New England Revolution Set to Hire Caleb Porter as Head Coach

The New England Revolution is on the verge of finalizing a deal to appoint Caleb Porter, a two-time MLS Cup-winning manager, as their next head coach. This information comes from sources who have been briefed on the ongoing discussions, as reported by The Athletic. The Blazing Musket also revealed that Porter was the frontrunner for the position.

Porter’s Impressive Track Record

Caleb Porter most recently served as the head coach for the Columbus Crew, where he led the team to an MLS Cup victory in 2020. However, after failing to make the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, he was let go at the end of the 2022 season. Prior to his time with the Crew, Porter spent five successful seasons as the manager of the Portland Timbers from 2013-2017. During his tenure, he secured an MLS Cup title in 2015 and was named MLS Coach of the Year in 2013.

Extensive Search for Experienced Candidates

The New England Revolution considered several candidates with MLS experience before settling on Caleb Porter. Among those considered were Gio Savarese, Bob Bradley, Dom Kinnear, and Robin Fraser, according to sources familiar with the process.

Porter’s Background and Achievements

Prior to his professional coaching career, Caleb Porter had a successful stint as the head coach of the University of Akron’s soccer program. During his six seasons there, he achieved an impressive record of 119 wins, 18 losses, and 17 draws. Notably, he developed talented players like Darlington Nagbe, Darren Mattocks, and Wil Trapp.

Additionally, Porter served as the head coach of the United States U-23 side, although the team failed to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

Transition from Bruce Arena

The hiring of Caleb Porter comes after the resignation of former head coach and sporting director Bruce Arena. Arena stepped down from his position on September 9th, following an investigation by MLS into alleged inappropriate remarks. While certain allegations were confirmed, Bruce Arena has since been reinstated by MLS, as reported by Fox Sports.

Curt Onalfo, a longtime assistant and technical director under Arena, assumed the role of Revolution sporting director and led the search for a new head coach.

Promising Roster for the Revs

The New England Revolution boasts a strong roster, led by former MLS MVP Carles Gil. The club exercised the purchase option for winger Tomas Chancalay, securing his services as a designated player. Winger Dylan Borrero is expected to make an early return from injury, while the backline features talented players like Dave Romney, Andrew Farrell, Henry Kessler, DeJuan Jones, Brandon Bye, and Nick Lima, who was acquired in a trade with Austin FC.

(Photo: Lauren Sopourn/Getty Images)