Portland Timbers Off-Season Report | Signings, Surgeries, Preseason Win
February 8, 2012 — PDXPIPELINE
By Will Conwell
The Portland Timbers made another big acquisition last Monday with the signing of 28-year-old Scottish International Kris Boyd. Formerly of Kilmarnock and Rangers of the Scottish Premier League where he holds the record for most goals scored, Boyd is a classic goal scoring striker who the Timbers hope will more than replace Kenny Cooper, last year's leading goal scorer. With 173 goals in 335 career games as a professional, Boyd has the potential to be a force to be reckoned with in Major League Soccer.
Also added to the Timbers' roster last Tuesday was United States U-20 player Charles Renken. Renken, at only 18-years-old, has played both as a midfielder and fullback for club and country. After training with Hoffenheim of the German Bundisliga, Renken returns to the US as one of the most promising young players in the United States youth system. Held back in recent years by two knee surgeries, Renken still has huge potential.
Valencia Undergoes Knee Surgery
After undergoing a series of medical tests during the first week of training camp, newly minted Timbers forward Jose Adolfo Valencia successfully underwent knee surgery on Monday afternoon. The surgery, which repaired damaged cartilage in Valencia's left knee, will put the Colombian striker on the disabled list for this season. The Timbers have renegotiated Valencia's transfer and he will not take up an international player slot or designated player slot until next year. Valencia will remain in Portland to do his rehab with the team, which is estimated to take six to twelve months.
Timbers Win First Preseason Game Against Galaxy
The Timbers started off their preseason successfully with a win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Timbers won out 4-1 with Timbers goals coming from Bright Dike, Jorge Perlaza, James Marcelin, and Futty Danso. Assisting on the first two goals was trialist Franck Songo'o, while Kalif Alhassan got the assist on the third. Songo'o, who played on the left wing during the first half, and Lance Davids, a South African player who lined up on the right side of midfield during the second half, were the only two unsigned players to get on the field for the Timbers today.
The Timbers have three more preseason games lined up for their time in LA. They will face the Montreal Impact on Friday, the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, and the Chicago Fire one week from today. None of the Timbers' preseason matches in LA will be broadcast, but you can follow along on twitter with @TimbersFC.
Roster Spots Still Open For Trialists Training With Timbers
With Franck Songo'o featuring prominently for the first team against Los Angeles today, it seems more and more likely that he will be signed. The Timbers have already run a front page piece on the former Barcelona Academy player and the praise for his skill in practice has been near universal.
Songo'o is not the only unsigned player with the Timbers currently as fellow trialists Lance Davids, Jose Balcazar, Joe Bendick, and Sebastian Rincon continue trying to earn a roster spot. Timbers draft picks Brendan King, Miguel Ibarra, and Ryan Kawulok are also continuing their training with the team.
Upcoming Events
2/10 Preseason – Timbers vs. Montreal Impact in LA
2/12 Preseason – Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo in LA
2/15 Preseason – Timbers vs. Chicago Fire in LA
2/17 Timbers Return to Portland
2/27 Preseason – Timbers vs. San Jose Earthquakes
3/1 Preseason – Timbers vs. Chivas USA
3/4 Preseason – Timbers vs. AIK
3/12 Season Opener vs. Philadelphia Union on ESPN2
Will Conwell
Will Conwell is an aspiring novelist who spends his free time unloading trucks in warehouses. His passions in life are soccer, beer, and writing, which he has found are best enjoyed in concert. Will can be contacted at william.conwell@gmail.com or on twitter at @TimbersPipeline.
