Few members of the Orlando City family have had as hectic a month as Anthony Pulis.
The Orlando City B head coach has had to do double duty in the wake of Adrian Heath’s amicable departure from the Club. Pulis has jumped back and forth from OCB to the First Team technical staff, helping interim head coach Bobby Murphy as an assistant coach.
To make matters just a touch more complicated, all this took place during Orlando City’s three-game and OCB’s two-game July road trips. Pulis went from Orlando to Rochester, N.Y., for OCB’s game at the Rhinos on July 10 and then down to New Jersey for the First Team’s game at the Red Bulls three days later. He then flew across the continent to Vancouver for another game three days later before finally coming back to Orlando.
But it didn’t end there. Pulis then went with the MLS squad to Columbus for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on July 23, got on an early morning flight to Orlando and went with OCB to Melbourne for their game that evening.
All in a day’s work.
“I’ve been busy and I’ve been spread thin at times,” Pulis said, “but it’s been an invaluable experience for me.”
Pulis credits OCB assistant coaches Rob Valentino and Paulo Grilo, strength and conditioning coach CJ Gonsalves and athletic trainer Bruce Lawlor for their tremendous help in keeping OCB on track during his intermittent absence. And by the looks of it, they did a great job.
While missing Pulis for a tough road game and multiple training sessions at a time, OCB extended its unbeaten streak to seven games and climbed into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
For Pulis, whose father is legendary English Premier League head coach Tony Pulis, the turbulence of last month offered perhaps the most unique learning experiences a coach could ask for.
“It’s about learning about the types of personalities you’re working with,” Pulis said. “With the younger players, you ask them to do something and they do it. With the older players, you’ll ask them to do something or you’ll try and explain something and they sometimes question you a little bit, so you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got the answers and you’ve got a complete understanding of what you’re talking about.
“They question you. That’s what older players do.”
At just 32 years old and in his first head managerial role, every day is a new experience for Pulis.
“Football’s a funny old game. You just never know what happens these days,” he said. “I was very privileged to be announced the head coach of OCB last year. Never once did I think I’d be involved with the First Team this early. I’m trying to be like a sponge and soak up as much as I can and learn as much as I can so that moving forward in the years ahead, I’m better prepared from it.”
