Portland Timbers name Giovanni Savarese manager

From the North American Soccer League to Major League Soccer.

On Monday, the Portland Timbers named Giovanni Savarese as their manager entering the 2018 MLS season. The Venezuelan tactician is the third head coach in the club's history and most recently served as the manager and sporting director of the NASL's New York Cosmos, whom he commanded to three league titles.

"I am both excited and proud to become the head coach of the Portland Timbers, and this is an ideal fit and outstanding opportunity for me as I take the next step in my coaching career," Savarese said. "The passion, ambition, and support surrounding this club is truly inspiring, and I am sincerely honored and grateful for this opportunity to lead it on the pitch and to build on the club's history of success for the community and the incredible supporters of the Portland Timbers."

Savarese spent five seasons playing as a striker in MLS. He was drafted by the New York/New Jersey MetroStars with the ninth overall selection of the MLS Inaugural Player Draft in 1996, and scored 41 goals for the club, including its first-ever marker in a 2-1 defeat to the LA Galaxy. He also represented the New England Revolution in 1999 and joined the San Jose Earthquakes during the 2000 season.

At the international level, Savarese earned 30 caps for Venezuela and tallied 10 goals between 1989 and 2001. His most notable strike came in 1996, when he opened the scoring as La Vinotino suffered a 5-2 defeat to Argentina in 1998 World Cup qualifying.

It was 2010 when Savarese joined the Cosmos as their academy director, and he became their head coach in 2012.