After training in Jacksonville last week, Orlando City is back at Lake Sylvan and continuing to put their noses to the grindstone. With an abundance of talent acquired in the offseason, players find themselves competing now more than ever for their starting slot on the MLS squad. Head Coach Jason Kreis thinks that competition is beneficial to both the players and the team as a whole.
“I believe in competition,” Kreis said. “At the end of the day, I believe that competition is what brings the best out of all of us. I’m not talking about competing in the games, I’m talking about the competition amongst the players for their position within the team.”
With just under a month until the MLS home opener against New York City FC, Kreis is starting to think about who will be in his starting 11. But being chosen for the starting roster isn’t just about talent or skill-- it’s about hard work and discipline and showing that you want to be a part of the team.
“[A player] has to show me, first and foremost, that he wants it. That he wants it more than anything else in the world. He has to show up every single day and deliver that, and make me walk away thinking ‘Man, that guy wants it and that guy deserves it,” Kreis said. “I’ve always told the players that, sometimes you’ll hear players say ‘Why don’t you give me a chance? Why don’t you give me an opportunity?’ Well, I’m not giving you anything. You’re earning it. When you’ve earned it, you’ll get it.”
Kreis isn’t sure exactly what his team will turn into this season. There are a lot of new faces, and a fresh mentality. Kreis believes that the answer to that question will be determined by the players, but he hopes that no matter what happens throughout the season their passion is reflected on the field.
“I hope that the product of the games is how much work they put in; both in the offseason and how much work we will put in in the preseason,” Kreis said. “That’s what I always want. I always want them and myself to feel like if we work so hard then we will be successful. That’s what I hope. I hope we go out there every single match—every single minute of every single match—and show how badly we want it this year.
