Portland Timbers Off-Season

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Like the Portland Timbers, I’ve been very busy this off-season but I felt it worthy to stop by and say hello to all the Portland Timbers supporters.

As appropriate I also feel and think it worthy to wish you all the very best for this coming New Year – to include our formidable Portland Timbers.

For me I’ve been very busy continuing to develop my Possession with Purpose analysis that has now expanded to the rest of Major League Soccer as well as the English Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, and the UEFA Champions League.

In addition, that effort led to an invitation to be a guest speaker at the World Conference on Science and Soccer – where my PWP, analytical approach, was offered up to hundreds of folks spread throughout the world of soccer.  It has indeed been a banner year.

And to be very forthright and honest there is simply NO WAY that any of this would have been possible without the Columbian Newspaper showing their trust in me by offering me the opportunity to cover the Portland Timbers in June of 2012.

Much time has passed since those early days and thankfully we’ve been able to see the Timbers reach the Playoffs within their first few years.

In looking back we’ve seen many changes with at least two constants – the ever present Merritt Paulson and the ever intriguing Gavin Wilkinson.

To be honest I never-ever like to see a Head Coach get fired, but it happens, and while I highly respect John Spencer and all the hard work he put in, both as a player and coach, I am pleased to see that the addition of Caleb Porter has really struck a positive chord in this City and with the organization.

So in the two years that Caleb has run the show there are some internal constants that should be noted.

• The level of soccer intellect in this community has skyrocketed.
• Most know by now that this simply isn’t a game of kick-ball.
• Part of this means that parents as well as youth can better understand the nuance that soccer IS NOT and never will be an individual players’ sport.
• It is a team sport – and the team is only as strong as the weakest player.

Since you know I feel and think this way I stand ready, at any time, to visit any youth soccer club in any area around Vancouver or Portland to speak to my experiences, not only in being a Youth Head Coach, but as a General Manager and President of a Youth Football Club in England.

Part of my participation may include any presentations you’d like to see about my Possession with Purpose analysis and how this approach can be used to help your youth soccer teams get better.

Best to you and your friends/family this New Year.  Chris

PS:  My personal thanks to Paul Danzer, John Hill, Micah Rice, and the young gentlemen who got me this gig to begin with – Matt Wastradowski!