ORLANDO – Adrian Heath believes he has grabbed a vital final piece of his Orlando City SC jigsaw puzzle with the signing of former Middlesbrough defender Seb Hines.
The 6-foot-2, 26-year-old Hines has been secured on loan until July with the option to buy outright in the summer transfer window, and he gives City extra security at both center back and right back, an area of concern since veteran Brazilian Paulo Andre opted for Cruzeiro instead of Central Florida earlier this month.
Head coach Heath admitted OCSC's scouting department had to go into overdrive once Andre turned them down, but he now has defensive depth with Hines and fellow British import Sean St Ledger, who is on trial with the club and yet to sign.
“Seb has been a really good pick up for us,” Heath insisted. “The things he has shown us relatively quickly are that he has good pace and presence. He is good on the ball and he can play at right back.
“We obviously had to scramble a bit once Andre wasn’t an option, but I’m very happy with the guys who have come in and we also have flexibility now.”
Heath will rely on experienced ex-Sporting Kansas City center back Aurelien Collin to lead his backline but now has several options alongside him, with Hines, St. Ledger and the rookie duo of second-round SuperDraft pick Conor Donovan and U-18 US national team prospect Tommy Redding.
Collin and St Ledger have been first choice for recent preseason games, with Hines and Donovan as replacements, but Hines could be an option in place of Portuguese starlet Rafael Ramos if Heath feels he needs veteran savvy at fullback as well.
Hines, who was most recently on loan with League One club Coventry but made 62 appearances for Middlesbrough from 2010-14, was able to call on Columbus Crew SC striker Kei Kamara – who also had a season at Middlesbrough – for advice on his move to MLS.
“I asked Kei about the league, and he was all for it,” Hines said. “He said if I get the chance I should take it.
“I’ve been in England all my career and need a fresh start. The style of football might suit me better; it seems more composed and not like a tennis match with long balls, which you can get in the Championship.”
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Hines, who has dual English-American citizenship and has represented the England national team at various youth levels, also believes MLS is getting European attention like never before.
“Everyone is starting to notice it is a massive opportunity to come over,” he added. “It is certainly a growing league, and if you have the opportunity to come in, it is massive for any player. With the quality of players over here, it is a great incentive to me. My friends can’t believe I’m playing with [Brazilian star] Kaka – it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
