Defender Shane O’Neill first signed with Orlando City on June 22. When he became eligible for selection after the summer transfer window opened on July 10, the Lions had a new coach.
O’Neill was an unused substitute in City’s 2-1 win over Toronto in James O’Connor’s first home game as head coach and then played in three straight games. Since making his Lions debut, he’s only missed two games.
“Coming here by yourself, it’s not easy,” O’Neill said Tuesday before training. “When you come into a situation like this, you have to really hit the ground running.
“There’s been a few games where I’ve felt really strongly that I’ve contributed well,” O’Neill said. “Down the stretch, however many of these games I play, I really want to go out there and leave the field feeling like I performed well.”
O’Neill quickly renewed his friendship with midfielder Dillon Powers, whom O’Neill was teammates with at Colorado Rapids from 2013 to 2015.
He’s gotten used to his new teammates -- “there’s a lot of really welcoming guys,” he said -- and, despite the results, has thoroughly enjoyed playing for Orlando City.
“I love playing in front of these crowds,” he said. “There’s a really good thing coming, we just need to tweak a few things.
“For me, I hope I’ve made a good enough impression that they want to keep me around. We’ll see.”
Palace or Masterpiece?
Last week, Stadium Journey rated the fan experience at Orlando City Stadium among the best in MLS, tied for the top spot with Portland, Sporting KC and Atlanta.
“It is a purple masterpiece,” writes Lloyd Brown in his ranking.
Read the fan experience ranking here.
Stadium Journey also reviewed the overall atmosphere at Orlando City Stadium back in April. You can read it here.
