ORLANDO, Fla. – Four weeks into preseason, and rookie Chris Mueller has made an impression on Orlando City SC head coach Jason Kreis.
The Schaumburg, Illinois, native has, so far, had an outstanding preseason. He’s scored in three-straight scrimmages against Major League Soccer competition, including notching 2 goals against Minnesota United FC.
Oddly enough, the only scrimmage opponent the sixth-overall pick in the 2018 draft didn’t score against was a collegiate team, Jacksonville University, in the team’s first preseason matchup.
But Mueller’s production, perhaps, has not surprised Kreis. When Kreis met the 21-year-old Mueller for the first time before the draft, he was immediately reminded of himself.
For Mueller, that’s great news. Kreis is one of MLS’s all-time greatest scorers, ranking sixth on the all-time goals list with 108.
“I couldn’t be happier with what he’s all about. I knew from the moment I spoke to him at the combine that he reminded me of me,” Kreis said after training on Feb. 17. “He has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, and he has a feeling that he’s got a lot of people to prove wrong. And I think that’s a terrific quality to have.”
His willingness to run–that’s what has been most noticeable to Kreis, saying Mueller does it better than any other forward the Lions have, rookie or otherwise.
“One of the things that he does that I think is better than any forward that we have right now, actually, is how much he’s willing to run,” Kreis said after a training scrimmage with the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 14. “How many times he’s willing to just make runs that may be completely sacrificial for somebody else, but he continues to be willing to do it.
“And I think that’s a difficult, if not impossible, thing to teach. So, the rest of it we can work with.”
Mueller hasn’t been shy about his goals, personal and team, for the 2018 season. On the third day of training, he said he wants to contribute to the first team and help it win an MLS Cup.
He faces a steep challenge, though. Not only has Orlando City not made the playoffs in their first three MLS seasons, but not since 2015 draftee Cyle Larin, who has since departed for Turkey, has an Orlando City pick played more than Hadji Barry and his 304 first-team minutes.
“We want to make a deep run in the playoffs and hopefully bring back an @MLS Cup back to the city.” – @OrlandoCitySC rookie Chris Mueller (@cmueller1662)#OCSC #VamosOrlando #NeverHuntAlone #Soccer #MLS pic.twitter.com/amFoMFryAX
— New Day Review (@NewDayReview) January 23, 2018
In fact, of City’s 10 draft picks since 2015 and before Mueller, only midfielder Richie Laryea and goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. are still with the club.
But Mueller may have been afforded an opportunity in the silver lining of Dom Dwyer’s most recent injury. Dwyer’s out for the next two to four weeks with a Grade 1 quad strain, potentially bleeding into the start of the season, and the Lions will already be without a suspended Sacha Kljestan for the first two matches.
For Kreis, Mueller’s playing time isn’t dependent on Dwyer’s health–or any other player’s, for that matter.
“The truth of the matter is, for me…one thing doesn’t have to happen for the other to happen,” Kreis said. “We don’t have to have Dom suffer an injury to think Chris is doing a great job and [that] he’s going to contribute for us.
“So, regardless of Dom’s situation, I would have still said Chris is gonna be a major contributor for us this year.”
The Lions conclude their preseason-scrimmage schedule with Chicago Fire SC on Saturday.
For more on the Lions, as they enter the final days of preseason, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.
