The Portland Thorns will have a familiar face on the touchline next year as Nadine Angerer rejoins the team, this time as a goalkeeping coach under new head coach Mark Parsons.
After retiring from the sport last year with over 146 international caps, she is excited to come back to a Thorns organization and a city that she considers a second home. Just after the announcement was made, Parsons praised Angerer as a “class pro that will help the entire team succeed.” Having been with the Thorns for the last two seasons, Angerer knows what is needed and comes ready to prepare the next generation of Portland goalkeepers.
The addition of Angerer will most likely not be the only change coming to the coaching staff of the Portland Thorns. With Riley’s departure, questions continue on whether several assistant coaches will remain on without him. Following a series of anti-climactic endings, Thorn’s owner Merritt Paulson, along with the general manager Gavin Wilkinson, have both stressed that changes will be made to help strengthen the organization and make it more successful as they head into the 2016 season of the NWSL. With only four months left to organize, we’ll see these changes take effect very soon.
