With the upcoming MLS SuperDraft scheduled for this Tuesday. The 29 teams are looking forward to filling their wish lists and build up to their future with loads of talented youngsters looking to one day make an impact on the professional scene.
The Portland Timbers have the eleventh pick in the first round. They are looking to add depth at fullback, goalkeeper and central midfield. The question arises if Phil Neville, the newly appointed manager, will be able to develop these new players the team chooses.
However, both Justin Rasmussen and Noel Caliskan look like they aren’t in the plans of the team, as Eryk Williamson and David Ayala are coming back for next season and they will come hungry to show off their skills.
Still, the Timbers in 2022 made their selections and most of them were defenders, with Justin Rasmussen, Julian Bravo, and Sivert Haugli with the latter ones being defensive players. In the second round, Portland selected Noel Caliskan a defensive midfielder, Ryan Bilichuk a goalie, and a couple of defenders in Jaden Jones- Ryley and Tyler Clegg.
Caliskan, Clegg, and Rasmussen played some minutes with Portland as Caliskan showed off its skills and looking to stay in the big team, but alongside with Rasmussen, these two don’t figure in the team plans for 2024.
The Portland Timbers haven’t invested so heavily in minutes as they did with Darlington Nagbe after being selected in the 2011 draft. Nagbe got his skills developed under Caleb Porter then manager of the Akron Zips.
Again, the question arises if how will the newly appointed manager of the Portland Timbers works with its academies and develop players by giving them some minutes in the field when these play on the big team to develop their skills as well confidence?
Investing in experience pays off as the defense is something that the Rose City side needs to revamp if not build on and with new players to give them their big break. The answer for Portland lies in the academy.
So, whoever the players the team selects in the upcoming draft needs to become more skilled, dexterous and competent to make an impact in the team, as many state raw talent needs to be polished like a diamond in the rough!
My conclusion is that the directives of the Portland Timbers need desperately to fix their academy system, one that has produced the likes of Marco Farfan, now playing with FC Dallas and being an undisputed starter.
As I always state that academies are the best developer of talents in many young players and T2 can produce a good number of amazing players as the Timbers USL side has a good number of gifted players in need of that big opportunity, but when?
Source: Major League Soccer Communications
Portland Timbers
Western Conference
