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Timbers lining up move for Diskerud

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By IVES GALARCEP

The Portland Timbers figure to be a more possession-oriented team under new head coach Caleb Porter, who is set to install the attacking style he became so well-known for during his time at Akron University and with the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team.

What the Timbers don’t have yet is a pure attacking midfield, but Portland is lining up a move to land just the kind of player who could fit that role. The Timbers are preparing a move to sign U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Mix Diskerud, sources told SBI on Thursday.

Currently at Norwegian side Rosenborg, Diskerud would be re-united with Porter, who coached him with the U.S. Under-23 national team.

Due to his status as a U.S. national team player, Diskerud would have to go through the MLS Allocation process, but the Timbers have maneuvered themselves into the top spot in the MLS Allocation Order after deals with Toronto FC and Chivas USA. (Update- TFC still has the No. 1 Allocation Order spot, but an agreement is in place that would ensure that Toronto would not select Diskerud. The arrangement was part of the trade completed between the teams on Wednesday.)

If the Timbers pull off the Diskerud acquisition, they will have added two major midfield pieces in Diskerud and Will Johnson who would fit in perfectly with the 4-3-3 system Porter is known to favor.

Diskerud, 22, has enjoyed a strong run with Rosenborg after joining them earlier this year, including a good showing in Europa League. He also impressed in the U.S. National Team’s recent 2-2 draw vs. Russia, scoring the late equalizer for the United States.

What do you think of this development? Shocked to hear Portland could pull off this move? Impressed with the team the Timbers are putting together?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • I love how everyone is an expert on what is good for Diskerud. As if he has no control over what he chooses to do and somehow has less insight into his professional career, MLS, and international soccer leagues including the one he currently plays in. Astonishing levels of BS from self important loud typists who lack insight, grammar skills, and original ideas.

      BTW, as a Timbers fan, I can’t wait. After a year of torture this would be nice… maybe next year we will even get the elusive opportunity to take a PK.

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  1. I don’t think this is the best move for Diskerud. As already mentioned, it would hinder his development. Even if mls is better than the Norwegian league, hopefully he doesn’t settle.

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  2. It is going to take awhile for his finesse game to adjust to MLS. Mentally and physically, this will be a challenge for the youngster. It takes seasoned vets awhile to adjust. It will probably be a year in before he can make a real impact.

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  3. This is a great move for Mix, Portland, and MLS. He needs to sign a 3 year deal and can reassess his options in 2 years. That way MLS can get something out of him if… I mean when… he is in demand for a couple million somewhere in Europe.

    1. He can get paid at the high end of the MLS non-DP spectrum and still be competitive salary-wise with what he made in Norway.

    2. He’ll strengthen his ties to the US and USMNT.

    3. He’ll play for a team that, unless something goes horribly wrong, is posed to be pretty good next year.

    4. He’ll be in an awesome city with awesome fans, which will help w/ #2.

    5. He’ll boost his value playing in MLS, a la Stuart Holden.

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  4. this is why MLS is still Mickey Mouse. Allocation process? Open the frickin league up already to free agency.

    Allocations process? re-entry drafts? It’s Mickey Mouse Bullshit.

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  5. True or False
    If you play well in the MLS you will get attention from the best leagues in the world?
    True or False
    Players who have played well in the MLS have been signed every single year by the best leagues in the world?
    I don’t see what people are whining about either
    a.) you’re a eurosnob and you think the mls is crap…which means it should be easy for him to shine and transfer to a big club as many others have
    or
    b.) MLS is a legitimate improving league where he can advance as a player.
    either way it’s a reasonable move for him to make.

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    • UEFA has a ranking system for the European leagues.

      “The country coefficient is used to rank the football associations of Europe, and thus determine the number of clubs from an association that will participate in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.-This coefficient is determined by the results of the clubs of the associations in the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League games over the past five seasons.”

      These ranking do not mean that the bottom team from Portugal (#6) for example is automatically better than a mid level or top level team from Turkey (#12). It just tells you Portuguese teams have done better in UEFA competitions than Turkish teams over a recent period of time. But that is all that is out there right now, as far as I know. The chart below is for league rankings going into 2013.

      Diskerud has excelled only in Norway, which is ranked very low. He did not show well in Belgium. It is possible he is not as good as most of his USMNT fans seem to believe and this may be his best and only option. Going back to Rosenberg would seem to be a lateral move and JK hates players that do not have faith in their abilities.and the courage to test them out.

      I am not aware of any way to plug MLS into UEFA’s coefficient. Clearly MLS gets better every year but I see no way to get a consistent basis of comparison between MSL and the European leagues.

      It should be obvious that MLS can produce quality players capable of playing in any European league, starting with Ryan Nelsen. I would bet Mixx would want maximum flexibility in terms of ability to transfer and that is not MLS’ preferred method of operation.

      If Mixx does come here the key will be getting on the World Cup squad and doing well. If that happens, then he will have his high profile and whatever else comes with that.

      We shall see.

