On Tuesday night, Orlando City announced its trade for Houston Dynamo left back Corey Ashe in exchange for general allocation money and a second round pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. Ashe will be available for selection for Saturday’s match against the visiting New York Red Bulls.
It’s not often that players are happy to be traded, but Ashe was excited when he heard the news that he was coming to Orlando. Like it has for so many others, Orlando City offers Ashe a fresh start. In June 2014, Houston acquired USMNT star DaMarcus Beasley. Playing with Beasley was a chance to learn from one of the best, and now Ashe has a chance to show what he learned.
“It’s always great to be given a fresh start and the opportunity to play and contribute, especially [for] a guy like myself who is competitive and wants to be out on the field. I try to focus on the positive and the positive is I’ve got DaMarcus Beasley in front of me and I can learn from him. I can pick his brain – this guy has played at the highest level. I got to learn from him from the last year and a half and I’m looking forward to taking what I’ve learned and showcasing it for Orlando,” he said during his introductory press conference on Wednesday.
Teaching and being a role model for the younger players is undoubtedly something Adrian Heath and GM Paul McDonough are looking for in Ashe. The nine-year MLS veteran – all of which were played with Houston – immediately makes him the most MLS-experienced player on the team.
Ashe first saw Orlando play when the Lions went to Houston on March 13. What he saw out of the expansion club in their second game impressed him.
“It’s a very good, dynamic, young squad with a lot of potential. Fortunately I got to see Orlando play Houston when they played in Houston and it was a fun game. A lot of the forwards possess a lot of speed; obviously having Kaká doesn’t hurt,” he said. “Tally Hall is obviously good, the back line is good as well so it’s a team with a lot of potential and I’m hoping that I can bring some veteran [presence] to the back line and to the team.”
Upon first glance, it’s easy to see why McDonough made the move for Ashe. The UNC – Chapel Hill alum is one of the fastest players in the league and his game fits Adrian Heath’s system.
“A player like myself, I like to get forward. One of the biggest attributes for myself obviously is not the size but it’s my speed. I love to get up and down the field, try to get other players in dangerous position, [and] whipping crosses in,” said Ashe.
