Orlando City confirms ex-player James O'Connor as new head coach

MLS Eastern Conference outfit Orlando City announced Friday the hiring of James O'Connor as its new head coach.

The Lions were looking for a new boss after parting ways with Jason Kreis on June 15, and have chosen their former star O'Connor to lead them forward.

O'Connor, an ex-Stoke City and Burnley midfielder, joined Orlando from Sheffield Wednesday in 2012 when the club was operating under its old guise as a USL club. After becoming an assistant coach in Florida, he moved to Louisville, Ky., when Orlando sold its USL team rights upon being named an MLS expansion outfit in 2014.

"James was our top target going into the coaching search," said Orlando general manager Niki Budalic. "He has proven himself a consistent winner as both a player and coach at the USL level, and now is extremely eager to prove himself in MLS.

"James is very aware of the winning culture we have built in Orlando and what it will take to uphold that tradition in both the short and long term. We couldn't be more excited for him to get started."

Orlando dismissed Kreis after a poor start to the season in which the club lost eight of its opening 15 games. O'Connor's reign will officially kick off against LAFC on July 7.