When former Portland Timbers’ coach Caleb Porter made the decision to step down from his position with the club, it sent shockwaves through the league. Porter, an institution of Portland soccer, was just a month removed from his second finish on the very top of the Western Conference, four years removed from his inaugural Coach of the Year honors, and two years removed from the club’s first championship.
So instead of retooling the roster for another run at the silverware, the Timbers found themselves in a rebuilding phase: With the introduction of a new manager comes changes in culture, tactics, and roster.