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MLS Newsstand - November 4, 2016

November 4, 2016 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


1. L.A. Football Club's stadium is under construction and ticket deposits are being taken

By Kevin Baxter Los Angeles Times - November 3, 2016

The Los Angeles Football Club's new home is a pit.

But just give it time. Because in 16 months, the massive hole next to the L.A. Coliseum will be the site of Major League Soccer's most expensive and luxurious soccer-specific venue. The 22,000-seat Banc of California Stadium will be the centerpiece of a $350-million complex that will also include more than 100,000 square feet of restaurant, retail and office space on the southeast corner of Exposition Park, where the Sports Arena once stood.

LAFC doesn't have a coach, any players or even a permanent practice facility. But just two years after the team paid a record $110-million expansion to join MLS, the club's new stadium is taking shape and more than 10,000 fans have already made $50 season-ticket deposits for its first season, which will begin in March 2018.

LAFC's goal is to reach 15,000 deposits.

The Galaxy, Southern California's other MLS team, said it sold about 11,500 season tickets this season at the 27,000-seat StubHub Center.

"If we look back at the beginning, we spoke of making history here in the heart of L.A.," said Tom Penn, LAFC's president and a co-owner of the franchise. "And now today, two years later, we have several major milestones to add to our story. Our arena demolition is completed, stadium construction is underway, and we have over 10,000 season ticket deposits sold."

When it's finished, Banc of California Stadium will be the first open-air home for a professional sports team built in Los Angeles since Dodger Stadium opened in 1962. The state-of-the-art facility will feature seats as close as 12 feet from the touchline; no seat will be more than 135 feet from the field, which will sit well below street level and about 20 feet lower than the Sports Arena's basketball floor. The stadium will also feature a rooftop deck and a nightclub.

The facility was designed by Gensler, a Los Angeles-based architectural firm that recently renovated FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland and helped plan Sao Paulo's Arena Corinthians, which hosted the opening match of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

At the moment, however, the 15-acre site is a sprawling dirt lot crowded with huge piles of concrete, rebar and asphalt and a convoy of scrapers, front loaders and water trucks. The final four pillars of the 57-year-old Sports Arena were removed last week, completing the two-month demolition a week ahead of schedule.

"A day ahead is huge in construction," Brenda Bolor, the field engineer for PCL Construction, the project's general contractor, said Wednesday.

For the next two months crews of about two dozen workers, toiling seven days a week, will focus on earth moving, grading and shoring up the site, said PCL's Cole Mattess.

"It's changing daily as far as the appearance," said Mattess as graders and other heavy equipment raced about behind him. (The club has a stadium cam that shows a live stream of construction.)

The work crew is also harvesting 30,000 tons of concrete from the Sports Arena demolition and recycling it on site, where it will be broken down and a portion reused in the new construction, assuring a part of the Sports Arena will always be part of the new stadium.

The construction phase is expected to begin early next year.

2. Orlando City installs first seats in new stadium

By Alicia DelGallo Orlando Sentinel - November 3, 2016

A low, rumbling growl emanated from the stadium as Flávio Augusto da Silva stepped up to the podium.

From where he stood, in the northeast corner, it was easy to see the nearly-finished supporters section to his right, the workers spraying stain - which filled the air with a chemical scent - onto concrete to his left and the dirt playground for massive construction trucks below him.

It took concentration to decipher all the background noise: spraying, scraping, dragging, driving, hammering, beeping.

"I will share with you today, um, a short story," Augusto da Silva said, his stomach full of butterflies, he later admitted.

This wasn't his first stadium build, but it was the first one he privately funded, helping pull together investments totaling more than $155 million dollars. He was at the site Thursday to witness the installation of the first two of more than 25,500 bright, purple seats in the downtown soccer-specific venue.

His first stadium was far more economical.

"I grew up in a very poor area in Rio de Janeiro," Augusto da Silva said. "The name of the neighborhood was Jabour. This place is surrounded by many slums, very poor neighborhood, a lot of crimes. And between 8 and 11 years old, the thing that I most liked to do was to play soccer. When you live in poor areas like that in South America, you don't have fields, beautiful, green fields, and you also don't have pitches. So, you've got to have imaginations. So, with a little piece of stone, we used it to draw the sidelines and the box in the streets, and we could play barefoot soccer in the streets, on the asphalt.

"It was very common to have to stop the game because the cars had to pass. And the posts, we didn't have posts, so we had to build our own posts with our flip flops. So, with the combination of a little stone, flip flops and some imaginations, I built my first stadium."

Augusto da Silva, who recently moved from Portugal to Orlando, went on to thank those who spoke before him - Orlando City president and co-founder Phil Rawlins, MLS commissioner Don Garber and project manager Jason McFadden of Barton Malow Company, which is in charge of construction.

He also shared with those in attendance how difficult it was to privately fund the stadium, the risk involved and how Orlando City's fans gave him the confidence to move forward with the decision.

"It's like a child going to have a ride in the park, you get a little bit scared in the beginning but when you finish, you think, 'Oh, I want to go again,'" Augusto da Silva said. "You learn to love the risk."

The seats, manufactured locally and made to match Orlando City's signature purple color as closely as possible, will sit on 6.2 miles of aluminum rails around the stadium, McFadden said.

"This purple seat that we have here for the Orlando City faithful, that's Pantone color 267C," McFadden said. "It has been a big challenge for us to make that perfect color. There's a first in the industry, that we will be using an exotic ceramic pigment to get this as close to that Pantone color as possible."

More milestones lie ahead. The scoreboard will be installed in the next two weeks, he said. Sod will be put down in mid-December, the same month banners encasing the exterior of the stadium will go up. Final signage will be installed by Feb. 1, he said, in plenty of time for the start of the 2017 season.

The structure will be the 16th MLS soccer stadium in the country.

"When you work at the league office, not all your days are good days. It's just the nature of the job. We try to remind ourselves to take a step back, and soak in the joy of the memorable moments in our league's history, and today is one of them," Garber said, noting that when MLS was founded it was to provide counter-seasonal programming in NFL stadiums but the league quickly realized the need for teams to have their own homes. "Every groundbreaking and every seat installation or opening all have unique characteristics because of the trials and tribulations to get there: how long it might take, the issues in construction and in financing.

