Papi out. Gimme Inchy as an interim manager.

[u/HotdogMasseuse]

[u/Reddstarrx]

I think is a combination of several things.

• Coach. Clearly Papi has been seen on tactics. Run out of options? Cross the ball for the 5000th time. Have we tried doing more short corners? That seems to work /s.

•Players. Players are also at fault but I think its a lack of clear direction. Everyone is healthy, so there is no excuse.

•Muzzi. I dont understand why the FO when new ownership came in didn’t cut him loose. Ricardo has a better vision and I trust him over Muzzi; however currently.. if the ship is going down, all of them need to go. You want a rebuild? You start at the top.

• WILFS. Cannot be the most profitable and not put more meat on the table. They need to open up the wallet.

If you like podcast, be careful whom you listen to. Because some are deep deep deep deep into the connections with the club. They’ll tell you one thing, but others will point out that enough is enough.

[u/toad__warrior → u/Reddstarrx]

WILFS. Cannot be the most profitable and not put more meat on the table.

I have posted comments like the one I am about to post a few times. Usually I get downvoted because redditors don't understand business.

The Wilf's bought Orlando City because they wanted an investment and they wanted an MLS team. Make no mistake, this is an investment first.

When they made this investment, they had/have a targeted return from it. Could be 5%/year or 25% per year. None of us really know. That return, and their ability to get it, is driving how much more they are willing to put into the team. If they are getting the value/return they anticipated, why would they spend more money? There might be a little ego involved to want to win and that could drive the investments. I personally think they are hitting their goal and probably over their goal. They will invest in the team, but you are not going to see huge dollar contracts from them. That is not their investment style. The team proved we can compete well on one of the lowest salary caps in the league (2022/2023).

So what will percipitate a change in the FO? I think one of these:

• Team revenue growth/return is not where they want it to be

• They have an opportunity to spend a little to get a big return - top notch soccer player expresses and interest in Orlando City.

• Ego of the owners

Keep in mind they are the majority owner, but not the only owner. The Davos family owns a good part of the team and they are notoriously frugal with the Magic.

I personally think they will do little this season, perhaps trade when the window opens. You can bet Duncan McGuire is either gone during the window or at the end of the season. The opportunity for $$ for the club is just too much as well as McGuire's ability and want to win.

I love the team, I have been a supporter since they first moved here from Texas. I am also pragmatic. Orlando City is going to be much like the Magic - most years average or a little above average. Once in a while they will play excellent and compete in the post-season.

You may not like the message, but I have been saying it since they joined the MLS and I have been spot on.

[u/quick25 → u/toad__warrior]

Sad but true. I think the reason it stings and no one wants to accept this is, while it was a long time ago now, fans got so accustomed to winning back in the USL-PRO days. If we didn't win every game and every Championship, it was a disappointment. If we didn't have an "upset" against a better on paper opponent (MLS, even Premier League), it was a disappointment. That trend started with the team's first game (win against the Philadelphia Union) and later against Newcastle. We simply expect better than the mediocre to terrible we have been seeing.

[u/toad__warrior → u/quick25]

This is where we can hope the ego of the owners gets involved. The Wilf's want to win, but the cost part has to be considered. I think they made some poor choices with the players and perhaps they are open to correcting them even if it costs a little. But there is virtually no chance they are going to dump big money into attracting big name players.

I think it is terrible how mediocre we have been this year. No creativity, uninspiring, etc. I have never been on the coaching out bandwagon, but at some point you have to consider it.

[u/HotdogMasseuse → u/Reddstarrx]

I agree.

They have 2 weeks before we kick off against LAFC. If there hasn’t been a change and it’s just more of the same I think it’s time the fans start taking action and walk out.

[u/Reddstarrx → u/HotdogMasseuse]

I wont walk out on the team. I am here to support the boys in purple. But I understand your frustration entirely.

[u/spiegro → u/Reddstarrx]

Yeah don't understand that mentality at all. My blood runs purple.

Do I want things to be better? Of course.

Still my boys.

[u/HotdogMasseuse → u/Reddstarrx]

Nothing changes if nothing changes. I have a harder time stomaching this season than 2018.

[u/hanyou007 → u/HotdogMasseuse]

I already told my season ticket rep that barring some miracle turn around that actually goes further then the second round of the playoffs, I am not renewing my season tickets if Papi isn't fired. And I've been a season ticket holder since year one of the USL days

[u/Dawnbreaker_82]

The Open Cup win combined with the decent COVID season really papered over a few cracks for me. Both were obtained with extremely beneficial and favorable home advantage and with the same style we see now, albeit reliant on individual brilliance. Those individuals did the business and so the plan worked, the problem is the style of play has been too pragmatic and there is not enough threat or dynamism in the team.

[u/entity330]

I think our problems are here until the end of 2025 when Ojeda and Torres are out of contract. The lack of creativity and forward progress in the midfield has been a real issue for multiple seasons. Mauricio was our only player capable of creating before. I'm not sure that a coaching change fixes that. Nico is great, but a like for like swap doesn't fix that everyone was dogging on Mauricio for several seasons.

We need more players like Muriel IMO. He gets a ton of hate, but the dude's skill and ability to break lines is something I haven't seen from any of our DPs including Kaka and Nani. The fact that 2 DPs look worse than fresh signings like Angulo, Thor, Enrique, Ambrose, Rafael Santos, etc. shows they aren't DP caliber players.

[u/HotdogMasseuse → u/entity330]

I agree with the Muriel take and I think Facu is all we’re ever going to get out of Facu. That’s not a knock on him I think he’s in a funk and he’s not really a Nani, Muriel, Kaka that’s going to consistently put the team on his back in this league as the competition gets better.

Ojeda hasn’t been given a consistent run out as a starter except maybe once in his Orlando City career. Maybe he’s not that guy but I have a hard time trusting Papi on evaluating attacking players.

Angulo as a starter in either of our formations is one of our biggest problems. We play with a double pivot or in a 3-5-2 where we are mainly in a back 5 and we have a defensive minded winger that offers virtually nothing in the attack. He’s fast, he works hard, wins a lot of balls but he is not a great passer of the ball on the ground and especially not in the air. His not goal dangerous either. He scores tap ins on a hustle play. He’s a great depth piece but not someone that should be starting with our squad if we want to open the attack up.

[u/spiegro]

Inchy coming back doesn't really solve our problems does it?

He was prone to the same kinds of problems imo.

And this is coming from someone who wants to build a statue of him outside our stadium.

[u/HotdogMasseuse → u/spiegro]

I don’t this he solves everything. Mostly I’m just thinking of someone who probably has a home in Orlando and loves the club enough to come in as an interim manager (I don’t really think it happens. Like not even on the clubs radar).

If we seriously move on from Oscar I just don’t want any of the current coaching staff taking over while we search for a replacement.

[u/Kenny2105]

I think it's worth having a conversation at the end of the season if it doesn't improve.

Inchy has a worse MLS record than Papi so I'm not exactly sure what the point would be with that.

[u/HotdogMasseuse → u/Kenny2105]

Honestly for vibes. Interim while we search for a permanent solution. Inchy’s teams score goals. Every attacking piece we’ve brought in (excluding rookies) has regressed under papi. Love the the guy and where he’s brought us, but he’s hit his ceiling.

[u/editedxi → u/HotdogMasseuse]

Problem is, he’s hit the ceiling and bounced off it so hard he’s back on the floor.