After eight years with the organization, Orlando City fired head coach Adrian Heath, the club announced on Wednesday.

The announcement comes after the Lions (4-4-8, 20 points) suffered its worst defeat of the season on Monday, losing 4-0 to FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium.

“It is always a very difficult decision to part ways with a head coach and not one that the Board of Directors has taken lightly. It is even more difficult when that coach has been instrumental in the growth of the Club since its inception over eight years ago. Adrian has served this Club with passion and enthusiasm,” Orlando City Founder & President Phil Rawlins said in a statement.

“While our successes together are undoubtable, we believe the renewed energy this change will bring will be uplifting for the team. We feel that the time has come for us to move on with our future in MLS. We continue to remain very excited about the growth of our Club.”

Heath was part of the organization since 2008 during the Austin Aztex days. Rawlins moved the club over to Orlando prior to the 2011 USL season. During his time in USL, Heath won two league championships in 2011 and 2013 and three regular season titles in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

Orlando City are also coming off a tumultuous week, which saw the team crash out of the U.S. Open Cup, part ways with Adrian Winter, suffer its worst defeat of 2016, and now part ways with Heath, all within a week.

Assistant coach Bobby Murphy and Orlando City B manager Anthony Pulis will lead the team until the front office hires a new head coach for the first team.

Orlando City hosts the Houston Dynamo on Friday at Camping World Stadium at 8 p.m.

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(Photo by Victor Tan / Orlando Soccer Journal) 

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