“Dario Zuparic looks unlikely to return to the Timbers. As per source, ‘he’s not allowed at the training facility’. This has the same energy as Ivacic’s parting with the team. Dario has requested transfers and made his case to the MLSPA, but feels ignored.”

Zuparic is completely average in MLS, and anyone that shares Ivacic’s attitude (and agent) after being provided enormous opportunities by the team can get lost. Good riddance.

Neville is all in on Kamal Miller at left center back, which is where Zuparic most naturally fits in. I’d entertain arguments that McGraw or Araujo are somehow tactically better on the right but I haven’t seen enough evidence of that so far. I think it must come down to attitude and future planning. Zuparic has reportedly wanted out for a while and if that means we need to move forward with another CB, they should start getting minutes to ease their transition.

Maybe this is who we’ll waive in the summer if we get that extra allowance that’s been reported.

We spent a lot of money on Kamal Miller and Crepeau, and so far, only San Jose has given up more goals than us. Very hard to say anyone on the back line has been a net positive for this team so far. Teams pretty much score at will against us.

IIRC, Zuparic asked for a trade while Gio was still the coach. I have to assume the Timbers had hoped to change his mind after they fired Gio and that he’d work things out with Phil. I guess that hasn’t happened.

On the one hand, I understand wanting to move on from a guy over 30 who makes north of $900K who doesn’t really want to be here.

On the other hand, if I’m Zuparic, I’d think Phil’s team has been a disaster on defense, I’m a starting level CB, and these fools don’t know what they are doing.

The reality is probably that Zuparic is overpaid in MLS and that Portland can’t find a trade partner. If I were Portland, I wouldn’t want to waive or amnesty Zup until I knew I could make use of that money again. Paying a good CB not to play on your team, just because he says he’s unhappy, probably isn’t a good use of money, unless his behavior is so bad you have to cut him.

I believe he requested to be traded near the end of last season. The Timbers signed Miller I assume partially because of this and they have younger/cheaper options at the posibiton that deserve consideration. That puts Zuparic as the odd man out but I believe he was part of the cause. Why he hasn't been transfered is something I have no clue about. I think the Timbers want to move on

I’d rate Kamal Miller above him easily- dude is the starting CB on the Canada NT.

The difference between McGraw, Araujo, and Zup is pretty negligible imo, but I’d rather start the younger guy who wants to be in Portland than the dude over 30 who is whining to the MLSPA that we won’t trade him.

Upvoting because you don’t know what you’re talking about.

McGraw isn't a bad player. Neville is asking very different things from the backline than was the case under Gio. What we've seen from McGraw this season is growing pains of learning a system and style that he isn't used to.