Almost two months on from James O’Connor’s exit, Orlando City SC today announced the appointment of Oscar Pareja as the Lions’ new boss and fourth full-time head coach in MLS history.
Most recently coaching Club Tijuana in Liga MX, the 51-year-old is no stranger to Major League Soccer having coached FC Dallas to the MLS Supporters’ Shield and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title in 2016.
NEWS: Orlando City SC Names Óscar Pareja as Head Coach. #VamosOrlando
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) December 4, 2019
Despite failing to lead Orlando City SC to the post-season, James O’Connor was a club legend and hugely popular figure at Exploria Stadium.
Nevertheless, Orlando City SC‘s fanbase is growing ever desperate to finally reach the MLS Cup Playoffs and the hiring of someone who knows MLS as well as Oscar Pareja seems smart and shrewd.
Quite simply, qualification for the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs would quickly make City supporters forget what’s gone before under Adrian Heath, Jason Kreis and James O’Connor.
>> CLICK HERE TO VIEW OSCAR PAREJA’S COACHING PROFILE <<
Breathing new life
Pareja’s immediate task will be invigorating the franchise once more and drawing disillusioned City supporters and casual attendees back to Exploria Stadium with entertaining soccer.
Turning around a losing culture won’t be an easy task for the Colombian however.
In only five full Major League Soccer campaigns, the Orlando City SC Front Office has earned a reputation for hiring and firing repeatedly while the Lions are still yet to establish a true identity and style of play on the pitch.
A regular season specialist
Nevertheless, Oscar Pareja is something of a regular season specialist and the first Orlando City SC head coach boasting previous experience of reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs – the holy grail for Lions fans everywhere!
Between 2014 and 2018, Pareja successfully navigated FC Dallas to the post-season in four of his five seasons in charge in Frisco, finishing as Western Conference champions in 2015.
Finishing fourth or better in the Western Conference each time they secured post-season qualification, the year 2016 was the jewel in the crown of Oscar Pareja‘s tenure however.
Not only coaching the Texan side to the MLS Supporters’ Shield but the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup too, Pareja’s winning mentality and innate knowledge of MLS should stand the 51-year-old in good stead in his new role at Exploria Stadium.
Welcome to Orlando
On behalf of Orlando City UK, we’d like to take this moment to say welcome to Orlando, Oscar Pareja.
We wish our new head coach the very best of luck as he embarks on his latest challenge in Central Florida.
On behalf of #OrlandoCityUK, we’d like to wish the warmest welcome to new @OrlandoCitySC head coach, Óscar Pareja! 🇨🇴⚽️
ALL of @citybeautiful is behind you, coach! 👍🏽#OCTwitter #FaceOfCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/OUqyJW9eBX
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) December 4, 2019
The fans’ view
With the Orlando City SC Twittersphere currently digesting the news, Orlando City UK gathered some of the best tweets following Oscar Pareja‘s appointment.
Thank you, @Luiz_Muzzi. Finally a competent coach hire that doesn’t leave me scratching my head wondering if the club will ever taste success.
Can’t wait for 2020!
— Alex Brown (@AlexBrownSwag) December 4, 2019
Right man for the job👍🔥
— Vipez🦁⚽️ (@VipezEk) December 4, 2019
LETS GOOOOO VAMOS 💜😍🦁
— Bryce Miller (@Brmill2) December 4, 2019
I think he fits the bill! Excited to see what he can do – it’s just going to be imperative that ownership stay out of his way and give him the resources he needs to do the job.
— Patty Floyd 💜🦁⚽ (@PvalFloyd) December 4, 2019
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼finally a decision I can get behind. Great player, coach, and person. Got to meet him and play a pick up game with him when he played for Dallas. Really excited about these news!
— davcol (@davidang20) December 4, 2019
Great.. now, who is coming with him? 😉 pic.twitter.com/PKWUGzEPDM
— Ted (@Essenceofjudas) December 4, 2019
ANNOUNCE MLS CUP
— Nick (@NickOCSC) December 4, 2019
— Tony Cruz (@EddieTheCommish) December 4, 2019
— Jeremy Walker (@JeremyW29876950) December 4, 2019
GET INNNNNNN LEAD US TO THE PROMISE LAND!!!!
— Mueller Masterclass (@VamosOCSC) December 4, 2019
Finally! pic.twitter.com/CVGCeMny2L
— Logan (Emissary of the Gorgonites) (@LoganTMiller) December 4, 2019
Truly fantastic news! I thought Oscar should have been our next NT coach a few years ago. Cannot wait to see what he does with our boys!
— Jon Peck (@abellwillring) December 4, 2019
It is the only decision. He works well with Muzzi. I believe this was actually set in motion early last season. O’Connor would have had to make a deep playoff run not to lose his job.
— halcyon008 (@halcyon008) December 4, 2019
Good appointment. Let him do his job. Be interesting to see what recruitment happens now. Exciting times ahead for Orlando. #VamosOrlando
— Rosco (@McIntoshRosco) December 4, 2019
Good hire. Like I said about JOC around this time last year was I’ll come back to this on Aug 1.
— Michael (@michaeldb_) December 4, 2019
All thoughts are reserved until April. Let’s see what we got first
— Myriad (@myriadecs1) December 4, 2019
I think he and Muzzi worked well together in Dallas.
I think if given the opportunity he’ll get us where we want to be, cup bound.— Jacob Bynum (@JacobwBynum) December 4, 2019
Earlier the better so Muzzi and Pareja can work together to make a roster that actually has an identity and fits together. We need at least 4 more starters and they have to fit NOW.
Then we need them to build the academy for the future.
And keep the FO out of it’s own way!
— Daniel Cluley (@DanielCluley) December 4, 2019
Promising.
— Don Daniel 🎙📝 (@Daniel_finton) December 4, 2019