Seems to me a lot of heat has been self-generated. I believe any serious observer would have made the same comments about Portland after those two losses. "Some players don't want to be serious about playing." The comments were stupid. Juvenile. The same kind of comments made by others who were not as high profile.
Give the kid some room. Don't make the transfer an inescapable option. Welcome him back with open arms when he does arrive--with Ayala--after the international paperwork is settled. Don't treat him as unwelcome intruder. Everything Evander said is true. It was stupid that he erupted like he did. Like when Portland earned mass confrontation penalties, or Neville getting ejected, or any player taking off his shirt for a celebration and an automatic yellow card (and losing a game appearance later in the season.
Less drama on the supporter's side, as well as on Evander's side.
That is 100% the job of the front office, a job at which they're failing miserably at this point by all indications.
"Welcome him back with open arms when he does arrive--with Ayala--after the international paperwork is settled."
Most fans will! Once a ball is finally kicked in anger, everyone in the stadium, at least, is 100% behind every player on the pitch. That includes Evander. I hope he's part of the team come opening day, and I will be there to loudly support him, because he's the best thing to happen to the Timbers in several seasons.
When it gets to the point where teammates and the head coach are calling into question whether or not Evander wants to be in Portland it can’t all be on the front office. As much as I wish fan perception was the most important thing that matters in transfers, it just isn’t. Squad harmony and full buy-in to the culture they’re trying to build will always be more important than a single player.
My friend, Evander doesn’t want to play in Portland anymore. He’s made that abundantly clear on multiple occasions in the last few months. The Timbers offered him the most lucrative contract in club history and *he* turned it down. Some players use clubs as stepping stones, it happens in every league across the planet every transfer window. You can’t look at these type of situations with rose-colored glasses. If the coach and his teammates can’t trust him to put his full effort in there’s no point in keeping him around. It undermines everything. It sucks, but soccer rarely goes as perfectly as one wants it to in their head.
"Squad harmony and full buy-in to the culture they’re trying to build will always be more important than a single player."
In most cases, yes. But in this case, where the Timbers have one of the top five talents in MLS? The Timbers need to look at their "culture" - which, let's face it, ain't all that, c'mon now look at the mess this team is in - and figure out whether they want to maybe adapt that culture to accommodate a talent the likes of which they will not see again for a long time, or whether Phil and Ned want to be obstinate and say OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY and chase him off.
That route means they sell the fans Kevin Kelsy instead of one of the most electrifying talents Portland soccer has seen in a long time, and that route means the Timbers will keep settling for being MLS afterthoughts, instead of trying to become a legitimately good team, all in the name of a "culture" that Phil Neville started building last year by, in large part, throwing his players under the bus in post-game pressers when they didn't play well.
Vibes are great when they work. They aren't sustainable. Building a team around generational talents IS sustainable. The Timbers had a golden opportunity, with just a few defensive tweaks this winter, to make a huge step forward and join the top tier of teams in this league. Instead, they've chosen the far riskier path of making a point to and an example of their superstar.
Good luck getting more Evander-level players to come to Portland if their gambit works.
You're not down with Kevin Kelsy? The third highest signing in Timbers' history? This seems like the signing you would appreciate the Timbers make - a young up-and-coming player who can develop and become a talent to sell on.
The team holds all the cards here with Evander, and like it or not, Evander is going to have to be a professional and play. If he doesn't, well, that's on Evander, not the front office. They bent over backwards for him, paying his taxes for ffs.
As for the culture, I think you're short selling what the Timbers have built over the years with the Diegos and the Army. Don't discount the pride in the team.
Evander will play unless he's sold - he's said that repeatedly, and since he's trying to get his next big move, I have no reason to doubt that he will play, and that when he plays, he'll bring the full Evander and not slouch through in a sulk. I have no confidence he won't be sold though.
"I think you're short selling what the Timbers have built over the years with the Diegos and the Army. Don't discount the pride in the team."
I'm in the stadium every home game and have been since 2004. I know the culture well and I appreciate it. But culture only goes so far when the team is as much of a mess as it was for big stretches of last year, and also: I'd like part of that culture to be "sustained success" at some point, wouldn't you?
When a team has a player as stellar as Evander, management is supposed to do everything possible to keep him happy. It's that simple. But management failed. And here we are — in limbo a month before the season begins, a season likely to start with poor results like so many times before.
100%. And yes, it can be said that Evander's outburst post-Vancouver was dumb, and he should have kept that in-house. but he didn't. That put the burden on the FO to try and fix things privately, behind the scenes, to try to repair the damages so everyone could start 2025 with a clean slate. Ned chose...another path, and here we are.
Would you guys post transcripts of your podcasts, please? I get so excited to read some Timbers news and opinions when I see a post in my email, but it's just podcast after podcast. I need to read.
Neymar's 32 btw, and I'd be over the moon. Of course, we know he's not coming, but still ...
Depth is fine on the Timbers. I'd say they are two deep everywhere on the pitch with decent sub support or a player covering multi spots. I'm guessing they are shopping Zup and then will bring in another CB.
It all depends on Evander. If he doesn't return, then I'd use the sale to upgrade left back, center back, and another attacking midfielder and or wing. But I think he's coming back. Antony is the right wing of the future and I see big things from him.
I was bummed they didn't get Besard Sabovic. But, it's ok because they were addressing the defensive spine. If no Evander, they have to adjust the tactics and go with two hardworking midfielders, and add a defender like in a three back system.
With Evander, I'm salivating at the thought of him orchestrating the new pieces and I think we'll be a good squad.
