PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC general manager Gavin Wilkinson finished his opening remarks at Tuesday’s season-ending press conference with a statement that, transcribed and deprived of its context, seems fairly obvious. “We’ve closed another chapter, and now we have to open the way to next year,” he said, reciting something that, as a truism, could be evoked by every club after any season.
The true relevance of Wilkinson’s thought, though, is in its context. For the first time since the 2015 offseason, the Thorns ended a year with major questions about the team’s direction. Portland’s third-place finish and a semifinal exit culminated a final stretch that saw the team go 1-4-1 over its last six games, scoring only once in that span.