Bill Tuiloma

The other two players get a little write up, but nothing for Bill : (

Hopefully he is in the first team from the start this year.

Tuiloma is going to be joined by journey man Peruvian Andy Polo in Portland for this season (he started the return leg vs NZ)

A first MLS start for Tuiloma as CB today at Dallas!

After Portland got thrashed 4-0 last start against New York RB, a big chance for Tuiloma to show what he can do.

Gleeson also in goal.

Interestingly today's Portland starting eleven has only one USA player (not sure if there are any on international US team duty) & only a further two on the bench - and Phoenix fans complain about lack of Kiwis at the Nix!

Playing extremely well so far, Portland's rock. 1-1 in the 50th minute

And it finishes 1-1. Tuiloma doing very well, Gleeson apparently poor in the first half which I didn't watch

He rated a respectable 6.8 on whoscored

https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1256688/Live/USA...

https://www.timbers.com/post/2018/03/24/match-high...

Tuiloma number 25.

Portland Timbers defender Bill Tuiloma
On making his MLS debut..
“It felt great. I'm truly blessed to make my debut in MLS. I went into the game with the right attitude and right mentality to work for my [team]. We came out with a point and it was a good result for us.”

On the defensive performance...
“All the players felt the rhythm and had the right mentality going into the game to defend for one another. We went down to 10 men and we knew we had to protect the goal and each other.”

On getting their first point of the season...
“It took a little bit of a weight off of us and getting that point was very important, especially against a good team in FC Dallas and away in the weather was kind of difficult for us. We stuck to our game plan, worked hard, defended for each other, and got a good result.”

Really pleased for Bill. He has done what every young pro should do......keep your head down, work hard, keep a good attitude, be positive. With all that and a bit of luck you can get breaks in pro football. He toughed it out at Marseille and then spent a year in the Timbers reserves. Now he is starting for the first team.

I always thought that Bill might go OK as a centre back. He is a big solid player,good in the air, tackles well and can pass OK off either foot. He probably was not dynamic enough to be a top midfielder. 

Good luck for the rest of the season Bill

I watched the whole game. Jake had nothing to do in the first half apart from pick the ball out of the net for a goal he could do nothing about. In fact, he played a brilliant ball out from his box onto the toe of his left winger in the opposing half that Beckham would've been proud of.

As for Bill, he didn't look out of place. Very solid game. Made some good tackles and blocks and good in the air. Made some incisive passes out of defence as well.

Portland drew 2-2 with Chicago. Both Tuiloma and Gleeson played all 90 minutes

Just noticed that Bill was in the MLS "Team of the Week" for the previous round.

Great to see him suddenly make such progress in his career.

https://twitter.com/MLS/status/978364771392253954

1:15 PM - 26 Mar 2018

https://www.timbers.com/post/2018/03/31/match-highlights-chicago-fire-2-portland-timbers-2-mar-31-2018?autoplay=true

Both Gleeson and Tuiloma retain their starting spots as Portland travel to Orlando.

Approaching HT Timbers lead 1-0.

Portland were 2-0 up after Tuiloma scores but have conceded three goals in the last ten minutes of the game to trail 2-3.

Highlights here  

Wrong thread but what a fudgeing fantastic save from Gleeson at 1:06!

Exciting game, great crowd atmosphere. Heartbreak Portland. Nice to see Tuiloma score, his career may at last have found its groove. Good stuff.

watched most of the game and i thought bill looked very good on the ball, good in his general positioning, but a little slow at times to pick up the right position when attacks came at speed, when he was bailed out by chara, who for most of the game was great at DM

still, he will improve a lot with games and i think he could be a seriously good contender to play at centre back for the all whites given his composure, speed and ability to play out with both feet

the fact that he seems to have at least temporarily ousted the highly rated liam ridgewell should not be taken lightly. ridgewell has been one of the outstanding MLS defenders in the last few years.

Who knows if in the next 2-3 years players like Tuiloma, Wynne, Colvey even Collier - can become regulars at MLS level NZ may have some serious squad depth for AWs. 

To the point where if some of the often injured - Reid, Smith, Wood - are unavailable, it isn’t a total calamity. No more Jeremy Christie scenarios

Hopefully, playing regularly in MLS leads to even bigger leagues for some of this young Kiwi talent. Can only dream. 

Jeez MLS is so far ahead of the A-League, good to see kiwis playing consistently and doing well in a league like that.

Portland on track for first win and first clean sheet of the season. Currently 2-0 up at home to Michael Boxall's Minnesota, half an hour to go.

Oggie by Tuiloma makes it 3-2

https://twitter.com/JogaBonito_USA/status/985372990320922624

Yeah, kind of gone a bit pear shaped after that post. Portland still up 3-2 though.

That is some own goal.

OMG, what a shocker

Portland hang on for a 3-2 win.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/04/15/highligh...

A total of 8 kiwis by my account featuring in MLS action, on the weekend.

[quote=coochiee]

Portland hang on for a 3-2 win.

https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/04/15/highligh...

A total of 8 kiwis by my account featuring in MLS action, on the weekend.

Does anyone know how many Australian players feature in the MSL ?

Aussie a little bit different as they count as Asian players, so more likely to go to Asian leagues where they can earn more $$.

Think there's also an Aussie playing for Seattle Sounders II who's trained with the first team

Also a backup journeyman 30 yr keeper at Toronto has Aussie flag on Soccerway. USA born though

Maybe also on ‘average’ more young Aussie players have a European passport - given their large European ethnic communities - so getting a gig in Europe is easier. 

Plus with 7 A League teams plenty of pro opportunities at home.

Another guy that features in an interview. A little mention of his national team.

http://theniche-cache.com/football/2018/4/17/flyin...

Absent from the match day squad as Timbers win 3-0. Gleeson dropped to the bench.

He was seen watching the Timbers II game with a knee brace, according to a guy on Reddit

Yep saw on Twitter that he suffered a knee injury in training. Gives Ridgewell his spot back unfortunately.

Dropped down to Timbers II in the USL, under Cameron Knowles. A 0-0 draw verus Saint Louis.

Having not played for a few weeks after his knee injury, maybe Portland wanted to give him a full 90 minutes of match fitness, rather than sit on the bench for MLS team.

Tuiloma played 90 mins for Timbers II who beat Seattle Sounders II by 1-0. Winner 92nd min.

Timbers II (coached by Cameron Knowles) travelling pretty well at moment being 5th in USL Western Conference. 

Last season they were awful.

Won't be any MSL action for Tuiloma this weekend.

Had 90 minutes and a yellow card in the USL, as Timbers II trounce LA Galaxy II by 7-3. 

Timbers II scored last 3 goals, post 90 mins.