Seems to me a lot of heat has been self-generated. I believe any serious observer would have made the same comments about Portland after those two losses. "Some players don't want to be serious about playing." The comments were stupid. Juvenile. The same kind of comments made by others who were not as high profile.
Give the kid some room. Don't make the transfer an inescapable option. Welcome him back with open arms when he does arrive--with Ayala--after the international paperwork is settled. Don't treat him as unwelcome intruder. Everything Evander said is true. It was stupid that he erupted like he did. Like when Portland earned mass confrontation penalties, or Neville getting ejected, or any player taking off his shirt for a celebration and an automatic yellow card (and losing a game appearance later in the season.
Less drama on the supporter's side, as well as on Evander's side.
"Don't make the transfer an inescapable option."
That is 100% the job of the front office, a job at which they're failing miserably at this point by all indications.
"Welcome him back with open arms when he does arrive--with Ayala--after the international paperwork is settled."
Most fans will! Once a ball is finally kicked in anger, everyone in the stadium, at least, is 100% behind every player on the pitch. That includes Evander. I hope he's part of the team come opening day, and I will be there to loudly support him, because he's the best thing to happen to the Timbers in several seasons.
When it gets to the point where teammates and the head coach are calling into question whether or not Evander wants to be in Portland it can’t all be on the front office. As much as I wish fan perception was the most important thing that matters in transfers, it just isn’t. Squad harmony and full buy-in to the culture they’re trying to build will always be more important than a single player.
My friend, Evander doesn’t want to play in Portland anymore. He’s made that abundantly clear on multiple occasions in the last few months. The Timbers offered him the most lucrative contract in club history and *he* turned it down. Some players use clubs as stepping stones, it happens in every league across the planet every transfer window. You can’t look at these type of situations with rose-colored glasses. If the coach and his teammates can’t trust him to put his full effort in there’s no point in keeping him around. It undermines everything. It sucks, but soccer rarely goes as perfectly as one wants it to in their head.
"Squad harmony and full buy-in to the culture they’re trying to build will always be more important than a single player."
In most cases, yes. But in this case, where the Timbers have one of the top five talents in MLS? The Timbers need to look at their "culture" - which, let's face it, ain't all that, c'mon now look at the mess this team is in - and figure out whether they want to maybe adapt that culture to accommodate a talent the likes of which they will not see again for a long time, or whether Phil and Ned want to be obstinate and say OUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY and chase him off.
That route means they sell the fans Kevin Kelsy instead of one of the most electrifying talents Portland soccer has seen in a long time, and that route means the Timbers will keep settling for being MLS afterthoughts, instead of trying to become a legitimately good team, all in the name of a "culture" that Phil Neville started building last year by, in large part, throwing his players under the bus in post-game pressers when they didn't play well.
Vibes are great when they work. They aren't sustainable. Building a team around generational talents IS sustainable. The Timbers had a golden opportunity, with just a few defensive tweaks this winter, to make a huge step forward and join the top tier of teams in this league. Instead, they've chosen the far riskier path of making a point to and an example of their superstar.
Good luck getting more Evander-level players to come to Portland if their gambit works.
You're not down with Kevin Kelsy? The third highest signing in Timbers' history? This seems like the signing you would appreciate the Timbers make - a young up-and-coming player who can develop and become a talent to sell on.
The team holds all the cards here with Evander, and like it or not, Evander is going to have to be a professional and play. If he doesn't, well, that's on Evander, not the front office. They bent over backwards for him, paying his taxes for ffs.
As for the culture, I think you're short selling what the Timbers have built over the years with the Diegos and the Army. Don't discount the pride in the team.
Evander will play unless he's sold - he's said that repeatedly, and since he's trying to get his next big move, I have no reason to doubt that he will play, and that when he plays, he'll bring the full Evander and not slouch through in a sulk. I have no confidence he won't be sold though.
"I think you're short selling what the Timbers have built over the years with the Diegos and the Army. Don't discount the pride in the team."
I'm in the stadium every home game and have been since 2004. I know the culture well and I appreciate it. But culture only goes so far when the team is as much of a mess as it was for big stretches of last year, and also: I'd like part of that culture to be "sustained success" at some point, wouldn't you?
When a team has a player as stellar as Evander, management is supposed to do everything possible to keep him happy. It's that simple. But management failed. And here we are — in limbo a month before the season begins, a season likely to start with poor results like so many times before.
100%. And yes, it can be said that Evander's outburst post-Vancouver was dumb, and he should have kept that in-house. but he didn't. That put the burden on the FO to try and fix things privately, behind the scenes, to try to repair the damages so everyone could start 2025 with a clean slate. Ned chose...another path, and here we are.
Would you guys post transcripts of your podcasts, please? I get so excited to read some Timbers news and opinions when I see a post in my email, but it's just podcast after podcast. I need to read.
Not sure if you can access the transcript through the Substack app, but it is available on web browsers!
I'm viewing this page on a web browser now, and I don't see any indication of a transcript. How can I find it?
Neymar's 32 btw, and I'd be over the moon. Of course, we know he's not coming, but still ...
Depth is fine on the Timbers. I'd say they are two deep everywhere on the pitch with decent sub support or a player covering multi spots. I'm guessing they are shopping Zup and then will bring in another CB.
It all depends on Evander. If he doesn't return, then I'd use the sale to upgrade left back, center back, and another attacking midfielder and or wing. But I think he's coming back. Antony is the right wing of the future and I see big things from him.
I was bummed they didn't get Besard Sabovic. But, it's ok because they were addressing the defensive spine. If no Evander, they have to adjust the tactics and go with two hardworking midfielders, and add a defender like in a three back system.
With Evander, I'm salivating at the thought of him orchestrating the new pieces and I think we'll be a good squad.