"And then when the moment finally happens, it's just a, uh, it's a great, emotional, uplifting feeling. We've had particular challenges in the state of Florida, so seeing what we've been able to do here...is particularly special.

"Bolt in that seat. These are the days that make us really proud and happy."

3. Bradley Wright-Phillips is a superstar without Thierry Henry

By Mark Cannizzaro New York Post - November 3, 2016

If Bradley Wright-Phillips was doing what he does in any professional sport other than soccer, he would be the face of his sport.

He would be the Stephen Curry or LeBron James of the NBA, the Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers of the NFL, the Kris Bryant or Mike Trout of baseball, the Patrick Kane or Sidney Crosby of the NHL.

Playing for the Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, though, despite winning the "Golden Boot'' as the league's leading goal scorer two of the past three years, Wright-Phillips works his craft in relative anonymity.

That's OK with him, because it fits his humble nature. But it really isn't OK, because what Wright-Phillips has accomplished in his three years with the Red Bulls should make him the top star in the league.

Until recently, with Wright-Phillips named among the three finalists who are up for the MLS MVP award for this season, he has played in the shadows of the bigger-name former stars from European leagues who came to MLS and have rested on reputation.

"Bradley doesn't get near the sort of attention and recognition that he should,'' Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles said. "Think about what he's done in three seasons - 27, 17 and 24 goals. And even the 17 goals, that was considered a down season. Do you know how many millions of dollars teams have paid to go and sign a 17-goal scorer?

"For a guy to accomplish that and get as little recognition as he does, it's shameful. But he prefers that. He's comfortable in who he is, and he's comfortable in who he's not.''

Who Bradley is not is his father, Ian Wright, who was a goal-scoring legend for Arsenal and currently is a sports TV personality in England.

"Maybe growing up in that sort of spotlight didn't allow him to develop the way that we've been able to see him develop here,'' Robles said.

There was a theory - and, full disclosure, it was a theory I wholeheartedly subscribed to - that Wright-Phillips' 27-goal performance in 2014 was purely a product of the legendary Thierry Henry, who retired after that season.

Henry was a magician with his feet, putting the ball precisely where it needed to be for Wright-Phillips, who merely needed to finish.

After Henry retired, Wright-Phillips' goal production dropped from 27 to 17 and there were whispers ... until he scored 24 this season.

"I heard that a lot,'' Wright-Phillips said. "It used to annoy me, I won't lie.''

Wright-Phillips is by no means resentful of Henry. Instead, he revels in the time he had with the French maestro.

"Even though he's not here, a lot of the time I play with Theirry [is] in my head,'' he said. "I take that guy with me in every game. So much of my game is owed to Thierry. We text regularly. He watches the games. He lets me know how I'm doing.''

Wright-Phillips recalled times when he would score a hat trick, and after the game Henry would drag him into the film room and show him why he should have had five goals.

Wright-Phillips, for example, knows he should have buried the wide-open chance he had to score the equalizer against Montreal last Sunday, but he missed an open net in the waning moments, leaving the Red Bulls down 1-0 entering Sunday's second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinal at Red Bulls Arena.

"That guy taught me not to be so wasteful with chances, because I was like that,'' Wright-Phillips said.

Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch argued the beneficiary of the relationship between Henry and Wright-Phillips was the other way around.

"As much as people say Theirry made Bradley good," Marsch said, "I would argue, before I came here, that Bradley made Thierry good.''

Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan, who has taken the place of Henry and had a league-high 20 assists this season, said, "More than just the goals, Brad is not your typical diva forward who's a crybaby when he doesn't get the ball.

"Sometimes, these selfish egotistical forwards are often the best ones because they're selfish,'' he said. "Brad is so unselfish that it's almost wild to think that he's still got 24 goals with the nature of the person he is.''

Kljestan has a sound theory about why Wright-Phillips blends into the fabric of his own team and does not stand out as a star.

"Soccer is a different sport,'' Kljestan said. "One reason is we have national teams, and because Brad doesn't play for his national team people don't consider him a superstar. And because [MLS] is so young and there are so many other professional soccer leagues around the world, some guys come here with a pedigree that they're already superstars and no matter what they do in MLS they'll still always be superstars.

"That's maybe why Brad isn't considered a superstar. Although, in my opinion, he is.''

4. Why Red Bulls don't seem worried about playoff deficit

By Mark Cannizzaro New York Post - November 4, 2016

The Red Bulls face a 1-0 deficit as they play Montreal on Sunday at Red Bull Arena in the second leg of the two-match aggregate Eastern Conference semifinal, yet they don't sound like a team facing an uphill battle.

The Red Bulls have a staggering 27-5-4 record at home during the two years under head coach Jesse Marsch. They're 13-2-2 at home this season. They also had a 16-game unbeaten streak (9-0-7) snapped by when the Impact beat them last Sunday in Montreal.

The Red Bulls either need to defeat Montreal, 2-0, to advance to the conference final, or, if they concede a road goal - which is weighted more than home goals - they would need to win 3-1, 4-2, etc. If they are up 1-0 after 90 minutes, the teams will play two 15-minute overtime periods. If it's still tied 1-1 in aggregate after that, the series will be settled in a penalty-kick shootout.

"We feel more comfortable playing at home,'' Red Bulls midfielder Sacha Kljestan said. "We had the best record in the league at home this season, so we know we're able to put away wins.''

5. Bradley Wright-Phillips leads Red Bulls into second leg vs. Impact

By Kristian Dyer Metro New York - November 3, 2016

The leading goal scorer in MLS this past season, Bradley Wright-Phillips, might be the most anonymous star not just in the league but perhaps in all of American sports.

And it will be this quiet, low-key personality who will be called on this Sunday when the Red Bulls host the Montreal Impact at Red Bull Arena in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals (4 p.m., ESPN).

The Red Bulls' star striker, whose 24 goals this season sees him pace the league for the second time in three years, is not a typical star in American sports leagues. He hates, actually despises, talking about himself in public and even a mention of being an MVP candidate is quickly talked down. Wright-Phillips would much rather win MLS Cup, he says, then be named league MVP.

Two years ago, he scored 27 goals - tying the most in MLS history and this year he became the first player in MLS history to score at least 20 goals twice in his career. Yet he wasn't even an MLS All-Star this season and his own MVP candidacy - he is a finalist alongside teammate Sacha Kljestan and New York City FC's David Villa - is somewhat overlooked.

