After five and a half successful seasons, Giovanni Savarese was dismissed as the head coach of the Portland Timbers on Tuesday, August 11th. The Timbers had a record of 67-50-50 under Savarese’s leadership, making him the second-winningest coach in the team’s history.
The decision to part ways with Savarese came after the Timbers had a slow start to the 2020 season, with only one win in their first eight matches. The team’s poor performance was compounded by the five-week hiatus of Major League Soccer (MLS) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Timbers have named assistant coach Cameron Knowles as interim head coach until a permanent replacement is found. Knowles has been with the team since 2017 and has served as an assistant coach for the past three seasons.
The MLS resumed play on August 12th, following the five-week break. The league has implemented strict safety protocols to ensure the health and safety of players and staff, including regular testing for COVID-19 and the use of face masks.
The Timbers are currently in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, with a record of 2-4-3. The team will look to make a strong push for the playoffs in the second half of the season, despite the recent coaching change.
Giovanni Savarese’s dismissal is a major blow for the Portland Timbers, but they will look to move forward with Cameron Knowles at the helm. The team will also look to make a strong push for the playoffs as MLS resumes play following the five-week hiatus.
