Portland Timbers Training Quotes and Notes: Go Grey Team

The Portland Timbers practiced at the team’s Beaverton training facility today, running through a series of short but intense drills before heading indoors for a yoga session.

With three full days of training remaining before Sunday’s rivalry match against the Seattle Sounders, the Timbers put in a hard workout today, starting with a large scale possession drill before breaking into four teams of five for a round robin style tournament of short-field games with keepers.

The games were quick and competitive, with starters, reserves, and everyone else mostly mixed up to create even teams. Perhaps the most interesting team to watch were the group without any pinnies, jut wearing the grey training tops. The grey team consisted of Will Johnson, Diego Valeri, Schillo Tshuma, Danny O'Rourke, and Nick Besler, making them the only team without an out and out forward in the side.

Practice Notes

As in actual matches, Maximiliano Urruti ran hot and cold in the day's drills. After flubbing several chances in the earlier matches for his team, Urruti turned it on in their final match, scoring most of his side's goals, including one that saw him square up with the keeper, assess his options, and coolly slot it home through his legs before the defense could arrive.

Norberto Paparatto also showed off a moment of flair in the final second of his team's last match, getting forward and going for a back post bicycle kick, but just missing the ball.

Injuries and Absences

Rodney Wallace again spent the day’s session on the sidelines, working with a trainer. Wallace, who spent the session running through a series of agility and dribbling drills, is recovering from an MCL sprain and does not yet have an estimated return time. Caleb Porter did not in training yesterday that it generally takes around 2-4 weeks for players to recover from an MCL sprains.

Michael Nanchoff was also working out on the sidelines today, spending the majority of his time on the practice facility’s turf field. Nanchoff is recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia. Nanchoff went under the knife five weeks ago and was given an estimated return time frame of between four and six weeks.

Ben Zemanski was not spotted at the training center today. Zemanski is recovering from ACL surgery and will miss the majority of the season.

Of the Timbers’ loanees to T2, Taylor Peay and Andy Thoma did not train with the first team today.

Trialists and Guest Players

T2 players Justin Luthy and Danny O’Rourke were both on hand to train with the first team today.

Of the first team players on loan to T2, Schillo Tshuma, Nick Besler, and Jake Gleeson all trained with the first team today.