"More than just the goals, he's not your typical diva forward who is a crybaby when he doesn't get the ball. He works his butt off and when he gets his chances, he typically buries them," Kljestan said on Thursday. "For us, not just the goals but the way he works on and off the ball. And in the way he is in the locker room, being a pretty good leader for some of the young guys and being a great guy to have on your team."

Ironically in the 2014 preseason, Wright-Phillips was almost cut by the team's management at the time. Now he might be the best player on a team that has won the Supporters' Shield twice in the last three seasons.

Part of Wright-Phillips' under-the-radar status is because he came into MLS four seasons ago a bit of an unknown and grew into his role as a star on the Red Bulls. Unlike the current crop of superstars in the league, such as the aforementioned Villa and players like Giovinco and Giovani dos Santos, Wright-Phillips didn't already achieve international stardom before coming to MLS. He was a journeyman of sorts in his native England, but wound up finding a perfect fit in New York.

This season's output, plus his relentless work rate in the Red Bull high-press speak volumes about the lack of ego to his game. For Kljestan, a member of the United States national team who played in the Champions League with Anderlecht, it is rare to find a prolific goal scorer who is as humble and team-oriented as No. 99.

"Never been around anybody like that and if I have they've probably only get five goals a season. Kind of those things that go hand-in-hand that sometimes those selfish, egotistical forwards are often the best ones because they take everything personally. They want to be the best, they want to score the most goals and like I said they are selfish sometimes," Kljestan said. "Brad is so unselfish it's almost wild to think that he still got 24 goals and the nature of the person that he is."

6. Bradley Wright-Phillips critical to Red Bulls' hopes

By Anthony Payero AM New York - November 4, 2016

MLS Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips of the New York Red Bulls is rarely held scoreless, but that's what happened last Sunday against the Montreal Impact in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Before that, the last time it happened was Sept. 24. Wright-Phillips responded with four goals over the next three games.

The striker was fantastic for the Red Bulls this season, scoring 24 goals in 34 games (32 starts) and leading the club to the top seed in the East. They opened the conference semifinals with a 1-0 loss in the first leg against the Montreal Impact on the road. After last week's 1-0 loss, the London native must find a way past Montreal's defense in the second leg.

Wright-Phillips, who only had two shots in Game 1, needs to find the offensive push he found at Red Bull Arena late in the season. The 31-year-old scored three goals in his last two games at home. He'll look to continue the trend Sunday.

7. New York City FC's back against the wall in second-leg

By Anthony Payero AM New York - November 4, 2016

With the first-leg behind them, New York City FC must focus all of their energy on advancing to the conference finals in the club's first playoff appearance.

NYCFC must bounce back against Toronto FC, who took a 2-0 lead at home last Sunday. Yankee Stadium is expected to be packed with supporters who want to see City move forward.

The club has been shutout three times at home in MLS play, via two losses and a scoreless draw during the first three months of the season.

City won four times at home by at least two goals this season, indicating NYCFC can overcome the aggregate and move on. Here are three keys that can help the club against TFC.

Viva la 'Maravilla'

David Villa finished second in the Golden Boot race with 23 goals. He is no stranger to playing in the spotlight, winning various championships in his career with clubs like FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and 2010 World Cup winner Spain.

El Guaje played 78 minutes in the first-leg, so expect him to be fresh and ready to score Sunday.

Foul trouble

NYCFC committed a season-high 19 fouls in the first-leg against Toronto. They received five yellow cards for their actions, which could be dangerous in the long-term.

If they advance, they do not get the disciplinary actions removed until the MLS Cup Final. They must be cautious in the game, keeping in mind they are down on the aggregate.

Who's in net?

Head coach Patrick Vieira chose to start keeper Eirik Johansen over Josh Saunders, who gave up three goals in his last start on Oct. 16, in net against Game 1. It was a move that baffled many, as everyone expected to see the three-time MLS Cup winner get the start.

Vieira has yet to announce who will be the keeper for the second-leg, a decision critical to NYCFC's playoff hopes.

8. Frank Lampard must step up for New York City FC in semifinals

By Anthony Payero AM New York - November 4, 2016

Despite being sidelined for most of the last month in the regular season, Frank Lampard is back and ready to play for New York City FC, with hopes of reaching the top of the MLS in his second year with the club.

The English legend came on as a substitute in the first-leg matchup against Toronto FC last Sunday, playing 29 minutes in the 2-0 loss. NYCFC looks to Lampard to produce chances that will get the team on the board in front of their home crowd in Sunday's crucial second-leg.

The midfielder, who was honored Sept. 1 for his 300 career goals, has not scored for the club since Sept. 10 and missed three games in between then and the start of the playoffs as the result of a nagging calf injury.

Lampard could prove to be one of NYCFC's best scoring options in the second-leg at Yankee Stadium. City needs to score at least two goals to stay alive. Look for the all-time leading scorer in Chelsea's history to leave his mark on the pitch.

9. Breakfast with the enemy, and four other meetings that shaped Brian Schmetzer's career

By Matt Pentz Seattle Times - November 4, 2016

The morning of the first game of the MLS Western Conference semifinal series between the Sounders and FC Dallas last Sunday, a pair of combatants met up for breakfast.

Dallas technical director Fernando Clavijo sat across the table from Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer, who was still a few days away from shedding the interim tag from his title.

Clavijo actually gave Schmetzer his start as an assistant for the indoor soccer Seattle SeaDogs in the mid-1990s. Ever since, the two former colleagues have made a point of meeting up every time their respective teams cross paths, at the very least for a cup of coffee. They talk about everything but the task at hand.

"I'm not telling him the lineups," Schmetzer said. "He's not telling me (their) lineup. We just kind of shoot the (expletive)."

These meetings have taken on an added poignancy ever since early 2014, when Clavijo had a rare form of bone-marrow cancer diagnosed. This past January, he announced that he's in full remission. Still, there is an underlying sense of mortality to their talks now.

"I'm at the age where I get it," said Schmetzer, 54. "As much time as I can spend with people I like, I'm going to do it."

These meetings also have a tendency to ground both men, mutual touchstones of simpler times. In the press box at halftime of last Sunday's match, Clavijo marveled at how much Seattle has transformed as a city in the years since he left. He shook his head at just how far he and Schmetzer have come in their respective fields, too.

