The newest face on the practice field for the Portland Timbers is a welcome one. Amid injuries, inconsistency and struggles to score, Ivorian forward Franck Boli arrives at the club with an opportunity to make an immediate, positive impact as he works his way into the fold.
Boli joined the Timbers via transfer from Hungarian side Ferencváros, signing a one-year deal with a club option for 2024. That sets up a chance for the well-traveled veteran Boli to prove himself in this single guaranteed season, and add something to the team in the near-term that it has desperately needed in recent weeks.
Portland is 1-3-1 on the season, coming off an ugly 0-0 draw against the LA Galaxy.
“I’m here to bring my experience, because I’ve been around,” Boli — who has played professionally in Hungary, Norway and China — said. “I learned some stuff as a human and a player and I hope I can help the team with that. I have been learning a lot about football and some other things like respect.”
Boli’s only previous trip to the United States was a vacation to Miami. But even as his first practice with the Timbers featured torrential rain, he’s not worried about adjusting to the climate: It’s similar to when he lived in Norway, he said.
Boli’s wife and two kids — still in Hungary — will be here in the coming weeks, too, as Boli’s search for a steady place to live is ongoing.
The climate in the locker room is something Boli is embracing, Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said.
“You can see the desire, the motivation, the excitement of him being here,” Savarese said. “I think you can see he’s happy with what he’s seen from the locker room, the wonderful locker room and great people we have. The organization we have, the stadium and fans that we have. I think all that has put him in a place that he’s excited. Today was his first practice with us, he shows good signs and we have to bring him little by little to make sure he’s at the right stage physically. From what I saw today, he’s going to contribute a lot of good things.”
Boli scored 42 goals and notched 11 assists in 126 appearances for Ferencváros. Savarese lauded his finishing ability, mobility, instincts and execution as traits that could immediately help a Timbers team that has yet to field a productive striker this season — save for homegrown player Tega Ikoba’s breakthrough in Atlanta. Boli hopes to see minutes this Saturday as Portland travels to FC Dallas.
“I think I’m a different type of player than what are here already,” Boli said. “I just have to bring my experience, and I like the way this team plays. Good, quality football. Short passes and everything. It’s a lot of players that are injured, obviously, but it’s the right fit for me.”
Portland vs. FC Dallas kicks off at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday with a live stream available for free on the Apple TV app.
-- Ryan Clarke, rclarke@oregonian.com, Twitter: @RyanTClarke
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