Portland Thorns Part Ways with Head Coach Rob Gale

The Portland Thorns have officially parted ways with head coach Rob Gale, as reported by multiple sources to ESPN.

Gale assumed the role of head coach midway through the 2024 NWSL season, following a successful stint as interim head coach. Under his leadership, the Thorns concluded the previous season in sixth place, ultimately losing to NJ/NY Gotham FC in the semifinals.

This year marked Gale’s first full season at the helm. The Thorns achieved a commendable third-place finish in the league with a record of 11 wins, 7 draws, and 8 losses, totaling 40 points. They advanced past the San Diego Wave in the quarterfinals before facing elimination at the hands of the Washington Spirit in the semifinals.

Throughout the season, the team experienced a tumultuous journey, heavily influenced by injuries and player absences. Notably, three potential starters sustained season-ending knee injuries during the preseason, and star forward Sophia Wilson was on maternity leave for the entirety of the season.

Following the Thorns’ semifinal loss on November 15, captain Sam Coffey expressed pride in her teammates but emphasized the need for greater consistency moving forward.

“The word that comes to mind immediately is consistency,” Coffey remarked. “We are incredibly capable of being dynamic, especially at home. However, we need to exhibit greater resilience on the road; today’s match highlighted some of those issues.

“Given our talent, we must enhance our consistency across performances, and this applies organization-wide. We can strive for better commitment, ensuring we show up every day and focus on the details of our training and performance.

“While there will always be ups and downs throughout a season, I feel immense pride in how we wrapped up the year, despite today not ending as we had hoped. Looking ahead, continuous growth and improved consistency in our performances will be paramount.”