His meetings with Clavijo and their greater significance tell one story of Schmetzer's career, humble beginnings and lasting bonds. Below are four others that have shaped the newest full-time head coach of the Seattle Sounders.

- -

Adrian, 2002

"Did he tell you the story about not calling me back -

Majority Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer was kidding - he was still basking the glow of the Schmetzer announcement on Wednesday night - but he was referencing a true story.

In 2002, Hanauer was the newly installed managing partner for a minor-league club in the process of steadily hemorrhaging money. Hanauer was also in the market for a new head coach. He was still a relative outsider to the tight-knit Seattle soccer community, but one name kept popping up.

Brian Schmetzer was then coaching youth teams when not running his local construction company. Hanauer left him a voicemail, introducing himself and saying only that it was about the Sounders. Schmetzer figured it had something to do with the soccer camps he'd been running with his brothers, no biggie.

The missed call slipped his mind until the following morning, when Hanauer doubled back to pitch a meeting at a local coffee shop. Sure, Schmetzer said, unwittingly delaying his own job interview, but I have to drop off my kids at school first.

Off-the-cuff, Schmetzer walked out of that Capitol Hill coffee shop having nailed the interview that would dramatically alter the trajectory of his career.

"I think I'm pretty good judging character," Hanauer said, "and that was evident really early, that he had the right temperament, mentality to rally the troops and be a good team leader."

Though he adds: "I'd be lying to you if I said it would 100 percent work out the way it did."

Alan, 1980

Alan Hinton didn't just threaten to rip up Schmetzer's pro contract. The coach of the NASL Sounders pulled out the paper copy of the deal from a nearby file cabinet, pretending to tear it in two for emphasis.

Schmetzer had just turned 18 years old, a recent graduate of Nathan Hale High. The ink on his contract was so fresh it might as well have been wet. The rookie midfielder sat in Hinton's Pioneer Square office next to his father, Walter, wishing he were anywhere else in the world.

A few nights earlier, Schmetzer was driving to a party with some friends. "Alcohol," he admits now, "might have been involved."

He saw the police cruiser out of the corner of his eye shortly after the cop had spotted him, turning quickly down a side street before flashing lights appeared in his rearview mirror. Schmetzer wasn't cited, or charged. He was let off with a warning.

His first youth coach and first professional one weren't as lenient. Walter called Hinton, Brian was marched into an office above FX McRory's the following Monday morning and together, he recalls all these years later, "they read me the riot act."

"It was a big mistake," Schmetzer said. "My dad looked at me and said, 'You don't know how lucky you are to be a professional soccer player.' From that moment on, I said that I'm not going to mess this up.

"It was a life-changing moment for a na=EFve young man who had just signed a pro contract and thought he was a pretty big deal."

Clint, a few months ago

A central tenant of Schmetzer's coaching philosophy is an open line of communication. Shortly after taking over for Sigi Schmid in late July, he gathered his veterans together, making them a straightforward promise: Every time he made a significant lineup change, he would first bring that player into his office to explain the coaching staff's collective rationale.

Those conversations haven't always been easy.

Roman Torres had rehabbed for more than 11 months to return from his knee injury. The hulking Panamanian defender was supposed to get a few minutes against Houston in August, but a late deficit forced Schmetzer to sub on an attacker instead. Up next was the match at Portland's Providence Park, and the staff was wary about Torres making his first start on artificial turf.

Have fun explaining that one, coach.

"Here is this massive man, and I had to haul him into my office and tell him, 'Roman, we're going to be a little cautious with you,'" Schmetzer said. "'We're not starting you against Portland.' And you know how he gets with that angry face."

Torres eyes started to bulge. He puffed his barrel chest out, sitting up straight in his chair and pleading with his new coach to let him play.

"And I'm going - this is a critical moment for me, because I have to show strength," Schmetzer said.

Another test: A disgruntled Nelson Valdez sitting in his office a couple of weeks later. Though the Paraguayan had started Schmetzer's first match as interim coach, a home draw against Los Angeles, Valdez was the odd man out of the starting XI as the team gathered momentum down the stretch.

Valdez heard that pledge to explain lineup changes to the veterans. He hadn't been given an update on his standing in over a month, and the 32-year-old forward voiced his displeasure.

"'Look, I've been with coaches that talk a lot,'" Schmetzer relayed Valdez's message. "'I've been with coaches that don't talk. It's no issue for me. But when you told me that we're going to talk, we talk.'

"That was one of those moments when I realized that, when I say something to someone, especially a senior player, I better follow through."

And yet those paled in comparison to Schmetzer's primary task as interim head coach: Winning over Clint Dempsey.

"It was significant in the sense that he is our best player," Schmetzer said. "You could argue between Nico (Lodeiro) and Clint, but those two guys are a little bit above. We have some good pros, but let's be honest. Clint had been here for two-and-a half-years. So he was actually, you know, the big dog.

"In order for me to be successful, I felt that it was vital at that moment to make sure that Clint understood that we were going to build the team around him."

Dempsey heard him out, face impassive. It was unclear, that day, whether the message had resonated. But something must have clicked: In the four matches before he was ruled out for the season with an irregular heartbeat, Dempsey scored five goals. The team, as the coach had hoped, followed the lead of its highest-profile player.

"That conversation was certainly a big one, but it was a lot easier than people might expect, because Clint is fully a team guy," Schmetzer said. "It wasn't like we had this long, drawn-out, tense meeting. It was open. He was open to hear from me and I am open-minded enough to listen to some of the older players.

"Those were influential conversations for me, to dial in this group - apologizing to Nelson, standing firm with Roman, having that initial open conversation with Clint. Be honest with guys when they make mistakes. Holding them accountable in film sessions. I think that type of management of senior players, I think they get it."

Garth, 2015

The first few days of Garth Lagerwey's tenure as Sounders general manager and president of soccer in Jan. 2015 were a blur of faces and names. He met with staff, one by one, processing their backgrounds and hopes for the future of the club. There was one meeting, in particular, he was looking forward to.

Schmetzer, Schmid's top assistant, was a direct link to the Sounders' NASL era, to their minor-league one, to the blank space in between. Lagerwey desperately wanted to get a grasp of how that past had shaped the club's present.

"I know how to say the right things, that I'm excited to be here and I want to embrace this," Lagerwey told Schmetzer that day. "But I don't understand. How could I? I haven't been lived in this community. I haven't been a part of this team. Tell me about this culture. Talk to me about what it's meant to you."

