As Timbers hit international break, Neville praises Kevin Kelsy's improvement
“We’re building something that can be sustained for the next two, three, four years — not just this season,” Neville said.
For the second straight week, the Portland Timbers went on the road and matched one of the West’s top teams.
It was 0-0 against No. 1 San Diego. It was 1-1 against No. 2 Minnesota. And while the Timbers are still searching for their first league win in more than a month, Phil Neville’s club has arguably played some of its best soccer of the season.
“I’d say that we dominated the whole match from start to finish,” Neville said after Minnesota. “I thought we dominated the whole game...We looked fluid. We looked mobile. We looked confident. We looked like we had a bit of swagger.”
Unfortunately, the Timbers have regained that confidence just as the league goes into a two-week break for an international window.
Neville won’t sugarcoat it: these breaks aren’t great for keeping momentum as the season moves into its final chapter.
“When I went from being an international player to not being an international player, I hated those weeks because there was nothing to look forward to in terms of a game,” said Neville, who made 52 appearances with England between 1996 and 2007 but spent the last six years of his career without a call-up. “The training becomes sort of like you’re just training to keep yourself tuned in.”
But for the players who leave, the experience is invaluable — which is why Neville was pleased to see forward Kevin Kelsy selected for Venezuela’s World Cup qualifier against Argentina on Sept. 4. It’s Kelsy’s second senior call-up and, Neville said, recognition for the improvement the 21-year-old has shown in his second MLS season. Kelsy leads the Timbers with seven MLS goals.
“I think the call-up is justification and a reward for some really good performances,” Neville said. “He knows — and everyone knows — how highly I rate this kid. He’s young, plus-6-foot, athletically like a machine.
“But he’s still developing and we’ve seen great strides this year. There’s going to be games where we are going to have to put Felipe Mora in because Felipe’s been patient, but this kid could be the real deal. We believe in him. We trust him. … If we can get him to 12 to 14 goals from now to the end of the season, I say he could be the biggest asset of them all. A center forward with his physique, his stature, his profile — they’re not out there in the world.”
Kelsy getting to 12–14 goals would be a long shot with six games left — but it would be a boon for a team sitting sixth in the West (10-9-9, 39 points). And with what Neville saw from new additions like Kristoffer Velde on Saturday in Minnesota, the coach is optimistic the club’s best soccer is still ahead.
And not just in 2025.
Kelsy is signed through 2028. Velde is signed through 2028. David Da Costa is signed through 2028.
“We’re building something that can be sustained for the next two, three, four years — not just this season,” Neville said. “We want success this season, but I feel as if, with the group we’ve recruited, we’re going to have sustained success.”
— Tyson Alger