Caleb Porter parts ways with Portland Timbers

The Portland Timbers announced Friday that Caleb Porter is moving on from his position as head coach after five years with the club.

Porter, 42, led the Timbers to three playoff berths and an MLS Cup in 2015, posting a 68-50-52 record. This season, he guided his team to a Cascadia Cup victory, as Portland finished top of the Western Conference.

"Everyone has made me and my family feel a part of the Timbers family from day one, and words truly can't express my gratitude for what this has meant to me," Porter said in a club-issued statement.

"My goal in taking the Timbers job was to lead the club to new heights and to win things that had never been done by the organization. Looking back and reflecting on my time with the Timbers, I am very proud of the results we all achieved and I know that joining the club in 2013 was one of the best decisions of my life."

He added: "I will never forget and cannot ever repay the fans, especially the Timbers Army, for their tremendous passion and unwavering support of myself, the players and the club. The supporters of the Portland Timbers are the lifeblood and soul behind what makes this club such a special place and bringing an MLS Cup trophy to Portland will be a memory I always will cherish, since you deserved it more than anyone!"

Paul Tenorio of FourFourTwo reports that Porter initiated the departure, and adds the head coach could be a candidate for the U.S. men's national team helm.