Schmetzer told the Chicago native of the heady days following the club's founding in the early '70s, how those players went above and beyond to establish a lasting connection with the community, how a few true believers kept the flame alive after the NASL went defunct. He told him about the USL club, the financial struggles, about how Hanauer over-delivered on his promises to take care of the players who took pay cuts in other ways, how that had cemented his bond with the owner.

"It was kind of a history lesson, I guess you could say, to give Garth some context and depth to the job he was about to take on," Schmetzer said.

Periodically, Lagerwey would check in, using Schmetzer in the way a traveler might lean on a fixer in a foreign land.

Why are the fans reacting to this specific decision in this specific way? How might this be explained by the club's history?

Those meetings forged a relationship that has come to the fore in recent months. The dynamic changed, of course, when Schmetzer got the bump up to the interim coaching role. Their chats were suddenly more immediate, restricted to the business of saving what at one time appeared to be a lost season.

And yet asked on Wednesday night how Schmetzer had convinced him that he was the right man for the job - besides the on-field success - Lagerwey reflected upon the reason why he so looked forward to that initial meeting with Schmetzer in the first place.

"It's what you saw today," Lagerwey said, referring to the standing ovation for a native son that greeted the announcement. "It's his incredible connection to this community."

10. Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer on an abbreviated coaching search: 'We know we've got the right man for the job'

By Matt Pentz Seattle Times - November 3, 2016

Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer said Wednesday night that he "couldn't be happier" that Brian Schmetzer coached himself into a full-time gig, a process that culminated in the stripping of Schmetzer's interim tag at the club's annual business meeting.

Hanauer and Schmetzer go all the way back toward the beginning of the last decade, when the former hired the latter to coach the USL Sounders, and it was Hanauer's influence that helped persuade Sigi Schmid to take on Schmetzer as his top assistant when the club made the leap to Major League Soccer.

But it was still worth asking: Why make the move now rather than at the end of an ongoing playoff run? And what of the wide-ranging coaching search the front office mentioned when Schmid was let go in late July?

Below are Hanauer's answers in full:

"It was pretty obvious early on that (Schmetzer) had garnered the support and gotten the locker room and everybody rowing a boat in the same direction," Hanauer said. "The results followed. Ownership, management got together and said, 'if this thing goes a certain direction, why are we going to wait?' We're certainly not going to go through a process of interviewing people if we know we've got the right man for the job. Over the last few weeks, we kind of landed on a decision and tried to time it in a rational way.

"We also believe that Brian is very level-headed. He's going to leave here tonight excited, and the players are going to be excited for him. But the message first thing in the morning is that it's back to work, we haven't done anything yet. We can't overlook Dallas on Sunday. It's going to be a war, going to be a battle. He's going to have the guys right mentally, and he'll be right mentally.

"We didn't proactively go out and start a real search. Perhaps that was more of a figure of speech, but the intention was to very shortly start a search. We got a lot of resumes, as you might imagine. But again, shortly after making Brian interim, it was pretty clear that things were heading in a very good direction. Once they were heading in that good direction, I think (general manager) Garth (Lagerwey) and I both assumed and hoped that Brian would be the new coach. For sure, we also, from a practical standpoint, thought it would be really disruptive to start going through a coach search when our current coach is leading us back up the standings and into a playoff position."

Seattle takes a 3-0 lead into the second leg of its Western Conference semifinal series against FC Dallas on Sunday in Frisco.

11. Multiple generations of Sounders showed up at Brian Schmetzer's first training session as full-time coach

By Matt Pentz Seattle Times - November 3, 2016

Jimmy Gabriel, a Sounders original as a player and the club's coach from 1977-1979, made a rare appearance at training on Thursday morning at Starfire Sports. Dave Gillett, another star from the North American Soccer League days, also watched from the sidelines. Alan Hinton was there, too, though his appearance was less unusual.

All of them were there as a show of support for Brian Schmetzer, the latest in a long line of Seattle coaches who finally got the interim tag taken off his title on Wednesday night. Their representation almost brought the newest Sounders head coach to tears, his voice cracking and eyes watering as he spoke.

"It means a lot," Schmetzer said in the video above. "Really, really good guys, all of them. They're part of our history, so it means a lot."

The Seattle native also rebuffed the notion that he's the first high-profile coach to have grown from the fertile soccer grassroots of this city.

"Neil Megson and Bernie James were homegrown guys who were coaches of this club, as well," Schmetzer said. "I will throw their names out there as good stewards of the club, as well. I appreciate all of the sentiment. Al, Bernie, Neil, Bernie, some of the guys I mentioned last night, there is a long history of people involved in this club that have done really, really fantastic things. I'd just like to fit in next to Jimmy, or fit in next to Dave Gillett. That's good enough for me."

12. Impact leans on Laurent Ciman to shut down Red Bulls

By Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette - November 3, 2016

Montreal hockey fans have had a chance to watch some of the best defencemen in the NHL over the years with the Canadiens, including the Big Three of Larry Robinson, Serge Savard and Guy Lapointe. Now, it's Shea Weber.

Montreal soccer fans have also had an opportunity to watch a fantastic defenceman - or defender - for the last two seasons in Laurent Ciman. The 31-year-old Belgian joined the Impact last season and was named Major League Soccer's Defender of the Year. Ciman's game tailed off a bit at times this season - he's not among the three finalists for the defender award this year - but the 6-foot, 155-pounder has been at the top of his game when the Impact has needed him most recently.

Ciman, a member of Belgium's national team, is a big reason why the Impact was able to shut out the New York Red Bulls 1-0 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal last weekend at Saputo Stadium and he will be counted on heavily again this Sunday in Game 2 of the two-game, aggregate-goals series in New York (4 p.m., TSN, RDS, TSN Radio 690).

Not only did the Impact keep Bradley Wright-Phillips, who led MLS in goals with 24 during the regular season, off the scoresheet, the Red Bulls striker didn't get a single shot on target. The Impact defence - led by Ciman in the middle of the back line in a 4-3-3 formation - limited the Red Bulls to three shots on target. The Red Bulls scored 61 goals during the 34-game regular season - an average of 1.79 per game - second only to New York City FC, which scored 62 times.

