Portland Timbers part ways with head coach Giovanni Savarese

PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - The Portland Timbers announced that they were parting ways with head coach Giovanni Savarese on Monday.

Assistant coach Miles Joseph was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

“Gio has been an exceptional coach for the Timbers and a joy to work with,” owner Merritt Paulson said. “He has achieved some fabulous results during his tenure with the club, including two MLS Cup appearances and the MLS is Back championship. I want to thank Gio for all that he has given us. He will be missed.”

Savarese led the Timbers through two MLS Cup finals and guided Portland to the postseason four consecutive times from 2018 to 2021.

“We are incredibly grateful for the commitment that Gio has given to the Portland Timbers over that last six seasons, and it has been an honor to have had the chance to work with him,” general manager Ned Grabavoy said. “His success during his time with the club speaks for itself, and we wish Gio the best moving forward.”

The reason for their parting was not specified but Grabavoy said the club is ready for a new direction.

“I believe the club is ready for a new direction and voice to help lead us forward. Miles Joseph will take over as interim head coach as we begin our process to identify who will help lead our team in the years ahead. This moment serves as a chance for our club to reset, with a goal of reestablishing our ability to consistently compete at the highest level.”

Portland Timbers held a press conference Tuesday to talk about the decision to part ways with Savarese.

“He always gave, you know, all of his effort, all of his time and commitment with the thought process to do everything he could to help push the club forward,” Grabavoy said on Tuesday. “He’s a great professional, his reputation and what he’s built will follow him and do expect Gio to be coaching again soon on the sidelines somewhere.”

“I think through a collection of performances and results over the course of 60 games plus, during that time, it just doesn’t seem that we’ve been able to collectively, you know, get the team to move in the right way and the direction that we’ve wanted to,” Grabavoy said. “I’ll be the first one to say that I don’t view this decision and the moment that we’re in as a failure or the fault of one person.”

“We have to be also responsible for this moment. We are the players. The last year and a half wasn’t easy and we had to do more. Unfortunately, Gio paid for everything,” Timbers Foward, Sebastian Blanco, said.

“To part ways with them, with him, in this way is really bad,” Diego Chara said.

“For us, it’s a difficult day and very sad but of course, we wish for him the best,” Blanco said.

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