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Victor Giro and Scott Sutter know all about paper tigers. Bright-eyed Orlando City SC came into 2018 full of hope and enthusiasm, stocked with a reshaped roster that boasted some top-flight talent.

Apart from a little stumble at the start of the season — a tie and two losses — the Lions embarked on a six-game win streak that put them among the best in Major League Soccer. Only Atlanta and New York City FC enjoyed better records.

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And then … Shaka, When The Walls Fell.

A six-game losing streak — including a 5-2 setback to Vancouver — cost coach Jason Kreis his job. Interim boss Bobby Murphy and then new hire James O’Connor presided over another three straight defeats, and the team won just two of its final 16 games.

The Lions finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, boasting the league’s worst defensive record — 74 goals conceded and a minus-31 goal differential.

The preseason positivity evaporated, and with that record besmirching his resumé, Victor (PC) Giro was a bit surprised when the Whitecaps came a-callin’.

“The team wasn’t good,” said the Brazilian fullback/midfielder, acquired by Vancouver in December with its natural third-round pick, 59th overall, in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.

“It will be hard for players to find teams because when you don’t do a good job, it’s hard. So I was surprised for me, but it’s good to be here in Vancouver; it’s a good team, and to work with Marc, Felipe and everyone here,” added Giro, who played several games at left back for Orlando in 2018, and has seen his share of time in the same spot at training this past week.

“My agent started (the process), and then I talked with Marc (new manager Dos Santos), and explained everything that happened in Orlando. Marc believed me, and believed my work, and agreed to bring me to Vancouver.

“Nobody can explain what happened (in Orlando). We had a lot of good players. It just didn’t work, and I don’t know why. If you put it on paper, it’s a good team.”