Who are they?
The Portland Timbers joined the MLS in 2010, althought the team has been around in various forms since 1975.
What have they won?
The Timbers have a couple of Regular Season USL titles to their name, but the club has made the MLS playoffs only once in four years in 2013 when they finished top of the western conference, and didn’t get any further than the first round.
What about the Disney Pro Soccer Classic.
They’ve never even competed in the prestigious Florida pre season tournament!
Last year...
The Timbers were terrible at the start of 2014, shipping goals left and right, and winning only once in their first ten games. They brought in veteran Premier League defender Liam Ridgewell to shore up the defence, and things turned around slightly . They finished the season strong with three wins in their last four, missing out on the last playoff spot to the Whitecaps.
Are they any good?
They’ve done some remodeling at the back in the offseason, most notably bringing in Nat Borchers from RSL to play alongside Ridgewell. They also have a couple of key players returning from injury in Will Johnson and Diego Valeri. After a slow start, the Timbers notched up their first win last week against FC Dallas.
Nat Borchers? Isn’t he…
The most stereotypical looking Portland player? Yes.
Players to Watch?
Fenando Adi. The big target man is proving himself to be a handful this season, with three goals and an assist under his belt already. He has the build to compete physically with any center back in the league, and is proving to be a calm finisher both on the floor and in the air. At 24, he’s likely to get better too.
Played For Both
Donovan Ricketts made 73 appearances for the Timbers. The Iron Lion, as he’s known, played some of his best years in Portland, winning his second MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award in 2013.
Who’s the boss?
Caleb Porter. He took over the team in 2013, leading the Timbers to the top of the Western Conference, but a shaky 2014 saw some questioning his position.
How About Pep?
Pep Guardiola probably isn’t a fan. The Bayern Munich coach famously refused to shake Porter’s hand after the 2014 MLS All-Star game. Pep was angry at what he felt was overly aggressive challenges, and wagged his finger in Porters direction after the game finished.
What about their supporters?
The Timbers are one of the best supported teams in MLS. They sell out their stadium, and have a 10,000 person waiting list for season ticket. The Timbers have a single supporter club, the Timbers Army, who have produced some of the most memorable tifo displays in MLS
Who is the guy with the chainsaw?
Timber Joey. After each Portland goal, Timber Joey cuts a slab from a log with his chainsaw, and the slab is then paraded around the stands before being awarded to the goalscorer after the game. You might think letting a guy with a chainsaw run rampant at pitch level is a bit weird, but hey, this is Portland.
Who are their rivals?
The rivalry with Seattle Sounders is the league’s baby, guaranteed to be nationally televised. In recent years, both groups of supporters strove to outdo each other’s tifo displays. Last year the Timbers depicted Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz holding a gas can as the Seattle skyline burned. Savage.
