NWSL Season Preview 2023: 1 major question for each team

For the Portland Thorns: Can their legacy survive another coaching shake-up?

The Portland Thorns have been through it. As one of the leagues founding clubs, the Thorns have been around since the beginning, they were the first NWSL champions in 2013. They became the first club to win three times, despite all their off-the-field struggles.

The Yates report detailed all the mishandlings at the Thorns concerning former coach Paul Riley, and owner Merritt Paulson’s involvement in covering up the misconduct. Despite all of that, they still managed to win the championship, defeating the Kansas City Current in a 2-1 victory. But after the season ended, the Thorns found themselves caught up in a coaching debacle again.

Rhian Wilkinson resigned at the request of her players regarding a relationship she had with one during her short time with the Thorns. Although both she and the player were absolved of any wrongdoing by the NWSL, Wilkinson felt she had lost the locker room. Not a few weeks later, the Thorns fired assistant coach Sophie Clough and athletic trainer Pierre Soubrier after an investigation into wrongdoing.

They have since hired Mike Norris into the head coach position, and several players have spoken up about being happy about this change. The Thorns have been through a lot, but they are still a strong club with the trophies to back up their legacy, and the home of NWSL MVP and U.S. Soccer Player of the Year Sophia Smith. It would be a mistake to count them out even if they have a rocky start.