#5- Orlando Pride’s final roster
Orlando Pride Head Coach, Tom Sermanni, and GM Paul McDonough are working diligently constructing a roster that will take the pitch in April 2016. With the expansion draft now in the past plus the signings of Alex Morgan, Kalyn Kyle, and Sarah Hagen, the Pride roster is starting to take shape. With the NWSL College Draft set to take place in January, combined with any other transfers, trades, or signings, the Orlando Pride roster could look very different by the start of the season. It will be very exciting to see the final product at the beginning of next year.
#4- Soccer craze surrounding the team
Considering the tremendous support the Pride has seen since being announced as an NWSL team last month, it is safe to say that the soccer craze that surrounded Orlando City going into their inaugural campaign will continue with Orlando Pride. The great support that the team is already seeing in their infancy makes the anticipation for the 1st match so much greater.
#3 Coach Sermanni’s tactics
When the Orlando City organization hired Sermanni as the coach for the team’s inaugural season, they hired a coach with a proven attacking-minded philosophy. With his immense amount of soccer knowledge that includes three decades of coaching, plus his familiarity with international soccer, the Scottish coach has the ability and opportunity to play an exciting brand of soccer in Orlando. With players on the roster like Alex Morgan and Sarah Hagen, Orlando have already set up the infrastructure to play within this philosophy.
#2 Orlando Pride will help a growing league
Orlando Pride’s introduction comes at a perfect time for the NWSL. With the league now entering its fourth season, the NWSL is proving that it can sustain itself as soccer continues to grow in America. Orlando Pride has already sold over 1,000 season tickets, and could potentially be amongst the leaders in average attendance throughout the course of the season. Combine strong attendance with the acquisition of Alex Morgan- who is considered by many as the face of women’s soccer- the Pride could contribute to the league tremendously in just their first year.
#1 Alex Morgan wearing purple
When the Pride acquired Morgan last month, they brought in the most well-known player in women’s soccer today. On top of that, Morgan is arguably the most talented striker in the world. The young American dealt with a few nagging injuries earlier this year, but is now fit and showing her true form in recent matches for the USWNT. With Coach Sermanni’s attacking mindedness, Morgan will have a great opportunity to score a lot of goals for the Pride starting in April.
