Timbers Media Day
Today was Timbers media day at PGE Park (followed by a meet-and-greet at the Bitter End Pub tonight at 7pm-NW20th and Burnside) giving the local reporters a chance to stick a microphone and camera in the Timbers players and coaches faces...or get buttonholed by yours truly and have to endure mindless questions.
I caught the end of the morning scrimmage. Byron Alvarez was playing, new arrival Alejandro Gutierrez was also playing (long hair a-flowin') and I'm told that his work permit (a formality) is done and he will be available to play come the home opener weekend.
I asked coach Chris Agnello about last weekend and he seemed pretty happy with the Timbers performance (apart from the first 20 mins, obv.) and was very happy with the 2 week break between that 1-0 loss and the home opener.
As for player news, here is what I picked up. Mamba Chisoni and Salim Bullen are both due to arrive on or about the home opener weekend. I got the impression that Chisoni was arriving the following Monday with Bullen arriving over the weekend. Given that, I'm guessing neither will play against Vancouver or Minnesota.
In addition to the signed players there were 2 trialists on display today (no names) and Chris Agnello told me that there are 2 players who will (probably) be on the Timbers roster soon. One is Byron Carmichael and Chris' comment on him was that he has some other USL clubs interested in him but "If he plays in the USL this year he will play for Portland". The other player who is coming I will call "Mystery Player From the UK" and all Chris would say about him is that he is a defender. There were no dates of arrival for either Byron C. or the MPFUK.
Chris also said that his couple of remaining rosters spots could be filled once the season has been going a while so I didn't sense any rush to fill the magical 26-man roster.
I got to talk to a number of Timbers players and although it has been said before, it bears repeating - the Timbers players are as nice a bunch as you could wish to meet, always open to answering questions and chatting - Portland is lucky to have them.
A number of people gave interviews to camera so watch out on the news shows tonight for the obligatory 10 second micro clips.
One player I was excited to chat to was keeper Devin Zimmerman who showed off his tattoos and talked about his family back in Utah. Moving out to Portland, Devin left behind his wife (also a soccer player in a local Utah Women's league) and his 2-year old daughter Mason. Devin said that the prospect of sitting on the bench this year didn't worry him as he is looking forward to learning a lot from starter Josh Saunders.
Here's hoping the boss gives Devin a long weekend off sometime to go visit his family!
posted by the timberlog at 1:34 PMI caught the end of the morning scrimmage. Byron Alvarez was playing, new arrival Alejandro Gutierrez was also playing (long hair a-flowin') and I'm told that his work permit (a formality) is done and he will be available to play come the home opener weekend.
I asked coach Chris Agnello about last weekend and he seemed pretty happy with the Timbers performance (apart from the first 20 mins, obv.) and was very happy with the 2 week break between that 1-0 loss and the home opener.
As for player news, here is what I picked up. Mamba Chisoni and Salim Bullen are both due to arrive on or about the home opener weekend. I got the impression that Chisoni was arriving the following Monday with Bullen arriving over the weekend. Given that, I'm guessing neither will play against Vancouver or Minnesota.
In addition to the signed players there were 2 trialists on display today (no names) and Chris Agnello told me that there are 2 players who will (probably) be on the Timbers roster soon. One is Byron Carmichael and Chris' comment on him was that he has some other USL clubs interested in him but "If he plays in the USL this year he will play for Portland". The other player who is coming I will call "Mystery Player From the UK" and all Chris would say about him is that he is a defender. There were no dates of arrival for either Byron C. or the MPFUK.
Chris also said that his couple of remaining rosters spots could be filled once the season has been going a while so I didn't sense any rush to fill the magical 26-man roster.
I got to talk to a number of Timbers players and although it has been said before, it bears repeating - the Timbers players are as nice a bunch as you could wish to meet, always open to answering questions and chatting - Portland is lucky to have them.
A number of people gave interviews to camera so watch out on the news shows tonight for the obligatory 10 second micro clips.
One player I was excited to chat to was keeper Devin Zimmerman who showed off his tattoos and talked about his family back in Utah. Moving out to Portland, Devin left behind his wife (also a soccer player in a local Utah Women's league) and his 2-year old daughter Mason. Devin said that the prospect of sitting on the bench this year didn't worry him as he is looking forward to learning a lot from starter Josh Saunders.
Here's hoping the boss gives Devin a long weekend off sometime to go visit his family!