Jeff Kassouf
The Portland Thorns have fired head coach Rob Gale, the club confirmed on Tuesday.
Gale took over as head coach midway through the 2024 NWSL season following a strong run as interim head coach. The Thorns finished sixth last year, losing to NJ/NY Gotham FC in the semifinals.
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This year was Gale’s only full season in charge. The Thorns finished third in the league with an 11-7-8 (W-D-L) record and 40 pts. They defeated the San Diego Wave in a quarterfinal before falling to the Washington Spirit in the semifinal.
The Thorns said that assistant coach Sarah Lowdon will serve as interim head coach, while first assistant coach Adam Day has also left the club. The 2026 NWSL regular season will kick on March 13.
“We are grateful to Rob for his dedication to the Thorns and the positive influence he has had on our players and staff,” Thorns general manager Jeff Agoos said as part of the team’s announcement. “We thank Rob for his contributions and wish him the best in his next endeavor.”
Portland endured a rollercoaster year of results that were impacted by injuries and absences.
Three potential starters suffered season-ending knee injuries in preseason, and star forward Sophia Wilson was on maternity leave the entire season.
After the Thorns’ semifinal loss on Nov. 15, captain Sam Coffey said she was proud of the squad, but that she wants to see more consistency from the team going forward.
“I think the word that comes to mind immediately is consistency,” Coffey said. “I think we are so capable of being electric, especially at home. I think we could be a little bit more durable on the road; I think that showed today in some ways.
“We have too much talent to not be more consistent with our performances, and I mean that just top to bottom as an organization. I think we can do better to be committed to just showing up every day, being consistent in our details, in the way we perform, the way we train.
