"Vilahamn was most recently the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur's women's side after stints at multiple clubs in his native country of Sweden. He led Tottenham to a sixth-place finish in the Women's Super League and to the FA Cup final in his first season in charge. He was fired by Tottenham last June after an 11th-place finish in the league, one spot above relegation."
"Vilahamn entered Portland's radar later in the search process, multiple sources confirmed. Portland interviewed several candidates both from inside and outside the NWSL over the past few months, sources added, but decided on someone with experience outside the league. The timeline of the decision eventually left the prospective hire with little to no time with the team during preseason."
"Vilahamn takes over a Portland team with high expectations. The Thorns are three-time champions and two-time Shield winners, although their last trophy came in 2022. Since then, Portland has been inconsistent on the field and changed ownership off it."
The Portland Thorns completed their head coaching search by hiring Robert Vilahamn, most recently with Tottenham Hotspur's women's team. Vilahamn led Tottenham to the FA Cup final in his first season but was fired after an 11th-place finish. He previously coached BK Häcken in Sweden. Portland interviewed multiple candidates from inside and outside the NWSL before selecting Vilahamn late in the process. The delayed timeline left minimal preseason preparation before the 2026 season opener on March 13. Vilahamn's visa status remains unclear, potentially affecting his availability for Portland's first match. The Thorns fired Rob Gale in November after one full season. Portland finished third last season and seeks to return to championship contention after their last trophy in 2022.
Read at ESPN.com
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