One U.S. Open Cup win in the past seven competitions wasn’t acceptable for Orlando City SC. That, in addition to other factors, led to the Lions firing head coach Jason Kreis after nearly two-and-a-half seasons, the team announced late Friday afternoon.
In Kreis’ stead, assistant coach Bobby Murphy will take over head-coaching duties while the club begins its search for its third head coach in four Major League Soccer seasons. Murphy assumed a similar role alongside former Orlando City B head coach Anthony Pulis when longtime Lions coach Adrian Heath was fired.
FIRED | @OrlandoCitySC has fired Jason Kreis, the second coach in the club’s @MLS history.
In his stead, assistant coach Bobby Murphy will take over, as a new search begins.#OCSC #VamosOrlando #FaceOfCity #MLS pic.twitter.com/o18y9o75fP
— New Day Review (@NewDayReview) June 15, 2018
“This is a very difficult decision to take, but, sometimes in sports, we must make tough decisions with the best future of the organization in mind,” club CEO Alex Leitão said, per the club’s official statement. “I have enormous respect for Jason and the work his team did in Orlando. He arrived in a difficult moment and is leaving with a legacy of respect and professionalism.”
Under Kreis, the Lions had a 21-29-14 record in MLS play and had a 1-1-0 record in Open Cup competitions. As the Eastern Conference table currently stands, the Lions are in sixth place, one spot above the playoff line, with a 6-8-1 record and tied with seventh-place Chicago Fire SC with 19 points.
Kreis joined the club midway through the 2016 season after the Lions fired Heath, who is now the head man of 2017 expansion side Minnesota United FC.
The former Real Salt Lake and New York City FC boss coached his first Orlando City match in a 2-2 draw with Columbus Crew SC on July 23, 2016, leading the Lions to a 5-6-4 the rest of 2016. In 2017, Kreis’ first full season at the helm, the Lions finished in 10th place with a 10-15-9 record.
Each of his last two seasons seemed promising. In the 2017 season, the Lions started the season 6-1-0 before winning only four of their remaining 27 matches. This season, City won a club record six games in a row before losing their last six MLS matches.
In the team’s most recent road trip, Orlando City lost three MLS games by a combined score of 11-2.
Assistant coaches Miles Joseph and C.J. Brown, who joined Kreis in Orlando from RSL and NYCFC, will also leave the team.
“Now is the time to look forward, keep our heads high and continue pushing toward the many goals we set this season,” Leitão said.
For more on the Lions, as they search for another head coach, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
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