I had heard Coach John Spencer runs a rather animated training camp, and I would say even that description didn’t describe the atmosphere of training. Coach Spencer was planning on using the first week of camp to focus entirely on fitness and stamina, and his first exercise was to break the field players into two groups for shuttle runs around cones placed on the pitch. While one set of players went indoors to stretch, do yoga and complete other calisthenics, the other collective formed two lines behind the cones and ran tandem patterns around the stations. The drill not only demonstrated quickness, but communication between players, as two players ran paths mirroring each other, so there were bottle neck points that required one player to let the other know where he was. Spencer was providing vocal encouragement to most players, but occasionally yelled feedback for players to improve their speed or focus when needed.
The field players then finally went over to complete some short passing and shooting drills while goalkeepers Troy Perkins and Adin Brown worked on their own separate drills. While it was my first chance to see Perkins, I was struck by Brown’s athleticism for a larger man. He remarked after the drills that his weight was slightly down from last season, but it’s impressive to see someone that big move so quickly when needed. At about 45 minutes into training, the field players switched off, and the second group came out to complete the same running drill.
What amazed me most about this display was the emphasis on fitness, something that Spencer echoed in some of his remarks to the team. “What we do now helps us later in the season, and it’s important to take everything seriously regardless of what it is,” said Spencer, and it reiterated a point he has been stressing in camp. You can’t build upon game strategy, starting rotation or opponent scouting without completing the basics, and it’s important to treat those fundamentals importantly. He also mentioned how especially pleased he was with everyone’s attitude as they all took this time seriously, trying to earn attention in the coach’s eyes. To a man, it seemed that they have bought into the seriousness of the early season conditioning.
That theme echoed in his post game comments when one of the reporters asked if the training session was more important for an expansion team versus an established club, and Spencer used the time to share his philosophy on where the Timbers are. “I don’t want to make a big deal about this, and it may come back to haunt me, but for me, good players can play anywhere. I think we’ve got good players here whether they’re coming together for the first time. We just need to concentrate more, we need to work hard, we need to nurse these guys together on the field, off the field, and everybody needs to work hard all the time.” He continued, regarding the term expansion, “I don’t use the term. Anyone else can use it, but for me, we’re a new team. We’re not a new club that is building a new stadium and get the front office organized. This club has been here before. All we’ve done in my mind has been promoted, like from the Championship to the Premier League. We’ve been promoted from Division 2 soccer to MLS, that’s all.”
I talked with defender Steve Purdy, a defender from the USL Timbers that was signed to the MLS team, and he was ecstatic to be making the jump with the club. “I’m really excited to continue my career here in Portland, because I’ve begun to think of Portland as my home. It’s going to be really exciting to represent the city and the fans in MLS, and I can’t wait to get out there to celebrate this new chapter for the Timbers.” When I asked him about what position he might play, he said, “I’ll mostly focus upon right back like I did last year, but I’m just excited to play wherever this team needs me.”
My next conversation was with trialist and former USL Timbers midfielder Tony McManus. McManus was a key cog in the Timbers attack for 2010 with his fiery approach on the pitch, but in 2011, he’s another player just trying to secure a spot for 2011. “I’m happy to be here and get the chance to represent Portland moving up to MLS. The fans keep pushing me to do my best, and everything willing, I’m going to be there when the season starts, but at the same time, I’m having fun and couldn’t think of a better team to be a part of than the Timbers.”
Later on, I finally met one of the newest Timbers, goalkeeper Troy Perkins. It’s been a whirlwind since he got here after the trade with D.C. United, but he’s focused on his newest team much like he approaches his goalkeeping. “I spent about a week looking at homes, and I think I’ve seen just about every part of Portland there is to see. For about four of the six days I’ve spent about 16 hours a day on the street looking at houses looking at different areas. I feel like I’ve already lived here for a year and a half.”
Regarding his time with D.C. before coming to the Rose City, Perkins put the best spin on things: “The way I look at it is that you have to go through something bad to get to the good. It’s something I had to endure and be put through in order to really appreciate a club like this and to be in a place like this. It’s almost like a tax you have to pay in order to enjoy the rewards.” While the trade shocked him at first, he’s looking forward to making his name here in Portland and play in front of passionate fans. “It’s a privilege as it’s something that I think every club and every player wants that experience to see a wall of supporters behind you while intimidating our opponents.”
Finally, I spoke with Ryan Pore, the leading scorer from the 2010 USL Timbers, and he’s excited about the challenges that MLS brings to Portland. “I know the talent level here has been upgraded, and it’s up to all of us to push ourselves to represent the Timbers. I had a great 2010 campaign, but it’s a new era for the Timbers and we all need to step our games up. I’m trying to help some of our newer guys get acclimated to Portland, and let them know what to expect when the season starts, but right now, I’m just excited to be representing the Timbers as we move to MLS.”
The theme with each player I spoke to was the same as what Spencer echoed earlier in the day. While MLS might label this club as expansion, the players and coaches view this as a new chapter in the legacy of the Timbers, and they are taking nothing for granted as they move to the highest level of soccer in America. If the team is able to keep up this intensity and passion that they showed during their session on Friday, I’m confident this group is going to surprise more than a few established teams.
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