After a distinguished playing career, Ned Grabavoy is moving on to the technical staff.
On Wednesday, the Portland Timbers announced that Grabavoy, who retired at the end of the 2016 season, has been hired as the club’s director of scouting and recruitment.
One of just 39 players in league history to play 300 or more MLS regular-season games, Grabavoy played for six MLS teams over 13 seasons, winning two MLS Cup championships as well as a U.S. Open Cup title.
"We have placed a great emphasis on further developing our player scouting efforts within the club, and the addition of Ned Grabavoy as the director of scouting and recruitment, and the considerable league experience he brings to the position, is another important step in that evolution,” said Timbers general manager and president Gavin Wilkinson in a statement.
Grabavoy, who joined the Timbers as the first MLS free-agent player signing in team history ahead of the 2016 MLS campaign, announced his retirement in October. In his final season, the 33-year-old midfielder made five starts and 22 appearances, finishing his career with 301 total appearances and 225 starts in league play.
In his new role, Grabavoy will oversee the identification and evaluation of prospective professional and collegiate players, managing a team of scouts for early identification and recruitment. Additionally, he’ll collaborate with the Timbers’ technical staff to further develop target markets for recruiting players – both domestically and internationally – for each level within the club’s developmental pyramid.
"We are pleased to have Ned on board to assist our technical staff in the identification of potential players,” Timbers head coach Caleb Porter said. “His vast MLS experience in winning clubs will be extremely valuable as we continue to refine our scouting infrastructure and processes."
