(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City SC’s troubles continue to pile on. After starting the season 6-1-0, the Lions have since compiled an overall record of 8-10-6. The Lions’ last win came in a narrow, 1-0 win in Utah over Real Salt Lake on June 30. Now, the Lions face a new obstacle: playing without first-year City center-back Jonathan Spector.
Spector, who will miss up to three weeks with a knee injury, has been a fixture for the Lions this season, recording a goal, an assist and 1,890 minutes in 21 starts. He even helped complete City’s seventh win of the season, a 2-0 shutout of D.C. United on May 31, with an open-net save to keep City’s narrow, 1-0 lead.
🎶I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA🎶 😈
Insane stuff from @Jtbendik… pic.twitter.com/fZZRLZMpZP
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 1, 2017
In the defensive stalwart’s absence, head coach Jason Kreis is looking for his young center-backs to assume a leadership role. In fact, for Kreis, those players’ careers depend on this new leadership role. The second-year City boss has three players available: Tommy Redding, 20, José Aja, 24, and Léo Pereira, 21.
“It’s organization and communication. When we lose the guy that we really count on for that in the back four, you can see that it’s difficult,” Kreis said after training on Aug. 16. “It’ll be difficult for our central defenders to solve that as to who’s gonna step up and who’s gonna take a little bit of charge back there.
“All three of them are good center-backs in their own right, but it’s difficult for them to take on a leadership role that’s necessary when they’re playing there. But they’re gonna have to if they want to move their careers forward.”
For Redding, that level of pressure is something he invites, as he takes on the new challenge. The Oviedo, Florida, native is no stranger to pressure either. During the U-20 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Championship, where Redding led the United States U-20 men’s national team to gold, Redding said he developed into a vocal leader.
That experience is now playing a factor in his approach to the recent position competition. He said playing with the national team has given him a “little bit” of a leg up when it comes to leadership.
“It’s still different because, here, the guys are veterans and played for years, and with the national team, everybody had the same experience or less than I had,” Redding said after training on Aug. 16. “But I think it was important for me to get that experience with the national team, and having that in my back pocket, starting this off without Spector, I think it’s big for me to step up for the team.”
Redding staking his claim as the next man up will not be an easy task. This season, he has missed time with the Lions, as national-team duty has kept him from Orlando. Last season, he was a fixture for City, recording 1,346 minutes in 18 games played and 16 starts. This season, he’s started nine of his 11 appearances and has recorded 875 minutes of action.
For midfielder Antonio Nocerino, he sees the potential Redding has. The 32-year-old related his experiences as a youth to Redding’s, noting young players will have their ups and downs.
“Tommy’s play—is good player. He’s younger player,” Nocerino said after training on Aug. 16. “Play national team. But it’s important for Tommy, especially for younger player, because before I am a young player, no? Have the two games it’s well, one up, down, up—it’s normal. It’s normal. It’s the road de soccer for player. But the work—it’s important Tommy understand he’s a good player… Tommy, for me, have the good—two, three years, for me, Tommy play in the 11 national team because he’s a good player and is good guy, fundamentally for play.
“I’m happy have Tommy for a friend in the pitch because Tommy, I repeat, it’s good, understand, have humility. And this is, for players, is very important. I’m very happy. Tommy is a great player. He’s young. Have a very, very big career in front, and higher up for him is play in the 11 for the national team for 50 year.”
Redding, on the other hand, is more critical of himself. His most recent start, a full 90 minutes in a 3-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls on Aug. 12, was his first in five games. He said he wouldn’t rank that performance with any of his best games of his career.
“For me, it’s only been a month and a half, but it’s felt like a year. It’s always tough to be out, and getting back on the field was great,” Redding said. “I don’t think it was my best performance. I don’t even think it’s up there with my best. But it’s a stepping stone, and I’m learning from my mistakes and moving on.”
City return to action on Saturday when they host the Columbus Crew at 7:30 p.m. Columbus sits in fifth place with 35 points; City have 30 points in eighth place.
For more on City, as they look to slip into a playoff spot, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
