Timbers 2010 season preview part 3 - defenders (original) (raw)

Being a defender in soccer requires great strength and a slight streak of craziness. Defenders use every trick in the book to mark the opposing sides’ strikers or midfielders, from hard tackles to the well-timed but legal elbow contact to simply trying to get in another players way. The Timbers possessed a very strong backline in the 2009 season, only allowing 19 goals in 30 league games, and with 2010, they added even more reinforcements to solidify one of the team’s strongest areas.

The Timbers lost key defenders David Hayes to retirement and Takuro Nishimura was traded to Baltimore, but they’ve kept a very experienced core of players in Josh Cameron, Mamadou Danso, Stephen Keel, Cameron Knowles and Scot Thompson and added some impressive talent to the 2010 roster with Ian Joy, Quavas Kirk and Ross Smith.

Josh Cameron returns to the team for his second season after a fairly quiet rookie campaign playing mostly in friendlies and mop-up duties. He showed quite a bit of improvement during the Timbers – Pilots friendly back in February, but now moves from his previous midfield role to a defensive role. He appears to have good quickness on the pitch, but lacks enough experience at this point to be counted as anything more than a spot reserve.

Mamadou Danso also returns for his second season, and his early returns show me a much improved, confident player. Danso is tall and lanky, but is deceptively strong and quick, and uses his body well to shield opposing players from collecting passes. Danso's play last season was erratic as he was a young player trying to learn while playing, and this season, he has shown much more patience and skill. He'll be counted on as a defensive anchor this season with Cameron Knowles a few months away from playing.

Ian Joy joins the team from various parts of the world, having started his soccer career at age 14 playing in the youth system of the English club Manchester United. Joy has played in Scotland, Germany and in MLS since 2000, and has a wealth of experience playing in the back line. During his MLS career, Joy has spent parts of two seasons playing for Real Salt Lake, starting 18 games for them during the 2008 season. Joy will take over the left back role vacated with Hayes' retirement, and if there is any indication how his Timbers career has started off, consider that he's worn the captain's armband for many early matches. This role is considered quite an honor, and is usually reserved for someone that has great respect amongst the team and the players, and so Joy earning this honor early in his Timbers career is quite an accomplishment.

Stephen Keel returns for his second tour, having played 29 games last season and scoring 1 goal, which turned out to be a game winner. Keel has the distinction of having "Sideshow Bob" style hair, but his play in back is anything but cartoon like. He enjoys physical play, often using his tall frame to push opposing forwards off the ball legally, and his height is a huge asset during set pieces where a well placed head shot would work to potentially score a goal. Keel is also extremely passionate on the pitch, often being one of the more vocal players in calling out assignments or yelling primal screams before the match. He's a pleasure to watch, and I look forward to a good season from him.

Quavas Kirk joins the team from the Minnesota Thunder, where he played 15 games for one of the Timbers USL rivals. Kirk did play three seasons in the MLS, however, playing 22 games for the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2006 including 10 starts. Just prior to the 2008 season, Kirk was traded to DC United and played there before signing with the Thunder right before the 2009 campaign. Kirk has shown flashes of brilliance on the pitch, playing a very heady game with his positioning in the back, but he also marks offensive players well. I think he's a very good addition to the team, giving the team another quality back for selection.

Cameron Knowles returns for his fifth season in Portland, but he will get a late start to the 2010 season after a season ending injury in 2009 while playing for the Timbers in Montreal. Knowles sustained a fracture in his lower leg, and has been busy rehabilitating the injury in hopes to join the squad later in July. Knowles is one of the more seasoned veterans for the Timbers, having played in the trenches for many seasons, and shows a great deal of intelligence in his approach. He's able to take those smarts and use his physical skills to the best of his advantage, and he's also one of the more visible Timbers in the community.

Steve Purdy was signed on April 2nd, as he had played last season with the MLS side FC Dallas. His contributions in Dallas were limited by injury, but he is still thought of as a potential building block in the back for the U.S. National Team. He is the tallest listed defender for the Timbers at 6 foot 4, and has an extensive playing resume from time spent in Germany. Purdy is another physical specimen in back, but he has struggled a bit with staying healthy in his career.

Ross Smith is another USL alumnus joining the Timbers for 2010, having played for the Rochester Rhinos in 2008 before dealing with a heart ailment that kept him from competitive soccer until being cleared to play late in 2009. Smith has traveled the world during his career, playing in England for many years before signing with the Rhinos in 2008. Before the 2009 season, Smith was diagnosed with a faulty heart valve that required surgery that kept him from playing with the MLS' Colorado Rapids. Smith has been cleared to play, and brings veteran guile and savvy to his play in the backline.

Scot Thompson returns for his seventh season, making him the longest tenured Timber on roster. Scot is the heart and soul of this team, being the emotional leader in the clubhouse yet also continuing to impress late in his career with steady play and the occasional goal in support of his team. While he certainly has lost a step quickness-wise over the years, he still plays with incredible smarts and passion, and rarely is beaten by other players simply because he outworks so many. Thompson is also the team's first official community ambassador, which puts him out in the public to promote the team, and I can't think of a better individual to carry out this role. He has been consistently behind many of the team's charitable events, and does a lot to assist youth soccer in the region.

Analysis:

It’s hard to imagine improving on a group that played so well last season, but the Timbers have managed to do that. They have added speed, experience, height and strength in bundles, and I would expect that the team will start a line (provided everyone is healthy) of Joy at left back, Danso at left central, Keel at right center back, and Kirk at right back with Thompson and Smith being the first substitutes until Knowles comes back healthy. This is the strength of this team, and I would expect a similar effort this season to last year’s successful season.

COACHING NEWS - Today, the team announced that Adam Smith was officially hired as the goalkeeping coach for 2010, replacing Jim Brazeau Smith enjoyed a 14 year career playing all over the world, and most recently was an assistant coach and director of youth developement for the former USL team Wilmington Hammerheads.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.