As an Orlando Pride supporter, you could be forgiven for thinking the world was ending this off-season. ‘IS ANYONE EVEN STILL THERE!’ was (and still is, for some) the cry from many fans populating the Pride Twitterverse. Even now, there are dissenters. The feelings of hysteria being expressed in some quarters, it has to be said, are misguided. This was a club that needed a total re-build. It had to happen.
In my writing for The English Lion (my own Orlando focused content site) I have been critical of the club in the past. It’s made a lot of mistakes. I don’t believe the decision to tear down the Pride’s roster this winter and start again, essentially from scratch, is one of them.
This is a team that’s lurched from one bad season to another. Since 2017, the play-offs have been a pipe dream for the Pride. The team finished 7th in 2018, 9th in 2019, missed the Challenge Cup in 2020 and finished 8th in 2021. This, just isn’t good enough.
I reiterate, this re-build had to happen.
Personally, I’d’ve kept Ali Krieger, Ali Riley and Ashlyn Harris around, if at all possible. But players like Alex Morgan and indeed, Krieger and Harris, wanted out. Both Krieger and Harris have been quite open about their reasons for wanting to leave the club, which are mostly centred around family life, rather than the club itself. They wanted to move on, and that’s fine.
That doesn’t suddenly mean Pride fans should be smashing that panic button. Players move on. That’s football. Others, such as Konya Plummer and Taylor Kornieck just haven’t been up to standard, so they were moved on. This is soccer at the end of the day. It’s a results business.
Failing standards
I realise I’m at significant risk of sounding like a broken record; a rebuild was a necessity, and I believe it’s shaping up to be an exciting one. I know there will be many that disagree. But let’s just look at the facts; Orlando had an overall XG of 0.76 in 2021, and conceded an average of 1.31 goals per game. For context, the 6th placed North Carolina Courage registered an overall XG of 1.32 and conceded an average of 0.91 goals per game. The Pride had a PPG score of 1.22, whilst the Courage averaged 1.43. This was a team that conceded far too many and scored far too few. It was a team that lacked any real identity or philosophy. Honestly, at times, they were a difficult watch.
The Pride were miles off. It’s that simple. The roster they had in place just wasn’t getting this club to where it needs to be. In Championship contention. Some may well point to the mid-season departure of head coach Marc Skinner as the reason behind Orlando’s ultimate malaise. In my opinion that’s a lazy excuse. It was far from an ideal situation, but the concept of a manager leaving mid-season isn’t an alien one. It happens. The team had the opportunity to turn things around under Becky Burleigh and they couldn’t get it done.
No excuses
The defeat away at OL Reign (where Orlando suffered a 3-0 reversal), perfectly encapsulated the season for me. It hurt. I’m a fan, for those who don’t know. I spent time living in Orlando during my youth. I have stood on The Wall during Pride games. That defeat hurt. Many of the players looked completely deflated and, in all honesty, some of them looked disinterested.
This team needed a shake-up. And I think it’s getting it right now. There’s a solid blend of youth and experience in this new look roster. The likes of Amy Turner, Marta, Toni Presley and Sydney Leroux are all set to suit up again for Orlando this year. Players have been brought in with NWSL experience; the likes Celia Jiménez Delgado, Darian Jenkins, Leah Pruitt and Megan Montefusco (Oyster) to name just a few. And then you have youthful talent like Carrie Lawrence, Courtney Petersen and Mikayla Cluff. That’s without even mentioning the quality of the likes of Angaharad James and Anna Moorhouse, who have come in from overseas. This roster is starting to look very strong.
Excitement building in the camp
Forward Darian Jenkins, told the press after training recently, “Orlando’s great, every day I’m like ‘Damn, I love Orlando!’… Orlando is my favourite stadium to play in, so the fact I got picked up here, and get to play my old team, a lot of my friends, in the first game (KC Current) is special’. Courtney Petersen has also spoken really positively about the relationship she is forging with certain players, Jenkins included.
The players, at least from the outside looking in, seem to be excited about the direction this team is headed. So, surely the fans should be too, right? I believe most are, but to unnecessarily quote Thanos; ‘As long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those, that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist’. It’s a shame that so many favoured players have moved on, but supporters could come to adore the new recruits every bit as much. I would just urge my fellow supporters to give them a chance.
Sorry for the random Marvel reference by the way (I’m not that sorry), it’s a genuine inflection of mine. I can’t help but quote nerdy stuff entirely out of context. I could say I’m going to change, but that’d be a lie. To reiterate, my overarching point is, yes we will all miss the likes of Harris, Riley et al… But fans can look to the future with optimism.
It’s time to look to the future
This is a roster that’s shaping up nicely. This narrative of ‘well, no one is even at the Pride right now’ is, frankly, ridiculous. It’s just wilful ignorance at this point. The Pride’s director of communications, Jackie Maynard, spoke to this on her recent appearance on The Purple Pulse podcast. Orlando actually has more players (29) in camp, than is currently allowed according to NWSL roster rules. This team is fine, so just stop it.
Now, I know the Pride lost some quality players. I accept that. But they also brought some more in. They might not be the star names that we are used to. I’m fine with that. This is a team that’s set up to be greater than the sum of its parts. It’s a team with an intriguing mix of experience and youth. There’s a hunger to succeed embedded within this group.
I don’t know where this season is going to take us. And I say us, as a fan and not as a writer. But I for one, cannot wait to find out. Let’s stop bemoaning what might’ve been and start looking forward to what might be. Vamos!
*All statistics courtesy of footystats.org
Written by Dan Berridge
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