Tag: Caleb Porter

Revs coach Porter: I won’t start any player in awe of Messi

The coach doesn’t have time for any starstruck players on his team

New England Revolution head coach Caleb Porter has said he won’t start any player who is too awestruck by Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi.

Inter Miami will face the Revs at Gillette Stadium on Saturday, with a crowd of more than 60,000 expected for the MLS encounter.

“The guys are excited. It’s going to be a packed stadium. I think it’s the [second] largest attended soccer match in Boston sports history,” Porter said on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“So, if you can’t get up for that type of game, if you can’t get excited, and if you can’t perform in that game, you shouldn’t be here.”

Though Porter is expecting his players to be excited, he also warned them about being too in awe of global superstars like Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suárez.

“If they are [in awe], they shouldn’t be here,” Porter said. “You could every week be in awe of somebody in our league. We’ve got a lot of big-time players in our league.

“It’s similar to asking like, are you in awe in the NBA if you’re playing against LeBron James? If you are, you shouldn’t be in the NBA. I’m trying not to start any guys that I think might be in awe.

“After each game, you look at the guy that wants to get [Messi’s] jersey first. Not sure you want to be the guy asking for his jersey.”

Porter said that while a Messi jersey is a desirable souvenir, what he wants more than anything from Saturday’s game is three points.

“Would I love to get a jersey from Messi for my son? Yeah,” Porter said. “Would I love to just win the game and not get a jersey? Yeah, that’s mostly what I would love.”

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Caleb Porter guarantees last-place Revs will beat Charlotte FC

This one could really backfire on the Revs coach

The pressure is already growing on Caleb Porter just a couple months into his tenure as New England Revolution head coach.

Now, Porter has taken a step that will undoubtedly ratchet that pressure up even more.

In an appearance on a Boston radio station, Porter guaranteed the Revs would defeat Charlotte FC at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.

The promise was notable, given the Revs are currently the worst team in MLS on a points-per-game basis. Porter’s side has one draw and four defeats in five games thus far, with a league-worst goal differential of -7.

New England is also coming off a dismal 4-0 home loss against Club América on Tuesday, essentially ending their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal tie after just one leg.

Porter appeared on 98.5 The Sports Hub on Thursday, and closed out his interview by saying: “We’re going to get a win Saturday. I promise that.”

Word of Porter’s guarantee quickly reached Dean Smith, whose Charlotte  side currently sits six places and seven points above the Revs in the table.

“He shouldn’t make promises he might not be able to keep,” the coach fired back.

Whether Porter’s guarantee ends up being suicidal or a brilliant bit of motivation, we have to give the coach credit for turning a nondescript early-season matchup into a game MLS fans will now be closely monitoring.

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After yet another late-game collapse, Columbus Crew fire head coach Caleb Porter

Needing just a draw to make the playoffs, the Crew lost the lead and the game at Orlando on Decision Day.

The Columbus Crew have fired head coach Caleb Porter after four seasons in charge.

The final straw for Porter came on the last day of the MLS season, as the Crew lost 2-1 to Orlando City after holding a halftime lead. Columbus missed the playoffs with the defeat, having needed just a draw to reach the postseason.

The second-half collapse continued an unfortunate trend for the Crew in 2022. Under Porter, the club dropped 24 points from winning positions this season — the third-worst mark in MLS — including an incredible 11 points dropped just in second-half stoppage time.

“This is not a decision we took lightly, and I need to first and foremost thank Caleb for his tireless efforts for the Crew during his four seasons with the Club. He joined the club ahead of 2019 and provided steady leadership at a critical moment of historic transition for the Crew,” said Crew President and General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko in a statement.

Porter took over in Columbus ahead of the 2019 season after previously serving as Portland Timbers head coach for five seasons.

The 47-year-old missed the postseason in three of his four seasons with the Crew but in 2020, he led the team to the MLS Cup in the pandemic-shortened season. It was the second MLS Cup win for Porter, who also lifted the trophy in 2015 with the Timbers.

The next Crew coach will inherit a team full of talent, namely the dynamic attacking pair of Lucas Zelarayán and Cucho Hernández.

In a statement, Porter said: “We accomplished a lot of wonderful things together, including winning MLS Cup and Campeones Cup, and with a beautiful new stadium and training ground and an amazing fan base, I have no doubt the future is bright for the Crew.

“Our players and coaching staff gave everything we had, but unfortunately the past two years we missed the playoffs on Decision Day. It’s a bottom-line business and I accept responsibility for the club falling short of our goals.”

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