Adrian Heath had coached the club from its beginnings in USL, but was sacked midway through its second season in MLS.
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Orlando City SC’s Board of Directors has hired Jason Kreis as the Lions’ head coach, the Club announced Tuesday.
It was also announced that Miles Joseph and CJ Brown will serve as assistant coaches. Kreis teamed with current Sounders general manager Garth Lagerwey to lead Salt Lake to six consecutive playoff berths from 2008 to 2013.
A quick look at his biography tells you he has done very well for himself in Major League Soccer, as both a player and coach. “I feel very strongly that he can bring us to the next level of development as a Club, a higher level”, said Orlando City SC chairman and majority owner Flávio Augusto da Silva.
In all competitions, Kreis has amassed a 112-95-67 record as a coach. But it had become apparent that the owners’ vision of a modern and swashbuckling side was seen as incompatible with the skill set of the long-time Premier League midfielder – who played for Stoke City, Everton, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Burnley and Sheffield United from 1979 through 1997. The trio will begin work on Monday alongside Orlando City’s existing coaching staff, who will all remain in their permanent roles. Kries now will have two weeks to make his mark on the team before the secondary transfer window closes Aug.3.
But Kreis seems to line up exactly with what the team wants: ambitious soccer that highlights technical players like Brazilian superstar Kaka.
Kreis, a former player himself by way of Duke University, had a decorated MLS history with the Dallas Burn and Real Salt Lake, earning himself MVP honors in 1999.
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Kreis finished his playing career with RSL in 2007 and immediately took over as the club’s head coach.
