The fifth permanent head coach in the MLS era of the Portland Timbers is officially here.
After reports started leaking over the weekend, the club announced today that Spanish manager Marti Cifuentes has been named the next head coach of PTFC. The 44-year-old was most recently in charge of Leicester City in the English Championship, and has previously had stints in charge of English club Queens Park Rangers and Swedish side Hammarby, among other clubs around Europe.
“We are incredibly excited to appoint Martí Cifuentes as the head coach of the Portland Timbers," said Timbers General Manager Ned Grabavoy via press release. "With the conclusion of a vigorous process, it was clear that Martí’s skillset made him a fantastic match that aligned with this sporting project.”
“This has been by far the most detailed and exhaustive head coaching search the Timbers have ever executed and we are thrilled to have the process culminate in Martí Cifuentes taking the reins of our club,” added club owner Merritt Paulson. “Martí is a young, analytical leader who is as intellectually curious about his trade as I have seen in a coach. He has been tested in a variety of high-pressure environments and countries, and I have no doubt that with our support, Martí Cifuentes will build something truly special in Portland.
The Timbers have been in search of their next gaffer since parting ways with Phil Neville back in May. At the time, the club was stuck in 13th place in the Western Conference and six points adrift of the Wild Card play-in spots. Ned Grabavoy made the call that a new voice was needed if this team was to reach its full potential, and now that new voice has been found.
“I am incredibly excited to become the next head coach of this club. My conversations with Merritt and Ned were truly inspiring, and their vision aligns perfectly with what I want to be part of," said Cifuentes. Of his new home, Cifuentes shared, "I know how passionate this city is about soccer, and the connection between the club and the city is what makes this opportunity so meaningful."
It may be some time before we see the new coach on the sidelines as he awaits his visa to be approved. Until then, Jack Cassidy will continue as interim head coach for the team in their upcoming matches, which include home bouts against FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake. Cassidy's hands appear to be sure ones in the interim, as his one match in charge so far was a historic 5-1 smashing of the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field.
When he does get to the bench, Cifuentes will bring over a decade of coaching experience, all built in Europe. Hailing from Barcelona, Spain, the manager's preferred tactical style reflects what you may expect someone from that region to prefer. That is to say: tactical sophistication that prioritizes play with the ball, positional play off of it, and passing sequences that emphasize offensive-oriented soccer.
Luukas Ojala
It was that type of soccer that attracted the Timbers to Cifuentes, and what ultimately caused Grabavoy to make him the next man up.
"His cultural experiences and successes in various leagues speak volumes to his ability to adapt and his ambitions as a manager," Grabavoy shared. "A new era begins now for the Portland Timbers, and we look forward to welcoming Martí and his family to this amazing club and city."
"We want to build a team with a clear identity, strong ambition, and a real sense of togetherness, one that represents this city and makes our supporters proud," added Cifuentes. "Soccer in the U.S. is entering a new era, with the country hosting the World Cup and the sport continuing to grow in so many ways. To be part of that journey and contribute to the next chapter of the game here is a privilege."
According to a report by Tom Bogert of The Athletic, the Timbers had narrowed their search to Cifuentes, former Austin FC manger Josh Wolff, and current Panama men's national team coach Thomas Christiansen. Portland chose to go the full international and club route with Cifuentes, making him the first coach to take charge of the team with no prior experience with the American soccer system.
Still, Cifuentes cut his teeth in the cauldron that is the English Championship – a crucible of a league that heaps immense pressure on players and coaches alike.
While he did not achieve a high-table finish with QPR, he did guide the club to avoid relegation and was thought of very positively by the fans for his ambitious style. He was sacked just six months into his reign at Leicester City, but the club won just one game after his firing and was ultimately relegated. And if you know anything about how tumultuous of a club Leicester has been recently, you know that there were many factors that were working against his success in the East Midlands from the jump.
Nonetheless, Cifuentes comes to town with much still to prove. It remains to be seen how much his style will translate to this roster and on the field, and how quickly he adapts to the peculiarities and intricacies of Major League Soccer. While experienced, he doesn't have the top-level achievements that one might desire from a new head coach. And so it remains to be seen if he can be the one to lead the club out from the doldrums of recent years and back to challenging for silverware.
But on paper, Cifuentes checks a lot of the boxes of what anyone would want from a head coach. He's young, ambitious, plays a sophisticated and tactically ambitious style, and has a point to prove. We will soon get a chance to see how the next era of the Portland Timbers unfolds, and from where I stand it looks to be an exciting one.
You can read the full press release on Cifuentes' hiring here.
