SANFORD, Fla. – What was supposed to be a season of high hopes for Orlando City SC, has resulted into a nosedive from grace so far.
The Lions are currently out of the playoff picture and riding an eight-game losing streak that’s resulted in a personnel change within the coaching staff.
A new chapter has begun for Orlando with the hiring of James O’Connor, and with it, forward Dom Dwyer hopes, a return to winning ways, as well.
“There’s a lot of excitement in the group, buzz around the facility,” Dwyer said after training Tuesday morning. “It’s going to be hopefully a good turning point for us, a lot we can look forward to.”
Dwyer and O’Connor played briefly together in 2013, when Dwyer was loaned to the Lions from Sporting Kansas City, and lifted the USL Pro championship later that year.
During that time, the Irishman earned Dwyer’s admiration and the Orlando City striker thinks O’Connor is bringing that same level of energy back to Orlando, only this time as head coach.
“James is a fantastic addition for us and something [we], as players, are very excited about,” said Dwyer. “We’re looking forward to working together. James is someone I’m very fond of, we played together briefly in 2013. He’s brought that same focus and ethic that he brought when he played.”
While there’s history between Dwyer and O’Connor, the forward isn’t surprised the new Lions boss has found success as a coach at Louisville City before eventually returning to Orlando City as manager.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Dwyer. “He was coaching back then when he was still playing. He’s a fantastic person, a great coach from what I’ve seen so far. I look forward to building a good relationship with him. Hopefully, I can give him what he needs, and we can put in some good team performances.”
O’Connor arriving to Orlando also signals the return of Yoshi Yotun, who missed seven games — all losses — for Orlando because of World Cup duties with the Peruvian national team.
With a new chapter in the season beginning for the Lions, Youth thinks there’s now a more-than-ever urgency to turn the club’s eight-game losing streak around.
“This is a long race, so we have to keep working hard to get to the objective, which is making the playoffs, but that’s been costing us lately,” Yotun said. “We have to focus on one game at a time – final after final – [because] every game for us is going to be like a final and we need to come out and win every game.”
O’Connor said during Monday’s press conference the team was lacking confidence. Yotun agrees and was glad that was what the new boss displayed on his first day.
“He showed a lot of confidence and excitement, and that’s exactly what we need right now,” Yotun said. “So, it was a great day for the club that he was able to do that.”
