The Portland Timbers have announced that they have mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Phil Neville.
Neville’s tenure ended following a 3-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, which left the team in 13th place in the Western Conference, trailing eight points behind a playoff spot.
In a statement on Monday, Neville, 49, expressed his gratitude to everyone at the club during his time in Oregon, while acknowledging that he had not met the performance expectations this season.
“I understand that we operate in a results-driven environment, and unfortunately, the outcomes haven’t been aligned with the club’s ambitions,” Neville stated.
The former England and Manchester United defender had joined the Portland Timbers in 2023 after being let go by Inter Miami. Before that, he was the manager of the England women’s national team, guiding them to the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup.
Although Neville set a scoring record and led the Timbers to the playoffs in his first two seasons, the announcement comes just as the league is heading into a break for the World Cup.
General Manager Ned Grabavoy commented: “Phil brought enthusiasm and dedication to his role, and it has been a pleasure working with him. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
“In the off-season, we had focused discussions regarding areas for development and improvement. Unfortunately, we did not see the necessary progress, and most critically, our results fell short of our expectations.”