"Playoffs are big moments for big players," Impact coach Mauro Biello said after Game 1. "Laurent's a big player and his focus has been right on the last two games (including a 4-2 knockout-round playoff win over D.C. United in Washington). He's been able to win balls, anticipate well. He's been able to pass well out of the back. (Ciman's) a player that's played at the highest level. He's played in World Cups, in Euros, and it's someone with a lot of experience. And now we're seeing that in his play in the last few games."

Ciman is one of the best bargains in MLS, with a guaranteed compensation of US$661,666 this season, according to figures released by the players' union. That's the second-highest salary on the Impact, but is less than one-third of teammate Didier Drogba's guaranteed compensation of US$2,191,667.

But it wasn't just money that brought Ciman to Montreal from first-division Belgian club Standard Liege before the start of last season. Ciman's young daughter, Nina, suffers from autism and her parents knew about the Montreal Autism Centre, which provides clinical assessment and treatment services, conducts research on typical and atypical development, and provides training while promoting an alternative form of mental assessment for people with autism, according to its website.

"First of all, (this decision) was about my family," Ciman said when he first joined the Impact. "Here, they have everything you need that they don't have in Belgium."

Ciman had a disagreement with the Impact last year about how the club was helping with his daughter's treatment, but that was ironed out and the central defender later signed a one-year contract extension that takes him through the 2018 MLS season.

Goalkeeper Evan Bush said it's Ciman's ability to "read the game" that makes him so effective on the pitch.

"I think he's probably the best in the league when it comes to stepping in front of the attacking player, reading passes into the strikers," Bush said after Wednesday's practice at Centre Nutrilait. "Just taking balls off of people that he doesn't need to really stress about things. It doesn't turn into situations where he's one-vs.-one defending because the ball hasn't gotten to the striker. In that sense, I think he's very intelligent."

Impact captain Patrice Bernier said it's Ciman's sense of anticipation and his tactical skills that make him so good.

"He reads the play, he tries to be a step ahead of the forwards," Bernier said. "He reads the spaces and that's what makes him different from the other defenders in the league. I think he recovers and intercepts the ball more often than anybody in the league because he's got that knack to know where the ball is going to be and try to get there before the strikers."

Before deciding to focus on soccer, Bernier was a defenceman with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's Val d'Or Foreurs and his partner was Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre, who went on to play in the NHL.

When asked if there was an NHL defenceman that he could compare Ciman's style with, Bernier thought for a moment then said: "Hockey's a lot more of a tough sport, but I would say if you go back to the great defencemen ... Ray Bourque, Larry Robinson. Guys that just make it look easy."

High praise indeed.

13. Shimmering, distant mirage coming into focus for Toronto FC

By Michael Grange SportsNet.ca - November 3, 2016

TORONTO - Don't feel bad. You can be forgiven if you didn't know that Toronto FC is actually in the playoffs for the second time. That the most inept franchise in the history of Major League Soccer broke their post-season draught a year ago.

What, you missed it? Fair enough. It lasted for about 20 minutes and took place in Montreal.

A summary:

They lost their final two regular-season games to slide into the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference (two wins would have earned them second place and a first-round bye) and so they played a sudden-death Wild Card game on the road in Montreal. They were down 3-0 in the amount of time it takes to order and drink a latte, and that was it. On a cold night in Montreal the franchise that constantly trips over its feet achieved what seemed impossible, even for them: their first playoff appearance in nine years came and went before anyone but dogged hard-core fans even noticed. The hype machine hadn't even turned over, let alone shifted from neutral. After nearly a decade of suffering through embarrassment upon embarrassment, TFC made the playoffs but didn't even get to enjoy a home game.

"I think last year it felt like we were half-pregnant," says TFC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko. "We went to Montreal and it didn't really happen. It left everyone wanting more. We weren't satisfied."

A year later and the situation couldn't be more different. TFC is about to have a big, beautiful playoff baby. A year later and it appears that former MLSE shaman Tim Leiweke's peyote fueled vision for what soccer could be in Toronto is coming into view; a shimmering, distant mirage that's coming into focus.

This year TFC was in the Wild Card game again, but hosted it. The quick turn-around following the end of the regular season meant it still snuck up on people but at least those that have been waiting patiently for all those years could bundle up at BMO Field and watch a playoff game. The Reds won handily. Then came the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals and the energy swell was palpable. A crowd of 29,000 on a cold Sunday night doing a passable impression of a Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford.

And the team that so often hasn't been able to get out of its way delivered an almost cinematic result, with the winner coming in the 84th minute and an essential insurance marker in extra time for a 2-0 win over New York City FC.

"We're lucky. We have incredible support," says TFC's no-nonsense captain Michael Bradley. "This is an unbelievable sports city but in the last 10 days or two weeks it's been cranked up a few notches that I didn't even know was there. The amount of texts and messages I've gotten from people I know, friends, other guys around the league, in Europe who are watching our games on TV at the moment and going, basically: 'Where are you guys playing, what stadium is that?' They're in disbelief about the atmosphere we have and the advantage the fans in this city are giving at the moment. It's special."

It doesn't mean that TFC is a lock to get to the Eastern Conference finals, but they are in a fantastic position heading into the second leg of the two-game aggregate on Sunday at Yankee Stadium - they can advance with a win, draw or any two goal loss as long as they score one goal. Even if they lose 2-0 they would earn a second-life in extra time.

Finish that bit of business and TFC's playoff window will remain open for a few more weeks at least. Finish that and the team that has broken so many hearts and slipped on so many banana peels will be one series away from playing for the MLS Cup.

Seemingly out of nowhere TFC has suddenly become the team best positioned to end Toronto's championship drought - with apologies to the Argonauts and the Toronto Rock, who have won titles since the Blue Jays last won a World Series.

Bradley was on the stage at Real Sports when since departed MLSE president Leiweke introduced the 'Bloody Big Deal' era prior to the 2014 season and uttered a thought that seemed foreign in Toronto given recent sports history. "Why can't we be great -

It fell apart, of course. Jermain Defoe got homesick. TFC was labeled a money-bags club with no substance. Leiweke left.

But behind the scenes things were actually taking shape. The club had a world-class training ground. Defoe was replaced with Sebastian Giovinco, the closest thing MLS has to Lionel Messi. Veteran depth was added and youth was groomed. The wonkish Bezbatchenko points out that for the first time in franchise history their starting 11 averaged at least four years of MLS experience and at least one year with TFC.

