Porter Claims Players Can’t Find Their Feet

Portland Timbers manager Caleb Porter says that the players are finding it hard to find their feet once again after a bad 4-2 defeat against Seattle Sounders. The club came into the match on a good run of form after having been unbeaten in the last three, but they were unable to stop Sigi Schmid’s team from going on a rampant spree. They managed to go 3-0 in the match with less than 20 minutes. Even though Portland managed to pull back to goals and finish the match in a respectable fashion, it has been seen as a very poor result for the club.

It is also result that hits hard on their aspirations to finish in the top six that would guarantee them a place in the play-offs. The three dropped points has allowed the likes of Vancouver Whitecaps and Colorado Rapids to close the gap on Portland. Even though Portland have a decent four-point advantage over Colorado Rapids, they are just one point above Vancouver Whitecaps who also have a game in hand. Hence, there is a danger of dropping out of the play-off places with only a handful of matches remaining in the season. Reflecting on this possibility, Porter said that he is working hard to ensure that the next match against Vancouver Whitecaps ends in a positive way.

“We obviously took the loss hard against Seattle. Every game is the same, but there’s certain games you take harder than others. That being a rivalry game, there’s a lot of reasons we took it hard. So I think it took a couple of more days to get over it, but the message to the group today was, we have to get over it. We’ve got to stay positive. We have to keep fighting and grinding like we have all season. We have to stick together,” said Porter.

Martins wants Seattle Sounders renewal

Recent comments from Obafemi Martins, the former Newcastle United and Inter Milan striker indicate his willingness to put pen to paper on a contract extension with his Major League Soccer club the Seattle Sounders, but the club is in no hurry to rip up the current deal of the player in a hurry as they play the waiting game.

Adrian Hanauer, the General Manager and part owner of the MLS franchise confirmed to reporters this past week that the Nigerian has a contract with the club that runs through to 2015 with the clause of an extra year included in that contract as well.

He said that they love Martins and he hopes that he wants to be at the club and that the club can have him for a long time to come. However, he went on to add that there is nothing guaranteed in football, money is the most important factor here and the players also have a very limited career.

The Seattle Sounders GM went on to add that if there is an opportunity for a player and the club feels that they are getting a good deal and the player is compensated well also, then sometimes, players are transacted. He did say, however, that they have held talks with Martins and his representatives about a renewal but there is nothing certain in football.

The former Nigerian international is enjoying a stellar season at the Seattle Sounders having already scored eight goals and provided six assists. And this could be the last chance that the Nigerian has of bagging a lucrative payday with time slowly running out on his career.

Although still only 29, Martins has lost a yard of pace but that striker’s instinct has kept him going with the Sounders in the MLS this season.