The Caleb Porter period in New England will start in Central America.
The Revolution open the 2024 marketing campaign with a Concacaf Champions Cup spherical one home-and-home collection match towards CA Independiente on Wednesday (8 p.m.) at Estadio Universitario FC Stadium in Llano Marin, Panama.
The Revolution start MLS play on Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at D.C. United and can have interaction CA Independiente within the second leg of the Champions Cup on Feb. 29 at Gillette Stadium.
“We were able to scout them and we actually sent someone to look at them and also we were able to get a couple of games (films) on them,” stated Porter.
“So, we have a good read on what this team is about in terms of formation. There are the two formations they have utilized primarily and their game model and style of play and key players.”
The Revolution will probably be competing within the Champions Cup for the fifth time and a number of other members of the present membership superior to the quarterfinals in 2022, the deepest Concacaf run within the crew’s historical past.
The Champions Cup has been as elusive because the MLS Cup for the Revolution and Porter has a chance to safe each in his first season. Porter stated he’ll put his greatest beginning 11 on the sector with the intent of advancing within the match. The crew with essentially the most mixed objectives within the two video games will advance to the following spherical.
“Obviously we know it is a double leg and I told the group in terms of priority this week, the priority is to win both games,” stated Porter. “I wish to begin the league (MLS) very well and I wish to advance so far as we will on this cup competitors.
“We have a tentative plan for both games and there will be some rotation. But we are going to put out a strong group and hopefully win both games. Get off to a good start in the first game and then hopefully get our first three (MLS) points in the league.”
Porter’s overriding targets within the preseason have been to put in a brand new system, assimilate the newcomers, consider the out there expertise on the pitch and acknowledge essentially the most optimum personnel combos for the lengthy haul.
The Revolution struggled by way of the early exhibition video games and completed the run with a 0-0 draw towards the Philadelphia Union, the crew that eradicated New England within the first spherical of the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs.
“This is my tenth year going through preseason so I learned early on that the early results in preseason mean nothing,” stated Porter. “I’ve had years the place we received each preseason sport and began the season poorly and I’ve had a few years the alternative.
“It’s inconceivable to place a lot worth in preseason, particularly the early levels since you are taking part in basically 22 guys. Ultimately it’s what you’re engaged on in coaching camp so the one end result I that I actually cared rather a lot about was the Philadelphia one.
“That was the first game where we played the top group 90 minutes against a very good team. None of the other games do I care at all about the result.”
The Revolution made a big transaction on Monday when it loaned out midfielder Damian Rivera to the Tampa Rowdies of the USL for the 2024 season. The homegrown participant from Cranston, R.I., had made 21 appearances with the Revolution and scored one aim.
The Revolution are flush with younger expertise like Noel Buck, Esmir Bajraktarevic and Jack Panayotou and the crew wanted to make room on the roster.
“He has been in the system a couple of years and so you have got to start to think about how he can grow,” stated Porter. “He shouldn’t be going to get main minutes with the primary crew.
“We have youthful gamers developing they usually get video games with Revs 2 which is nice. But it will be significant for them to get a change of surroundings. He can exit and play with a USL championship membership and play away from our surroundings.
“We felt this was a good fit for him to go to Tampa. He has talent, he still has potential to play for us but he is now entering his third year and we felt a different environment was the best thing.”