Portland Timbers Report: December 10, 2013
Nov 24, 2013; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Timbers fans line up to enter Jeld-Wen Field before the start of the MLS Western Conference Championship soccer game between Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
At the front office of Caleb Porter’s Portland Timbers, the contract options on nine players were exercised. In addition, two players’ contract options were declined, two were waived and six more were out of contract.
Portland have picked up the 2014 contract options on midfielders Will Johnson, Michael Nanchoff, Rodney Wallace and Ben Zemanski; defenders Futty Danso, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Pa Modou Kah and Rauwshan McKenzie; and goalkeeper Jake Gleeson. Twelve others are already under contract for next year. They are goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts; defenders Michael Harrington, Jack Jewsbury, Alvas Powell and Mikael Silvestre; midfielders Kalif Alhassan, Diego Chara, Steven Evans, Darlington Nagbe and Diego Valeri; and forwards Maximiliano Urruti and Jose Valencia.
Valeri was signed to a new multiyear deal after joining Portland on loan initially, while Powell is still on loan from Portmore United FC of Jamaica. Offers have been made to forward Ryan Johnson, goalkeeper Milos Kocic and midfielders Brad Ring and Sal Zizzo while forwards Frederic Piquionne and Sebastián Rincón are currently in contract discussions.
The club also declined contract options on defenders David Horst and Ryan Miller, while defender Dylan Tucker-Gangnes and forward Brent Richards were waived.
“At the end of every season, we are faced with many decisions as we look at the roster,” said Gavin Wilkinson, Timbers general manager to PortlandTimbers.com. “There are always difficult decisions to be made, based on salary cap and the direction of the club. As we look to 2014, we have a solid core of players in place and, with that continuity, look forward to further shaping the roster ahead of the upcoming season.”
“We want to thank David, Brent, Ryan and Dylan for their service to the club and for being great ambassadors in the community; all four are first-class. David’s dedication to the club over the last three years, both in the locker room and in his outstanding efforts in the community, is greatly appreciated. We wish him and the others all the best.”
The current 2014 roster for the Portland Timbers first XI is as follows…
Goalkeepers: Jake Gleeson, Donovan Ricketts
Defenders: Futty Danso, Michael Harrington, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Jack Jewsbury, Pa Modou Kah, Rauwshan McKenzie, Alvas Powell, Mikael Silvestre
Midfielders: Kalif Alhassan, Diego Chara, Steven Evans, Will Johnson, Darlington Nagbe, Michael Nanchoff, Diego Valeri, Rodney Wallace, Ben Zemanski
Forwards: Maximiliano Urruti, Jose Valencia