A lot of those elements were coming together a year ago but the blink-of-an-eye playoff appearance in Montreal made it hard to appreciate.

This year at the very least there is time to hold the TFC playoff baby to the light, coo at it and wonder: could this grow into something special?

"The reality is this: There are a lot of us who have felt good for a long time about where things are going," Bradley says. "You and I spoke on the phone at the end of my first season here and even then when on the outside there wouldn't have been much room for optimism I still understood that if things continued to improve, if we can make the right moves there was going to be good potential to take this where we all wanted to.

"[But] the reality is until you get to this point, until you live it, until you have a little something to show for yourself when the lights come on, it's hard for people on the outside to really believe in it. Hopefully the last 10 days are a little bit of validation for the club ... so hopefully everybody can look and see what's going on and understand that we're continuing to grow."

It's not an original message, but it's delivered with conviction.

"[He] has that look in his eyes right now," says veteran TFC defender Drew Moor.

Bradley is preaching promise and hope and better things to come. It's the oldest message in sports, the thin gruel the Chicago Cubs have been serving for more than a century until last night, and so long on tap here in Toronto.

But when Bradley speaks you can't help but listen. And for the first time in their history TFC fans can safely to believe.

14. Toronto FC's 'Big 3' coming up big at right time

By John Molinaro SportsNet.ca - November 3, 2016

TORONTO - So many positives have stood out from what is turning out to be a very special Toronto FC campaign.

You must admire the team's defensive record of just 39 goals conceded in the regular season after it coughed up a league-high 58 a year ago.

The resilience that TFC displayed is another major talking point. The Reds battled through a rash of injuries to several key starters to finish third in the Eastern Conference and fifth in Major League Soccer, both new club marks.

But what's been especially remarkable is the overall balance of the squad. Front to back, from goalkeeper to forward, this has proven to be as solid a side in MLS as you'll find, with TFC possessing quality and depth in all areas of the pitch.

Toronto is more than its three designated players Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore - much more, in fact. The high-profile trio only started 11 of 34 regular season games together in 2016, and were only on the field at the same time on 15 occasions. And yet, the Reds not only survived, but they thrived without the trio intact, receiving workmanlike and consistent performances from a strong supporting cast that included defender Drew Moor, Canadian midfielders Jonathan Osorio and Will Johnson, and standout goalkeeper Clint Irwin.

There is no question, however, that when the Giovinco-Bradley-Altidore triumvirate is at its very best that good things happen for TFC. When it's not, well, disaster usually ensues. You need only look at last year's horrible capitulation in Montreal during the playoffs for evidence - all three had poor outings, and Toronto was trounced and truly embarrassed 3-0 by the Impact.

TFC's hot run in the playoffs (can two games be considered a "run"?) owes as much to its roster balance as it does to its big three stars who are coming up big at the exact right time.

Altidore was one of the hottest players in MLS over the course of the second half of the year, bagging 10 goals and adding three assists since late July when he returned from a lengthy injury layoff. He hasn't slowed down in the playoffs. In the knockout game against Philadelphia, the American scored a goal and set up another in a man-of-the-match showing, and it was his late strike that sealed Toronto's win against New York.

Giovinco scored and earned two assists over the club's final two regular season matches and has one goal in the playoffs thus far. More important, the "Atomic Ant" is back to his best form and looks like his old self after sitting out five games from Sept. 10 to Oct. 1 through injury.

As for Bradley, he's been brilliant down the season stretch and in the Reds' two playoff games. TFC's captain does the unglamorous muck work in midfield that often goes unnoticed, such is the nuanced and subtle nature of his game. Nevertheless, Bradley has been as influential as any other TFC players in recent times, with the last six or seven matches marking his best run of play during his tenure in Toronto.

Coach Greg Vanney heaped praise on his captain after Sunday's 2-0 win over New York, a gritty performance that was not flashy, but very effective.

"In a game like today where the opposition is looking for things in transition and we've committed a lot of [players] to pressing, sometimes his role isn't all about the stuff that happens going forward," Vanney explained.

Just as important as the way Bradley has been playing has been his attitude. There's always been a bit of an edge to how he has carried himself. It's been especially pronounced during this post-season.

"[He] has that look in his eyes right now," Drew Moor said of Bradley.

Bradley's defiance came through earlier this week when we found out that Giovinco was overlooked as a finalist for the league's MVP award.

The Giovinco snub was especially ridiculous. The Italian scored 17 goals and added 15 assists, for a 32-point single-season total that ranks No. 4 all-time in MLS history (he set the record with 38 in 2015).

Moor was at the heart of the league's second-best defensive record, but didn't make the final cut in voting for the defender of the year.

A lack of respect for TFC? It would seem so. Regardless, TFC's captain shot back in typical Michael Bradley fashion.

"If you asked me what I really think about those awards, it's that they mean absolutely nothing and that I don't care about them all," he said.

"What's driving us at the moment and the goal for every guy here is that on Dec. 10 [the day of MLS Cup], one team gets to stand on the podium and lift the trophy. ... And we want that to be us."

Bradley is talking the talk, but more important, he is walking the walk. So are Giovinco and Altidore. All three must keep it going.

15. After a decade, Javier Morales says 'it is time to leave' RSL

By Christopher Kamrani Salt Lake Tribune - November 3, 2016

Sandy - No player exemplified Real Salt Lake's rise in Major League Soccer the way Javier Morales did.

There were those clutch highlight-reel saves between the posts from goalkeeper Nick Rimando and the crunching midfield tackles that became synonymous with Kyle Beckerman. But it was through the eyes of Morales, the Argentine midfield wizard whose deft touch and needle-thread ability on the ball, that brought RSL up from the cellar. For a decade along the Wasatch Front, he dazzled fans as the point of the team's attack, often leaving opponents perplexed with his unique blend of flair and unpredictability.

After 260 career regular season and postseason matches, Morales' time in an RSL uniform is up.

On Thursday afternoon, the 36-year-old midfielder posted a lengthy note on Twitter stating that it's time for him move on, ending a legendary 10-year span in Utah. Morales' post was a tribute to the RSL franchise, its fan base and the people of the state that embraced he and his young family.

"It is always difficult to say goodbye," he wrote, "but this goodbye hurts a little more. After 10 years it is time to leave a place which has felt like home."

