One Big Question:Will Papi get time to work even if things get ugly?
Look, this is the biggest question at Orlando City, who are now on their fourth coach entering just their sixth season in MLS. To be fair that's the same number as NYCFC, but it feels a lot different, doesn't it?
This one, no matter what happens, should stick beyond year two. The Lions have been through almost annual tear-downs and rebuilds, which has led from nosedive to tailspin to death spiral. If five years of no playoff appearances, no patience and seemingly no plan.
Oscar Pareja is here to end this madness. Pareja, more than anything else, is a culture builder. FC Dallas's identity comes from his time there as a player, an academy director and a head coach, and he did damn near the same thing for Colorado in just two years there earlier last decade (though it didn't really stick for the Rapids). He's not the greatest tactician in the world, but his teams play hard because they play for him. And even after his one major failure – when the team fell apart in 2017 after their run to the CCL semis – he followed it up with a more-than-respectable 57-point 2018 season despite losing a number of his best players via injury or transfer.
What I'm saying is that the powers that be in Orlando need to give the man time and not activate the trap door as soon as things go bad. Make it clear that he's the one in charge, make it clear the players need to buy into his vision, and then get out of the way until 2022.
Otherwise it'll just be more of the same.
