Revolution turn page to 2024, begin Caleb Porter era with MLS opener Saturday
Last July, the New England Revolution were flying high and looked to be a true contender for the MLS Cup. New England entered the Leagues Cup break in second place in the Eastern Conference on the back of a 4-0 win over D.C. United and closed the month with a 5-1 bludgeoning of LIGA MX side Atletico de San Luis to advance in the tournament.
A pair of coaching changes later, the loss of starting right back Brandon Bye to injury, and the exit of star goalkeeper Djordje Petrović to a club-record transfer to Premier League giants Cheslea FC, the Revs closed the regular season with a disappointing 3-5-3 record before being eliminated in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs with a sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Union.
With an offseason to regroup, recharge, and reset, the Revolution are ready to get back into the swing of things when the 2024 MLS regular season kicks off this Saturday, Feb. 24 in the nation’s capital against D.C. United (7:30 p.m. – Free on Apple TV). With new Head Coach Caleb Porter in charge, the Revolution look to re-establish themselves among the league’s elite. The Revs got their first test under Porter on Wednesday night when they opened the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup campaign down in Panama, earning a 1-0 win against CA Independiente in the first leg of the home-and-away series.
Porter, a two-time MLS Cup Champion with the Portland Timbers (2015) and Columbus Crew (2020), enters his 10th MLS season and first at the helm of New England. Porter is no stranger to success, winning titles at the professional level as well as the collegiate ranks – two College Cups with Indiana as an assistant coach and one at the University of Akron as head coach.
Porter clearly knows how to get the job done, and if he can do it again in New England, he will make history by becoming the first MLS manager to win the championship with three different clubs. His .534 winning percentage over nine MLS seasons ranks 10th in league annals.
“It was clear and evident that this is a club with a very strong foundation to build on from the standpoint of the people, the staff, the infrastructure, and the roster,” Porter said in his introductory press conference back in January. “The team is ripe for success, and I look forward to getting to work with the players and helping them continue to leave a legacy and hopefully, put more trophies in the trophy case.”
The Revolution roster remained largely intact with a corps of veteran returners mixed with a youthful group of up-and-comers. Captain and midfielder Carles Gil is set to begin his sixth season with the club – and one in which he will likely cement himself as the club’s all-time great. Gil, who has recorded double-digit assists totals in four of his five previous MLS seasons, is 11 helpers shy of setting a new club record. The Spaniard ranks fourth in club history with 110 goal contributions across all competitions (37g, 73a), and needs three more goals to become the fifth member of the Revolution’s 40-goal and 40-assist club.
“Carles Gil, obviously he’ll be a key player,” Porter said of his captain. “Everything will go through him in the attack. He’s a true number-10, one of the best players I’ve ever worked with, and one of the best players in the league. I’ve never seen a guy so good who has such a good attitude and good leadership and professionalism.”
New England made a splash in the offseason by inking Argentinian forward Tomás Chancalay to a Designated Player contract, filling out the Revs’ three DP slots alongside Gil and forward Giacomo Vrioni. Chancalay joined New England last summer on loan and scored six goals in 11 regular season appearances.
Along with Chancalay, New England added MLS veteran defenders Nick Lima and Jonathan Mensah, as well as Slovakian goalkeeper Henrich Ravas. Ravas has big shoes to fill as the successor to Petrović and U.S. National Team starter Matt Turner, both of whom are now featuring in England. Arriving from Polish side Widzew Łódź in January, Ravas was one of the top goalkeepers in the Ekstraklasa during his three-year stint with the club.
“Henrich is a top-quality goalkeeper who has all the tools necessary to fit into our game model and make an immediate impact in our league,” Porter said. “We liked his experience, but also his growth over the past several seasons, which gives us confidence that his best years are still ahead of him.”
Defensively, New England is anchored by an experienced backline that includes U.S. Men’s National Team defender DeJuan Jones, 12th-year stalwart Andrew Farrell, and Dave Romney, who played every minute of the 2023 season for the club. Center back Henry Kessler, who only saw action in 11 matches in 2023 due to a hamstring injury, also returns on the back of a four-year contract extension.
Last season also saw the emergence of homegrown talent who have earned international acclaim in Noel Buck and Esmir Bajraktarević, both of whom seem destined for bigger roles in 2024. Buck, still only 18, begins his third MLS season with heightened expectations after being voted the fourth-best player on the MLS’ annual “22 Under 22” list. The dual-national has become a regular on the England Under-19 National Team, the only American on a squad loaded with rising Premier League talents.
Bajraktarević has shown major strides as well since joining New England’s academy in 2021. Since making his MLS debut in 2022, Bajraktarević has earned national recognition, featuring for the U.S. Under-23 Olympic Team as it prepares for Paris this summer. The Wisconsin native, who was born in the United States as a refugee from Bosnia, earned his a first senior national team call-up and debut this past January.
“Esmir is very good player,” said Porter. “He’s a very talented player with a ton of potential He’s not only a great attacking player, but he also has a great work rate on both sides of the ball. For me, he’s going to play a major role this year.”
There are high hopes for the Revolution in 2024, but with a new coach and several new unknowns in the fold, we will have a lot to learn on Saturday night when the MLS season begins. Listen to the action right here on 98.5 The Sports Hub as Brad Feldman and Charlie Davies call the action.