To Morales, the ideal final goodbye would have come inside a packed Rio Tinto Stadium, but reality didn't mesh with his dreams. His last match with RSL was a 3-1 first-round playoff loss at the L.A. Galaxy on Oct. 26. When the final whistle blew, he was seen on TV walking off the pitch with tears in his eyes.

In his farewell, Morales did not mention retirement, which could lend a hint that he's simply choosing to move on.

"RSL is not closing any doors, but the choices and decisions to be made reside in Javier's court," said RSL team spokesman Trey Fitz-Gerald.

So for the first time since 2006 - the club's second year of existence - RSL will be without Morales. In 10 seasons at RSL, Morales amassed 49 goals and 81 assists, the most in club history. In 2016, Morales had four goals and notched four assists in 23 starts, his lowest combined output since the 2011 season when he suffered a horrific leg fracture that spring.

The Argentine playmaker was not only the focal point of RSL's offense for a decade, he helped guide RSL to four respective Cup finals, including the team's only trophy, the 2009 MLS Cup. In 20 career MLS postseason matches, Morales had three goals and nine assists.

It is his legacy at the club that now has a sudden ending. Never fleet of foot, Morales possessed a rare innate ability to slow the game down by simply finding the ball at any point on the field. While his innovative approach often left defenders stumped, he managed to be on the same page with his teammates.

Few players in MLS shouldered the load of being a team's focal point like Morales consistently did for so many years. From 2013 to 2015, he put together the best stretch of his professional career as he managed to produce more as the years caught up to him. From 2013 through 2015, Morales had 25 goals and 34 assists.

In the locker room, Morales helped bridge the gap between RSL's Latino contingent and the other cultures off the field, becoming a longstanding voice for the franchise.

Never one to shy away from telling it the way he saw it, Morales spoke bluntly in late September about his age and the way media and fans in MLS view his effectiveness at this point in his career.

"It's tough for me in this part of my career, you know, I can read or see people saying, 'He's 36 years old, he needs to rest and he needs to do that and he can't play three games in a week,' " Morales said. "It's tough for me, because not every person is the same, and I know how hard I work every single day to be ready.

"I'm 36. I know that. I train, I live for this because I love what I do. I think and I feel ready to play. I don't mind. I can play every single game."

After meeting with the RSL front office in Wednesday's exit meetings, Morales chose not to address the media, a rare move. Instead, he took the walk out of the long tunnel beneath Rio Tinto Stadium and into the unknown for the first time in 10 years.

His final message, he wrote Thursday, wouldn't be a goodbye. He'd be cheering on RSL - the franchise he helped raise from doldrums - from afar.

"You will always be in my heart," he wrote before signing off: Javi Morales #11.

16. Waibel says Allen, Mulholland have re-signed, with possibly more extensions to follow

By Christopher Kamrani Salt Lake Tribune - November 3, 2016

Sandy - Youth was among the primary topics addressed by Real Salt Lake general manager Craig Waibel Thursday as spoke to local media about the just-completed season and the year ahead. In the process, Waibel said that he has taken further stepsto fortify the club's next generation of players.

Waibel announced Thursday that RSL has re-signed midfielders Jordan Allen and Luke Mulholland to multi-year deals and that he remains in ongoing negotiations with center backs Justen Glad and Aaron Maund.

"We've had a very consistent effort over the last 12 months to make sure that we hang on, and have the services of many of the players that we feel can contribute for quite some time," Waibel said. "These are steps in the organization to lay the foundation to go out and get those complimentary pieces and the special ones."

Allen just wrapped up his third season at RSL. The 21-year-old homegrown product had three goals and two assists in 23 regular-season appearances - 11 of which were starts. The versatile midfielder once again ran into injury issues in 2016 after overcoming nagging hamstring injuries - and a preseason heart procedure to fix what turned out to be a rapid heartbeat.

"Next year is the year we see him really having a breakout season in terms of consistent performance, consistent continuity and contribution for us," Waibel said. "The big thing for him with me is health."

The 28-year-old Mulholland also recently completed his third year at the club. The English midfielder has continuously worked his way into the starting lineup since his rookie year in 2014. Mulholland started 23 matches in 2016, scoring four goals and nothing two assists. During his three seasons at RSL, Mulholland has started 74 regular-season matches.

Glad, 19, and Maund, 26, became RSL's top starting center back tandem in 2016. Maund's year, however, was cut short when he suffered a season-ending foot fracture the first week of August. Glad started 27 matches in 2016, while Maund started 20.

"Justen at 19 has so much upside, it's amazing," Waibel said. "Aaron Maund's strides the last 18 months have been really remarkable, quite frankly."

Coaching staff to be evaluated next week

A day after RSL held its annual exit meetings with players, Waibel was asked when he'll do the same with the coaching staff. RSL head coach Jeff Cassar's three-year deal at the club expires in at the end of the year, leaving the 42-year-old still in limbo. Waibel said Cassar and the rest of the coaching staff will be evaluated and addressed next week.

"I don't want to set any timeline, but obviously we take five-to-seven days [before meeting with] the players," Waibel said. "It's fair to say we'll evaluate the exact same way."

17. Portland Timbers announce club awards

By Jamie Goldberg The Oregonian - November 3, 2016

The Portland Timbers announced their 2016 club awards Thursday.

Midfielder Diego Chara was named the Players' Player of the Year and Defender of the Year, while midfielder Diego Valeri was named the Supporters' Player of the Year.

Forward Fanendo Adi, who scored 16 goals in 2016, was the Golden Boot winner. Midfielder Jack Jewsbury, who retired at the end of the 2016 season, was the club's Unsung Hero. Winger Jack Barmby was named the Up-and-Coming Player of the Year. And defender Zarek Valentin was named the Community MVP.

Here's the release from the Timbers:

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Timbers today announced their club awards for the 2016 Major League Soccer season. In total, eight major awards were announced as the club recognized achievements, performances and moments from the team's 2016 season.

Additionally, the Timbers and Portland Thorns FC announced the award recipients from their respective developmental programs, recognizing coaches and players from the Academy, U-23s, Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) and youth camp programs.

Players' Player of the Year - Diego Chara

Voted on by the players, the 2016 Players' Player of the Year was awarded to midfielder Diego Chara. In his sixth season with the club, Chara started and played 90 minutes in 27 of his 30 regular-season appearances, including an 11-game stretch from March 6 to May 11, logging the third-most minutes (2,600) on the team, behind on

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