New York City FC host Orlando City SC on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.
For this edition of 'The Away End' presented by Berkeley College & Rennert International, we spoke to David Rohe, Senior Columnist for The Mane Land & Co-host of The Mane Land PawedCast.
Hi Dave, thanks for speaking with us. How long have you been a fan of Orlando City SC?
Back in 2014, I was sitting around bemoaning the end of the Premier League season and I thought I should probably find an MLS club to support. I'm originally from Maryland so I considered DC United for about 3 seconds, but I don't like any teams from DC in other sports so I dismissed that option. As I'm looking around the league the announcement that Orlando City was making the jump from USL to MLS broke and given how close the club is geographically, my decision was made. I immediately started researching the club which led me to The Mane Land. I applied for a writing position and was "hired". It's now been nine years with the site.
What has been your highlight in that time?
As a supporter, the highlight has to be when Orlando City won the 2022 US Open Cup. I was lucky enough to attend that match and was seated right behind the goal which allowed me to witness all three goals closeup. There's nothing quite like watching your club lift a trophy, and seeing it live is unbelievable. I will never forget that night, and how much joy I felt.
What were your thoughts on the 2023 season?
Orlando City had a record 2023 season. It was the most points totaled by the Lions in their MLS history, and down the stretch, the club was clicking on all cylinders. Unfortunately, the good times ended in the playoffs, but it was a fun ride. Pedro Gallese was a brick wall in goal, Duncan McGuire would have won Rookie of the Year if MLS hadn't changed the award to Newcomer of the Year so they could give it to high-profile transfers. There was a lot to be happy about in 2023.
What are your hopes for the 2024 season?
If you had asked me at the beginning of the season, I would have told you I expected Orlando City to pick up right where they left off, but that hasn't happened. Playing in the Concacaf Champions Cup created schedule congestion for the Lions and for whatever reason, the team never was able to get that same vibe as last season. Between injuries, the McGuire transfer drama, and international call-ups, the team is still looking to find their mojo. At this point, I hope they are able to pull it together enough to make the playoffs again. I'm also hoping for some new players during the transfer window as I expect McGuire will make a move abroad.
What do you think will be the deciding factor in Friday's game?
As I said on the last episode of The Mane Land Pawedcast, Orlando City needs to shore up their defense. The Lions have been too disorganized in the back this season. This is a backline that played together almost all of last season and should be solid as a rock, but there have been too many holes and too many dumb mistakes. Robin Jansson is probably the most underrated center back in MLS, and even he has not been up to his usual standards. I think if Orlando City's defense can find their form, it will give the Lions the best chance of earning points on the road at NYCFC.
And for any fans that might be in Orlando for a game in the near future are there any spots you'd suggest they check out?
I actually live in Tallahassee, which is four hours away from Orlando (Florida is a huge state), but I can recommend Broken Strings Brewery near the stadium. It is where a lot of supporters hang out before the match. There is, of course, Church Street Station downtown which has various restaurants and bars to enjoy. The club also has an area outside of Inter&Co Stadium called the Mane Street Plaza with stuff for kids, beer, food trucks, and more.
