BEAVERTON, Ore. – If there is a dominant inquiry that’s surrounded the first week-plus of Portland Thorns FC preseason, it’s focused on how the team will handle this summer’s World Cup.
Barely eclipsing questions about the North Carolina Courage, concerns about the Thorns’ readiness for their squads’ summer absences have been asked of each player, and not without reason. The last time the organization faced this challenge, in 2015, remains the only season Portland failed to make the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs.
Still, so much about the team has changed since then. And head coach Mark Parsons, available to the media for the first time this preseason on Monday, the club’s outlook on the coming challenge was partially revealed.