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Posted inSports

Mike Norris Out as Portland Thorns Coach in Staff Shakeup

Norris will become the club’s technical director; General Manager Karina LeBlanc promises “global search” for new head coach.

Mike Norris is out as Portland Thorns head coach just four games into the 2024 NWSL season, the club announced on Tuesday.ย  Norris, who served just over a year as head coach, is being moved into a new role as the clubโ€™s technical director. Rob Gale, one of Norrisโ€™ assistants, will take over as interim […]

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Portland Thorns Fire Trainer, Assistant Coach Following Yet Another Investigation

Investigators recommended the staff members be placed on leave, but the team opted to fire them.

The Portland Thorns fired their head athletic trainer and an assistant coach on Tuesday after a National Womenโ€™s Soccer League (NWSL) investigation found that both staff members engaged in inappropriate conduct last year.ย  Pierre Soubrier, the head athletic trainer, was investigated for providing medication containing codeine to players during the clubโ€™s playoff semifinal match against […]

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Merritt Paulson Will Sell Portland Thorns, Keep Timbers

The decision follows a year of mounting pressure to sell after abuse allegations.

Merritt Paulson announced Thursday morning that he is selling the Portland Thorns, bringing to an end his stewardship of one of the countryโ€™s most successful womenโ€™s sports franchises in the aftermath of an abuse scandal that rocked the National Womenโ€™s Soccer League (NWSL). Paulsonโ€™s impending sale of the Thorns, however, will not end his involvement […]

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Merritt Paulson Resigns as CEO of Portland Thorns, Timbers

Yet Paulson has no plans to sell the teams

Portland Timbers and Thorns owner Merritt Paulson announced on Tuesday morning that he is stepping down as CEO of both teams but did not announce any plan to sell the teams.ย  Paulsonโ€™s decision to remove himself as CEO comes in the wake of a report on the findings of an independent US Soccer investigation into […]

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Thorns, Timbers Management Fires President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson and President of Business Mike Golub

Owner Merritt Paulson fired his top two executives after a report uncovered their role in enabling abuse against players

The Portland Timbers and Thorns have fired President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson and President of Business Mike Golub, the club announced in a press release on Tuesday morning.ย  Owner Merritt Paulsonโ€™s decision to fire his top two executives comes less than 24 hours after he announced that he, Wilkinson, and Golub would all temporarily step […]

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Thorns, Timbers Fan Groups Sever Ties With Club Management Over “Devastating” Report

Supporters say front office officials including owner Merritt Paulson misled and lied to them.

When Tina Ettlin, a member of the Rose City Riveters steering committee, began reading the report on US Soccerโ€™s independent investigation of abuse in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) on Monday, she was horrified.ย  The investigation, led by former US Attorney General Sally Yates, found that Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson and president of […]

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Thorns Fans Are Still Waiting For “Organizational Change” After Riley Scandal

Portland Thorns fans during a May 2021 match. Steph Chambers / Getty Images Two-and-a-half years ago, the Portland Timbers were locked in a fight threatening their relationship with their most visible supporters: Major League Soccer had decided to ban supporters from displaying the antifascist Iron Front logo in stadiums, and supporters were irate. At one […]

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Former Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc Named New Portland Thorns General Manager

Karina LeBlanc Portland Thorns FC The Portland Thorns have a new general manager. The club announced early Monday morning that it has hired its former goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc as the clubโ€™s second-ever general manager to replace the embattled Gavin Wilkinson as the club prepares for a pivotal offseason. โ€œI thought I might come back as […]

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Following Harassment Allegations, Thorns Fans Call for Merchandise Boycott and General Manager Resignation

Portland Thorns on the field in 2019, backed by their supporters, the Rose City Riveters PORTLAND THORNS FC Portland Thorns and Timbers supporters are calling for a boycott of stadium concessions and club merchandise and the removal of Thorns general manager Gavin Wilkinson as the fallout from the Paul Riley abuse scandal continues. โ€œOur hearts […]

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