Orlando City manager Jason Kreis and star striker Kaka both said they support Cyle Larin after he was arrested for DUI early on Thursday morning, but were also quick to say that the Canada international must recognize the serious nature of his offense.
Larin, 22, was stopped by Florida Highway Patrol for driving the wrong way in Orlando and nearly causing a head-on collision, about three miles from Orlando City's stadium.
Kreis said the news was especially disappointing because everyone on the team had been told ahead of the season that the organization is very concerned about players' actions in the community and how they reflect on the club.
"Having to wake up to that phone call was difficult," Kreis told the Orlando Sentinel. "Cyle is obviously distraught, very, very disappointed in himself and his decision, but is wanting to move forward as quickly as possible. We disagree with [his decision] vehemently. It goes against what we've tried to establish here in this club and how we want to comport ourselves publicly.
"On a private side of things, though, we also believe very strongly that we are a family, and families come together when mistakes happen. So, we need to be strict in our view of it and tell Cyle and the rest of the group that these decisions are poor and they affect everyone. But then we need to move on from that and say we're family, and family members forgive."
Larin won't take part in Orlando's next two matches -- at home against Montreal on Saturday and away to Seattle on June 21 -- as he undergoes evaluation from MLS's substance abuse program, a process Kreis said will take about five days. The incident could also affect Larin's participation with Canada in this summer's Gold Cup.
"It's a tough week for us, but also it's a great opportunity to take this situation as motivation and to change, improve and show that Orlando City is a different club," team captain Kaka said.
"I think [Larin is] going to pay a lot in all senses. As teammates...what we need to do now is be with him, saying we do not agree with the situation, but we still love Cyle Larin."
Kreis echoed Kaka's comments, saying the incident could ultimately offer a chance for the team to grow even closer as a unit.
"We all make mistakes," Kries said. "We all have things that happen bad in our lives that we don't like and we don't want to deal with. Now, it's about how are we going to react to that? This is a moment for us to come together tighter than we ever have before, and to show our fans and our people what we're made of and who we are."