'That went against everything we’re trying to build at this football club'
The Portland Timbers say their star midfielder's anger stems from tabled contract negotiations.
BEAVERTON — Portland Timbers manager Phil Neville has two children.
Harvey Neville is currently on loan from the Timbers to the Sacramento Republic, while Isabella Neville is a student at the University of Portland. The 47-year-old often speaks of them. They’re a large part of who he is.
For the last year, the Timbers manager will tell you that Evander’s been just as close.
Neville initially sought the gifted midfielder on his roster during his time as Inter Miami’s coach. When finally linked with the Timbers here in 2024, the result sometimes led to jaw-dropping soccer. Evander had an MVP-like season, posting 15 goals and 19 assists while crediting his coach for allowing him creative freedom on the pitch.
In turn, Neville has sung Evander’s praises. He calls him the best No. 10 in the league.
In 2024, the Portland Timbers went as far as Evander could take them. For most of the year, that was good enough for playoff contention. But Evander did not carry the Timbers through the postseason. The Timbers lost to Vancouver Wednesday night in the Wild Card Round 5-0, an embarrassing loss made worse when Evander posted tweets critical of the organization in the late hours of the night.
“Portland fans do not deserve the people who have power over this club,” Evander wrote. “People who say they are men but do not keep their word. People who are only there when the team wins. Unfortunately, these are things we have no control over.”
Neville said he was asleep when Evander posted the tweets.
“I was incredibly disappointed with that post that got put out,” Neville said. “And that’s coming from someone that, Evander is like my second child. I wanted to sign him in Miami. When I came here, I think I’ve given him the platform to perform and I think he’s delivered on the pitch. I think his performances this year have been incredible.
“And then when you have a defeat like we had on Wednesday night, the last thing this club needed was from our DP player to come out and say something public like that. It’s not right.”
Neville didn’t specify which of his children got demoted in the family pecking order, but the message is clear: the 26-year-old Brazilian has been essential to the success Neville’s Timbers have had to date — success that, up until lately, seemed mutually enjoyed.
It’s been no secret that Evander wants the opportunity to play in higher leagues. And it’s no secret that the Timbers aren’t willing to take pennies on the dollar for a player they paid a club-record $10 million transfer fee for last year and view as a key piece of the roster. Neville says a team will go only as far as its Designated Players take them, and Evander served the perfect example: when on, Evander made the Timbers must-watch. When off — like he was during his scoreless final four matches of the season — the team’s offensive flow had little direction.
The Timbers made the playoffs for the first time in two seasons because of Evander. He also disappeared when the club needed him the most. Evander did not participate in Friday’s optional exit interviews, which left Neville and Timbers General Manager Ned Grabavoy to answer for the tweets the star wrote.