PORTLAND — One Portland coach got sound sleep this week.

Who on Wednesday had their money on Phil Neville ?

Neville’s Timbers were playing in a wild card game they didn’t want to be in, had won a single match since July 25 with an MIA offense, and left the pitch on Saturday after a 4–0 loss at home to San Diego in the rain to expletive-filled chants from the home supporters.

Neville told fans to blame him. And over the next few days, they did, with the Timbers’ Reddit page littered with posts calling for the second-year manager’s sacking.

Neville understood that anger. All season, the Timbers were in playoff position, then suddenly the supporters were facing yet another wild card match just to get in — a year after the Timbers fell 5–0 to Vancouver in the same situation.

Neville

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