In the twilight of his playing career, James O’Connor left Europe for America and a spot with a growing United Soccer League club, Orlando City SC. The goal, he said, was to help lay the foundation for the game’s long-term success in Florida.
Years later, O’Connor will this week return to the sidelines in Orlando while doing the same as Louisville City FC’s first and only head coach.
His record is proven: Orlando City SC went on to earn a spot in Major League Soccer and just opened highly regarded Orlando City Stadium. Its USL Side, Orlando City B, will host O’Connor and LouCity in its first game at the facility at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
“It was a great way for me to finish my career, and then it gave me my first step into coaching as well, which I’ve always been grateful for,” O’Connor said. “Obviously, through the affiliation I was able to come (to Louisville). I have a lot to thank Orlando for.”
• WATCH | Full previews from O’Connor, players
Good friend and former Orlando teammate Anthony Pulis coaches Orlando City B, which fell 1-0 on a penalty kick to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on the USL’s opening weekend. LouCity meanwhile played Saint Louis FC to a scoreless draw at Slugger Field to start its season.
Both O’Connor and Pulis, whose father, Tony, coached O’Connor during his West Bromwich Albion days, will be looking for their first full three points of 2017.
“Obviously, as both of us know, when we play against each other we’re both desperate to win” O’Connor said. “It’ll be a tough game. He’s a very good coach — very organized.”
LouCity won two of three meetings last year against Orlando City B before both teams made the USL Cup Playoffs. Following both games in Louisville, O’Connor said, he and Pulis went to dinner together. They also caught up at a game during LouCity’s preseason time in Florida.
O’Connor describes Pulis as a hard-working, bright young coach who “does his homework.” Pulis called LouCity “very well-drilled and very well-organized.”
The similarities are striking. So is Thursday’s venue, the 25,500-seat gem in downtown Orlando.
“It’s going to be a fantastic occasion for many of the boys to step on that field for the first time,” Pulis said.
While the atmosphere could be intimidating, LouCity has a history of holding its own on the road. Last season, the club went 11-2-2 away from Slugger Field, where a smaller pitch prevents O’Connor’s team from fully playing to the strengths of a possession-based attacking scheme.
LouCity limited Saint Louis FC to just four touches in the box in the opener while numbering 21 shots of its own.
“We do like road games,” O’Connor said with a laugh. “I think if I could bring our supporters with us, that would be fantastic. But, look, we know the day will come when we’ll have our own stadium as well. It’s not like it’s going to be infinite time that we’ll be playing at Slugger.
“…We do look forward to away games, especially when you go to a brand-new stadium. There will be a nice, big pitch as well.”
