Adrian Heath won't just be manning the Orlando City touch lines in 2015. He will be doing so for the foreseeable future.
Orlando City announced Friday morning that they have extended their head coach's contract through the 2017 season. Heath has been with Orlando since the club's inception, helping guide the Lions to multiple USL PRO trophies and preparing for their jump to MLS.
"Adrian has been an integral part of the Club since day one and has been key to our success both on and off the field," said Orlando City president Phil Rawlins in a statement. "His track record with us has been remarkable, and we believe that Adrian as our head coach will provide us the best chance of being competitive in MLS. We're delighted that we were able to finalize a deal with Adrian that extends his contract for several more years."
During his time at the helm of Orlando, the 53-year-old Heath has helped the Lions win three USL PRO regular-season titles (2011, 2012 and 2014) and two USL PRO Championships (2011 and 2013). He also captured two USL PRO Coach of the Year awards (2011 & 2012).
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"I'm obviously delighted to be here. When you've been here from the very beginning, you don't want to move somewhere else just as you're on the brink of going to MLS," Heath said. "I firmly believed in what we've been trying to achieve here. I'm fortunate to sit in a lot of those meetings that outline our plans for the next few years, and I'm incredibly excited about what's going to be happening here in Orlando."
Prior to joining Orlando City, Heath had brief coaching spells with Burnley, Sheffield United and Coventry City in his native England.
