ORLANDO, Fla. (July 19, 2016) – Orlando City SC’s Board of Directors has hired Jason Kreis as the Lions’ head coach, the Club announced today.
Kreis has had many successes throughout his Major League Soccer coaching career, including leading Real Salt Lake to its only MLS Cup championship in 2009 and winning the Western Conference again in 2013. Under Kreis, RSL qualified for the MLS playoffs every year from 2008 to 2013.
Currently, Kreis is MLS’ sixth all-time leading scorer with 108 goals over a 12-year playing career for the Dallas Burn and Real Salt Lake.
“We are very excited that we have got our man. Jason is a progressive thinking and highly ambitious coach, who is very familiar with success in MLS,” Orlando City SC President and Founder Phil Rawlins said. “Jason’s playing philosophy is the same attack-minded, possession-oriented style of soccer that we have built our Club around. He is a winner who checks all the boxes for us.”
Infographic | Get to Know Jason Kreis
“Jason flew to Portugal and we met for several hours. I feel very strongly that he can bring us to the next level of development as a Club, a higher level,” added Orlando City SC Chairman and Majority Owner Flávio Augusto da Silva. “I completely support the Board’s decision to appoint Jason.”
Kreis brings with him two experienced assistant coaches in Miles Joseph and CJ Brown, who all worked together at Real Salt Lake and NYCFC. The trio will begin work on Monday, July 25, alongside Orlando City’s existing coaching staff, who will all remain in their permanent roles.
“I want to place on record how much the Club thanks Bobby Murphy and Anthony Pulis for stepping into head coaching roles over the past two weeks. They have done a great job for us and will be in charge of team affairs again at Columbus on Saturday night,” Rawlins said.
Kreis’ official welcoming ceremony as the Club’s new MLS head coach will be on Wednesday, July 20, at 2 p.m. The presentation will be streamed on Facebook Live.
