Savarese is new coach for Portland
Former player, NY Cosmos coach poised to lead Timbers
PORTLAND, Ore. — When Giovanni Savarese was interviewing to be the Portland Timbers’ new head coach, he brought along a scouting report as if he was going to face that team.
Team owner Merritt Paulson appreciated that, and on Monday, Savarese was formally introduced as the team’s coach. The 46-year-old former player had been coach of the North American Soccer League’s New York Cosmos since 2012. He led the team to three Soccer Bowl championships in five seasons.
“With Gio it was — I hate to use the proverbial cliche, ‘check the boxes’ — but the off-the-field, on-the-field philosophy, the way he thinks about the game, it was pretty seamless,” Paulson said.
Savarese replaces coach Caleb Porter, who unexpectedly parted ways with the Timbers in November. In five seasons under Porter, Portland posted a 68-50-52 record and won the MLS Cup championship in 2015. The team finished atop the Western Conference last season.
Paulson said he was impressed when Savarese brought the scouting report to one of their first meetings.
Savarese said many of the pieces are already in place. “It’s good not to start from zero,” he said. The coach said he has spoken to a few of the players, including MLS Most Valuable Player Diego Valeri, midfielder Diego Chara and forward Fanendo Adi.
“I think this was the right time for me to make this transition,” he said.
FA CUP: Manchester United and Tottenham will play away at fourth-tier clubs in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
United was drawn on Monday to face Yeovil in southwest England for the second time in four seasons. The 12-time cup winners won 2-0 on the 2015 trip in the third round.
Tottenham will go to south Wales to play Newport in just under three weeks.
DOG TRICK: Eric Lichaj missed out on a dog after falling one goal short of a hat trick in Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup victory over Arsenal.
The American defender is hoping to convince wife Kathryn Lichaj to still allow him to get a pooch.
Lichaj tweeted Monday that “if anyone is bored on this Monday morning send dog pics, memes, gifs to @KatPerko” — his wife’s user name. The hashtag “getericadog” completed the tweet.
After scoring twice in Forest’s shock 4-2 victory over FA Cup holder Arsenal on Sunday, Lichaj revealed that he’d been hoping to take a penalty as his wife had promised him a dog if he scored three times in a game this year.
U.S. SOCCER: D.C. United midfielder Ian Harkes, a son of former U.S. captain John Harkes, is among 15 players who could make their national team debuts in an exhibition against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Jan. 28 at Carson, California.
NASL: The North American Soccer League will skip its spring season following the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to revoke its provisional second-tier status.
COLLEGE SOCCER: Wake Forest forward Jon Bakero and Stanford midfielder Andi Sullivan won the Hermann Trophy as the top college soccer players.