After missing the playoffs, Timbers have a decision to make in the technical area.
A reality check last weekend came to the Portland Timbers after getting routed by an inspired and hungry CF Montreal by a 4-1 final score. This result brought certainty to the Rose City side very well for its interim manager Miles Joseph, now to wait to seize a playoff spot when these play against Houston.
Still, the team under his tenure has brought a lot of discipline and order to the Rose City side as well posting an achievable record of 5-2-1 after last weekend lost against Les Bleus of CF Montreal.
With a post that The Athletic columnist Tom Bogert stated that the Portland Timbers have between six to seven candidates for the head coaching job, and with a few familiar names mentioned.
Ezra Hendrickson was fired early in the season by the Chicago Fire, so was Phil Neville following after a number of not so positive results with Inter Miami, and Robin Fraser was relieved from the helm with Colorado. The outcome of these individuals doesn’t look to promising as they couldn’t turn their teama around this season and doubtful if they can deliver in their new position if they are appointed to the Timbers helm.
Other names have surfaced such an alumni of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as Dome Torrent hasn’t been too impressive in his managerial stints but who knows the man can become a winner if he’s given the opportunity. Torrent already has MLS experience during his time with NYCFC after they were eliminated by Atlanta United in the playoffs.
The man coming from the same school as Mikel Arteta, the man in his stint with NYCFC, the man put the team in the postseason and being eliminated, in his time with Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Barcelona he shared some glories with Guardiola and his coaching staff. He hasn’t proven anything as his time with Flamengo in the Brazilian league as he was let go and with Galatasaray in the Turkish Super League luck wasn’t in his side.
Overall, manager Miles Joseph has done the unthinkable and delivered with a perfect run and despite seeing his team beaten last weekend in the City of Mary. My thoughts are firm and supportive for him to take over the helm of the Rose City team.
After all, the man is delivering with results and has put order in his starting elevens. but still if the Timbers make it into the postseason, somehow they need the team to be on the same page, specially in its defensive game.
The need to be consistent and teamwork will be imperative for this team’s success and for Miles Joseph, he has been hard at work and results are evident of the way this team is playing lately.
However, what if one of the men being interviewed ends up with the job as team manager. He will have a lot of work ahead of him, as we’ve seen with him putting order and discipline in the big squad. So, among one of the needs of this team is to put things in order with its academy as well the development of young talent being which has been neglected and with no structure to work or base to go forward.
In the end, this will be a team decision as whoever the team directives opt for that will be the last word, but in my mind manager Miles Joseph deserves his big break and for sure the man can continue giving this team satisfactions.
Portland Timbers