      5 France
      6 Portugal
      7 Ukraine
      8 Netherlands
      9 Russia
      10 Belgium
      11 Greece
      12 Turkey
      13 Cyprus
      14 Switzerland
      15 Denmark
      16 Austria
      17 Israel
      18 Czech Republic
      19 Romania
      20 Poland
      21 Belarus
      22 Croatia
      23 Sweden
      24 Scotland
      25 Serbia
      26 Slovakia
      26 Norway

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  6. I think this could be a good move for Diskerud, but only if he has an automatic release clause in his contract, like a lot of players in Europe have. In other words, a clause in Diskerud’s contract that if a team pays X amount of dollars as a transfer fee, then Diskerud is free to leave if he wants to whether the Timbers/MLS like it or not. If the Timbers and MLS would refuse to give him an automatic release clause, then Diskerud would be crazy to get trapped at the Timbers with no chance of making a move back to Europe.

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    • Of course there will be. Everyone is getting all uppity about it. There’s no way he stays in MLS if he gets an offer from a big club. But, clearly he hasn’t received a sufficient offer yet.

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      • Boyd will stick around… There isn’t anybody that would take his $1.5 million off the Timbers balance.

        I’m interested to see if he plays. He could be a David Villa like goal poacher on a possession type team. Or he could pull a Hammy and drink IPA’s for a year

    • Why? porters a solid coach, great fans in pdx, jk gets to see more of him, possible moves to bigger EU squads than playin in norway? any of those sound good?
      nm youre just an MLS hater so bye bye

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  7. I am very interested in seeing how Caleb Porter does this MLS season. He looks to be putting together a team that could make some noise! Success in the MLS will see Porter’s name show up as potential USMNT coach.

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  8. People here are crazy. Players aren’t soccer playing robots. Maybe he likes Caleb Porter. Maybe he has developed a deeper connection to the US and wants to explore it more. Maybe he’s seen videos of the Timbers’ crowd and was impressed (I’ve been live and it’s great–and I’m a Sounders fan). AND MLS doesn’t suck–after all, Dempsey, Bradley, Donovan, Howard, Altidore, Guzan, Cameron, Bocanegra, Edu, Beasley, Ream, etc… have all parlayed success in MLS into leagues much better than the one Mixx currently plays in. News flash–European clubs now scout MLS.

    This would be great for MLS, and probably a great move for him. I hope they pull it off.

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    • I bet that’s a large part of it, actually. For him to choose the US over Norway (tentatively) without having lived here really, I assume he must have some deeper connection to the US he wants to explore. Norway is only slightly worse than the US I would say (albeit with a much harder time at getting to the WC), so if it was about soccer I’d say it’s close to a moot point (if you factor in Euro qualifying, etc. as bonuses for playing for Norway).

      I also think it’s funny that people said Caleb Porter couldn’t just recruit everbody anymore like he did in college….guess again.

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  9. Exactly what MLS should be doing. The haters need to get a grip. We have MLS’ers leaving and starting overseas in big leagues. The quality of coaching and play is at an all-time high. If not for the work permit rules in Britain you would see more moves. It makes sense that coming here as a young player has a huge upside, with a higher visibility than the Scandanavian leagues. Bring more young ones here please…no mas Marquez types please.

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  10. Wow, I really had high hopes for him. Did anyone tell him that Portland is terrible? Or perhaps that they got ousted from the USOC by a bar team??

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  11. I love reading the comments on this thread of critics of MLS. People criticizing a player for leaving a “top level” European to play in MLS. Yet at the same time criticize the league for it’s quality of play, even though the league has had a definite jump in quality in the past 5 years. Look at the foreign players that are starting to come play in this league, it’s not just 35+ year-old Europeans looking for a vacation.

    The Danish league is ranked the 12th best league…in Europe. It’s just behind Greece. It features teams such as Silkeborg and AC Horsens, whom I dare you to try and argue are higher quality teams than the majority of those stateside.

    The Norwegian Tippeligaen is ranked the 27th best league in Europe, behind Slovakia. Yes, it features Molde who has been in the Europa League, but it also features something called Sogndal as well as Fredrikstad.

    A quality player is potentially coming to play in the US, which in turn would help raise the quality of the league as a whole. This is a good thing for both the league, and Mixx also. Getting regular minutes and prospering in a league where the USMNT coach can easily track your progress is a good thing, just ask Graham Zusi.

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      • As for Zizzo – playing quite well for Portland. Making a comeback.
        Szetela – a lost cause, went the way of Johann Smith and countless other also-rans.

    • Zizzo had a pretty good season with Portland last year. We’ll be looking for him to build on that this year. As for Danny… Well, last I heard he was getting arrested in NJ.

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    • Zizzo is already in Portland. Sztelela hasn’t played since DC United released him in 2010. Sigh. Sure seemed like the 2007 U-20 Team was destined for greatness. I think of that team when people ask why US Soccer hasn’t progressed more, no one except Altidore and Bradley made the leap from that team.

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