Takeaways from Kamal Miller's Talk Timbers Appearance
The new Timbers center-back sat down with Talk Timbers for an insightful podcast interview
Kamal Miller is quintessential to Phil Neville’s new look Timbers, a quick and effective center-back who can work effectively in a three-man defensive line and brings leadership and experience to the squad. The Scarborough, Ontario native and Superdraft pick has had a fairly prolific career in the North American soccer scene so far, playing for MLS squads such as CF Montreal, Orlando City and Inter Miami earning All-Star recognition as well as caps for the Canadian national team.
Miller recently sat down with Talk Timbers’ hosts Jake Zivin and Judah Newby to talk about fitting into the squad as well as his early preseason thoughts.
Making Quick Chemistry
Neville has welcomed multiple Canadians to the squad who he had previously worked with as a support coach for the Canadian national team including Miller, goalkeepers James Pantemis and to a lesser extent Maxime Creapeau who had spent the majority of Neville’s tenure nursing a broken leg from the 2022 MLS Cup.
Preseason is usually a tight window for new signings to develop chemistry with the rest of a squad, but Miller feels right at home with his fellow Canadians. He mentions his relationship with keeper Pantemis playing with him previously as early as in the U14 squad for Canada as well as being teammates at Montreal, while also playing with Crepeau and fellow center-back Zac McGraw on the Canadian senior team.
Outside of his fellow Canadians, he’s held a professional relationship with Eric Miller doing events throughout the MLS and shared a mutual respect on the pitch. He was familiar with Eryk Williamson through a mutual connection in college.
It’s common that players coming to a new squad need some time to adjust and find their role, and Miller should be able make that adjustment a little more quickly than most new signings. His coach knows his strengths, he has a wealth of previous MLS experience and has said he’s already clicking well with the rest of his fellow teammates despite the brief time he’s been on the team. Being a leader on the pitch isn’t a given, but his previous relationships with the coach and teammates should aid in earning that respect.
He’s Looking for a Home
Miller was on a rollercoaster last season.
He began 2023 as member of CF Montreal before being traded to Inter Miami, where he witnessed the turbulence that came amidst a coaching change with Tata Martino replacing Phil Neville and the arrival of superstars Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Miami had essentially become a new team, and with that Miller had to reintegrate into a completely new system that catered to the strengths of some of soccer’s greatest of all time.
While Miami’s efforts at the end of the season weren’t enough to secure a playoff berth, they were able to secure their first trophy in the first edition of the Leagues Cup. Miami seemed to have Miller in their plans for the long term signing him to a three year contract extension, however he was traded only months later to the Timbers.
Miller mentions just how tough it is to be traded when you’re comfortable at a club, and emphasizes how loyal he is to the teams he plays for. He “looks forward to being here in Portland” and “really hopes to make this place home for a long time”. He also mentions his desire to get into the community as much as possible.
This shows that Miller is a great fit for Portland both on the pitch and off. Diego Chara has remained loyal to the Timbers for over a decade, Diego Valeri signed a one-day contract to retire to the club, and players like Larrys Mabiala and fan favorite Sebastián Blanco remained at the club past their prime (for better or worse). Even our coaching turnover is relatively low compared to most clubs.
The Timbers are an organization that will reward loyalty and do right by their players if it is earned. In an era where players make transfers left and right, Portland is a place that players are able to call home far longer than most clubs, and remain a home even after retirement.
If Miller plays well, demonstrates the leadership that’s expected, and takes the steps needed to be apart of the club’s community and culture, there’s no doubt that he’ll be able to stay long term with the Timbers and find his home in Portland.
Neville’s Vision is Built Around Miller
Phil Neville has been noted for his enthusiasm for Kamal Miller and his talents, saying that he was the number one prospect in the off season and that his plan was built around signing the Canadian.
The respect is mutual, with Miller mentioning that Neville not only looks at things from a coaches point of view, but also as the treble winning player he was at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson. He says that he’s able to understand players from their perspective, and that Neville knows what it takes to win and get the best of players through his lengthy and successful career.
What’s most interesting about this piece is the focus on defense. The Timbers had some big issues giving up goals last season owing to some blowout defeats, including a 5-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo and 4-1 losses to Minnesota and Miller’s former club Montreal. Volatility in the back half hasn’t helped the Timbers cause, as keeper Alijaz Ivacic was suspended by the league for threatening language and was replaced by David Bingham. The squad as a whole also dealt with different injury situations most of the season, while left-back Claudia Bravo is isn’t expected to be back until April due to a knee surgery.
Miller and Creapeau’s signings have made this focus clear. Miller can add stability to the backline, and he’s able to push and tackle with speed and power. Creapeau is one of the best goalkeepers in the league. It’ll be interesting to see how Miller works with other center-backs McGraw, Dario Župarić, and Miguel Araujo while also under the guidance of former Timber defender and assistant coach Liam Ridgewell.
Conclusion
Kamal Miller is an exciting signing. After a season of poor defensive performances, his arrival is a breath of fresh air and shows that the Timbers and Neville are serious about winning. He’s an experienced, bonafide MLS player with the skills and leadership to elevate a defense, while also fitting in with the culture of the club. For the first major signing as coach, Neville did well, showing that the Timbers rebuild might be much quicker than anticipated and is hopefully a sign of more big moves to come.
You can find the Kamal Miller’s interview with Talk Timbers here.
I really like the addition of Kamal Miller! He's a solid defender, passes very well, has MLS experience, is already familiar with other players on our team, he's relatively young, and he truly seems like he wants to be a Timber! I'm anxious to see if Coach Neville plays some version of a three back line!