The shadow of Evanderstill remained over Providence Park on Thursday, three days before the season officially begins and three days after the sale was finalized.
Phil Neville, the coach of the Portland Timbers, stated that he no longer considers the midfield player a son.
The Timbers’ $12 million sale of the 2024 MVP finalist to FC Cincinnati has caused division within the team’s support base, according to general manager Ned Grabavoy.
At Portland’s media day, even owner Merritt Paulson, who hadn’t spoken to the public in over a year, came out and called the offseason “dramatic.”
Paulson stated, “It’s about the people who want to be here.” Ned made a difficult decision with Evander, and for that, I applaud him greatly. He is obviously a very talented player, and I understand that it will be difficult for supporters to watch a player who put up the numbers he did the previous season.
However, he also attempted to escape through all of our windows.
In 2025, the Timbers want to make progress. But until the sun begins to break through those clouds, it may still be some time.
Evander has joined Cincinnati, a team predicted to compete for the MLS Cup. When Cincinnati visits Providence Park on Aug. 16, the Brazilian might very well be back in the MVP conversation. Goals will be scored by Evander. Evander will record a significant number of assists. Additionally, his departure will significantly alter his old club’s style, which may appear more pronounced in the first few weeks of the season.
The Timbers will not have DP forward Jonathan Rodriguez when the season starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Juan Mosquera and Santiago Moreno, who are starters, will also be absent. The Timbers’ schedule, which begins with a Vancouver squad that defeated Portland 5-0 in November, and the injury bug haven’t been kind to the team.
Paulson remarked, “That was the first game I didn’t stay until the final whistle.”
Until David Da Costa entered the press room, sat at the podium, and grinned broadly, the entire media conference seemed a little depressing.
Portland’s future lies in Da Costa. The 24-year-old midfielder, who stands 5 feet 6 inches tall, is just a different player and cannot be replaced exactly like Evander. Da Costa, however, is a young, gifted, and motivated player who, more importantly, appears to genuinely want to remain with the Timbers.
On Thursday, Da Costa talked for eight minutes. He discussed his time with the RC Lens organization, his ambitions to move to Portland with his family, the kind reception he received from the club, and the many languages he speaks.
Speaking French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean Creole, Da Costa attempted to address the audience directly on Thursday, albeit he spent most of the time with a translator.
He said in English, “I understand a little bit of English,” before smiling once more.
He will become more accustomed to it, just as he is sure he will become accustomed to performing for the first time in a foreign nation during his early career.
Since I spent 13 years with my last team, everything is new to me, Da Costa stated. As a result, I’m thrilled to visit Portland and get to know my Timbers family.
Da Costa has only been training with the team for the past week, and because of visa concerns, it is uncertain if he will be available for Sunday’s first game against Vancouver. He could play. He probably won’t participate. In any case, it’s obvious that the Timbers have committed to a group of young, athletic players who will be asked to shoulder a lot of responsibility in 2025 if the team is to achieve its objective of making a deep run through the MLS playoffs, as Paulson stated.
Neville stated that in order for that to occur, the Timbers will require strong and reliable contributions from a core group of players in their early 20s, including returners Antony (23), David Ayala (22) and Finn Surman (21), as well as newcomers Ian Smith (22) Jimer Fory (22), and Kevin Kelsy (20).
We will be a different team thanks to the players we brought in, Neville stated. Last year, I couldn’t help but think that we were a group of incredibly decent people. Individuals don’t always win you games, championships, or success when we send them out onto the field in certain situations. I think we’re going to be a better team this year, especially with the additions we’ve made, and we’ll know what to expect from that team when it takes the field.
We have some really bright young players right now, and I believe it will be exciting to watch them develop this season, Neville added.
This is not to imply that the youth will bear the entire burden. Earlier this week, the Timbers revealed that they had extended the contract of 28-year-old Zac McGraw. As 31-year-old Jonathan Rodriguez, who led Portland with 16 goals in his debut season with the team, recovers from a knee injury, Felipe Mora, who scored a career-high 14 goals for the team in 2024, will need to duplicate that output in 2025.
Next up is Diego Chara, 38, who, when he plays against Vancouver, will become the first player in MLS history to play 400 games throughout the regular season with a single team.
“This game is something we are really looking forward to,” Chara added. Although things are different now, I believe the squad is aware of the past and that this is a fantastic opportunity.
Tyson Alger, Corridor I-5
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