The Portland Timbers have reportedly identified their next head coach after parting ways with Gio Savarese in August. According to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert and Paul Tenorio, the Timbers are in advanced talks with former Inter Miami coach Phil Neville, and he’s the frontrunner for the job.
While there is still no official agreement, there is a belief that both sides are motivated to sort out the finer details and get the negotiations over the finishing line.
If Neville ends up taking the job, he will be joined by Jason Kreis, who was his assistant in Miami. His coaching staff should also include Miles Joseph, who served as Timber’s interim head coach after Savarese’s departure.
Timbers made five consecutive MLS Cup Playoffs appearances under Savarese between 2017 and 2021. They made it to the finals two times but finished runners-up on both occasions. However, Portland struggled to remain competitive in the past two seasons, prompting the ownership to make a coaching change.
Phil Neville started his coaching career with England’s Under-21s in 2012, following a successful playing career with Manchester United and Everton. He was later part of Davis Moyes’ coaching staff with Man United and an assistant with La Liga side Valencia before being named head coach of England women’s national team.
Neville spent three years with England Women, overseeing a 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign and winning the SheBelieves Cup. He stepped down from his position in 2021 to take a job with Inter Miami.
In Miami, Neville struggled to meet high expectations. He made the playoffs in his second season in charge but didn’t make it past the first round. He was fired in June following a disastrous start of the 2023 campaign that saw Inter sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
