Kreis has at his disposal at Orlando City, it’s impossible to overstate just how important Kaka will be to his tenure. By his very nature, the former Real Salt Lake and RSL boss is a progressive, forward-thinking coach and the former Brazil international is the best embodiment he has of that personality at his new club.  

Kaka is averaging 2.3 key passes per game, notching six assists so far for the campaign. He is the kind of player that Kreis desperately lacked during his reign as NYCFC boss last season, but otherwise Orlando City are set up in a similar way. He must make sure he doesn’t make the same mistakes again, though.

Can Kreis have the desired effect for Orlando City following his appointment? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below