To make the playoffs, Orlando City must rely on superstar Kaká, writes Mike Bianchi.
Kaká all but guarantees playoff berth
Kaká is guaranteeing he will lead Orlando City into the playoffs this season. At least that’s how I see it. We have but one sports superstar playing in this city, and Kaká seems to realize it’s time for him to do what sports superstars do.
Lead his team and his town to something big.
Lead Orlando City into the playoffs.
Lead the hungry Lions to an MLS championship. Fans expect nothing less. Management expects nothing less.
And the best part of all: Kaká himself expects nothing less.
“This year is so important for me,” Kaká told a standing-room only crowd at Orlando City’s Media Day earlier this week. “I think this year is going to be much better than last season. This year, our goal is to make the playoffs and when we get there, for sure, we’re going to think about winning the MLS Cup.” Did you hear the guarantee? Did you? He said, “When we get there.” He did not say, “If we get there.”
Was this Kaká making a playoff guarantee or just an example
of the Brazilian legend’s broken English? You can answer that question however you want, but I prefer to think it was a guarantee because — let’s be honest — we desperately need some playoff fever in this city.
If the Orlando Magic can’t provide it, then maybe Orlando City can. Last year they knocked on the door. This year — to paraphrase Bum Phillips — maybe they can kick that sonuvagun in.
Unquestionably, Kaká is the Ka-key to making this happen. He is the dominant Lion; the Ka-king of the beasts whose responsibility it is to Ka-carry Orlando City into the postseason.
When you are a global icon and the highest-paid player in the league at $7 million per season, this is the burden you must bear. Look around at any sport, and the highest-paid player is usually a player who is a
champion or close to it. In the NFL, Aaron Rodgers is the highest-paid player and he has a Super Bowl title on his résumé. In the NBA, the highest-paid player is Kobe Bryant, whose five rings are well worth the $25 million the Lakers are paying him for
his farewell tour this season.
In the big picture, this too is Kaká’s farewell tour — not this season necessarily, but this foray into MLS. He has accomplished everything else in his career. He’s been a World Cup champion, a FIFA
World Player of the Year and the first athlete in history to reach 10 million Twitter followers. He’s about to turn 34, which means the MLS is his last stop on the competitive soccer stage.
“I think you’re going to see a better Kaká and a
different Kaká this year and one that’s going to make a bigger impact,” said Orlando City president and general manager Phil Rawlins. “Because of who he is, he takes the responsibility very seriously. This is the last chapter of his career. He doesn’t want to end the last chapter of his book without a great ending.”
Everybody you talk to says Kaká is as dedicated and determined as ever to show the world he can still lead a team to greatness. His presence in MLS already has paid huge dividends from a marketing and recognition standpoint, but now he wants to make an even bigger impact on the field.
Coach Adrian Heath talks about noticing a sense of “urgency” emanating from Kaká and makes no secret that he is expecting more from his star player this season. Last year Kaká had nine goals, but this preseason Heath has moved him further up the field and
closer to rookie sensation Cyle Larin. The coach says he’d like to see his superstar score 15 goals this year.
So far, so good. Kaká had netted four goals in three exhibition games heading into Saturday’s night’s preseason finale.
“He is clearly motivated to have a top season,” Heath said.
Said Kaká: “For sure I have to improve and do better. I want to improve my numbers; I want everything to be better than last season. Last year was my first year in the league, so everything was new. I had a new coach and new teammates, so everything can only be better this time.”
The only way things can be better is if Orlando City makes the playoffs. Correction: When Orlando City makes the playoffs.