Phil Neville is named Portland Timbers head coach as the former Man United and Everton defender secures a quick return to MLS five months after Inter Miami sacking
- Neville was fired from Inter Miami in the midst of last season for poor results
- Portland has missed the playoffs two seasons in a row after Cup Final run in 2021
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
The Portland Timbers have announced that Englishman Phil Neville will be taking over as manager of the club for the 2024 season.
Portland let go of manager Giovanni Savarese in the middle of last season after he was in charge for 216 games.
Neville’s last managerial job came with Inter Miami CF from 2021 until 2023 – when he was fired after going 5-0-10 to start the season.
In a statement announcing the hire, Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said, ‘We are thrilled to welcome Phil Neville as the new head coach of the Portland Timbers, and we look forward to making Phil and his family feel at home in Portland.
‘Phil’s character makes him the right person to lead this team forward as we continue to reshape the group with a goal of returning to sustained success.
Phil Neville has been appointed manager of the Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer
‘His leadership qualities, diverse experience as a coach, and ambition to evolve made him a terrific fit here with us in Portland.’
Neville said, “I am massively excited about the challenge ahead, and from the very first moment I met the staff I knew it was the right opportunity for me, the right club for me and the right city for me.
“The fans are the most important part of this football club with their intensity and support, and I think this journey is going to be something special.
‘I have great memories visiting Portland, which reminds me of Manchester, my hometown, and I can’t wait for my family to get to know this beautiful city.’
Portland has missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons – finishing 10th in the Western Conference in 2023. Last season, they finished 8th in the conference.
Those consecutive misses come after Portland lost the 2021 MLS Cup Final to New York City FC at their home ground.
Neville took over Inter Miami before the start of the 2021 season – managing 90 games and putting up a record of 35-13-42 in that time.
Neville replaces Giovanni Savarese – who was sacked in August of this past season
Neville experienced peaks and valleys with Miami this year – going 5-0-10 in league play
His last game was a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the New York Red Bulls at the end of May
Miami won their first two games of the season against Montreal and Philadelphia, but proceeded to lose their next six contests.
They broke their duck with a 2-1 win over Columbus at the end of April and then followed that up with wins over Atlanta United and the New England Revolution.
But the next four league games proved to be disastrous: losing to Nashville, Orlando City, Montreal and the struggling New York Red Bulls.
That final match, a 1-0 loss, proved to be the last straw for Neville and he was sacked by the club.
He would go on to be an assistant coach for the Canadian men’s national team under John Herdman for Les Rouges’ unsuccessful CONCACAF Nations League and CONCACAF Gold Cup campaigns.
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