The Timbers trained today at Jeld-Wen Field in preparation for their first Cascadia Cup match of the year. With the match against the Vancouver Whitecaps tomorrow night, practice was closed after warm-ups.

For the first time this season the Timbers were missing no players due to injury at practice today.

BROADCAST INFORMATION: FOX Sports Houston Plus - 7:30 p.m. (Comcast: 110; AT&T U-Verse: SD= 692 HD=1692; DirecTV: SD=680 / HD=680-1; Dish Network:SD=443 / HD=9581) MultiMedios Houston - 7 p.m. KBME 790 (ENG Radio) La Ranchera 850 (SPN Radio)
REFEREE: Chris Penso. MLS Career: 18 games; FC/gm: 22.

In all the euphoria over the first team's victory Saturday over Sporting Kansas City, I forgot the reserve side was traveling up to Vancouver this weekend. Well, they did, and they scored three against the Vancouver Whitecaps reserves, while MLS reserve keeper Brian Rowe recorded his second straight clean sheet for the Timbers.

With undefeated Sporting Kansas City coming to town tomorrow, the Portland Timbers held a closed practice at Jeld-Wen Field this morning. Reacclimatizing to Jeld-Wen's turf after a practice on the grass pitch of their new training facility yesterday, the Timbers had all hands on deck for practice today.

An interesting mix of guys played a half-field scrimmage today. After the full squad warmed up and most of the starters went back inside for their regen workouts, the players who did not start Saturday's match took to the field. Interestingly, Kris Boyd and Eric Alexander joined the players who didn't start, and Andrew Jean Baptiste was on the field as well, in spite of having also played over 60 minutes on Saturday.

By JOEY SAMUEL

The Portland Timbers are back for year two in Major League Soccer, and they are hoping a new star striker, along with another year of experience, can put them over the hump and into the playoffs.

Portland came close to making the playoffs in their debut season last year, finishing just four points shy of the tenth and final spot.

The Portland Timbers braved the elements today as they prepare to face Chivas USA tomorrow. The practice was a closed one with only the warm-ups and post-practice workouts available to the press.

Rodney Wallace, Steve Purdy, and Futty Danso were all away on international duty today and will be returning tomorrow, with Purdy the most likely to take part in the game.

Today's Portland Timbers practice was an open one, meaning we got our first look at Kris Boyd on the field.

The Timbers trialists were all still present and taking part fully in the practice. Darlington Nagbe, Sal Zizzo, and Lovel Palmer worked on their rehabilitation today and both Zizzo and Palmer even touched a ball toward the end of the day.

Following Kris Boyd's official introduction, the Portland Timbers held a closed practice beneath cloudy skies at Jeld-Wen Field. Boyd joined the team for his first practice as a Timber and seemed to fit in right away during the team's warm-up sessions. From the moment the team was on the pitch Boyd looked at ease and spent time chatting with Eric Brunner as the team did their early running.

The Portland Timbers were welcomed home to the Rose City by a slight drizzle and some short field, 9v9 scrimmaging. New signing Franck Songo'o was on display, looking dangerous as a left midfielder and sporting bright orange shoe laces that could probably be seen from space while Charles Renken got his first taste of training in Portland.

The Portland Timbers beat the Chicago Fire 2-0 over the course of 120 minutes of play today in the Timbers' final preseason game before returning to Portland. Franck Songo'o continued his impressive preseason form, assisting on goals by Eric Alexander and Jorge Perlaza.

In the first half, the Timbers fielded what looked like a reserve side backstopped by Troy Perkins.

Finally under a month to go until the Timbers kick off the 2012 season! Currently Portland has 8 players who are not signed to contracts that are fighting for 4 spots. The break down of the 26(27 with Valencia) spots is as follows:

Keepers: 2 - Troy Perkins and Jake Gleeson

Defenders: 10 - Eric Brunner, Futty Danso, Lovel Palmer, Mike Chabala, David Horst, Rodney Wallace, Steve Purdy, Christ Taylor, Andrew Jean-Baptiste and Hanyer Mosquera.

The international transfer window close a couple days ago. This doesn't mean too much, but it is a milestone in that MLS teams can no longer actively seek in-contract trades with other teams outside MLS. Still, the roster freeze date isn't until March 1st so we may yet still see more moves made, even if it isn't Juan David Duque (Franck Songo'o?

When I started this site back in 2009, I had expected the site to devote a significant amount of ink to the transfer market and the finances involved in buying and selling players. Over time the focus has shifted to marketing, promotions, broadcast and other business issues facing soccer in the United States.

After playing in the fall with Hoffenheim's U-19 team, American Charles Renken is returning to MLS where he will join the Portland Timbers of MLS.

While it's possible something else wiggled through the window, it appears Edson Buddle rejoining L.A. and Charles Renken heading to the Portland Timbers will stand as our late fireworks.As I was informed to be likely, the DaMarcus Beasley move to Nancy did not come off, most likely because Puebla execs are too busy trying not to go to jail.

One of the more potential-filled midfielders in the U.S. youth pipeline is coming to MLS.

The Portland Timbers have acquired U.S. Under-20 midfielder Charles Renken through the MLS waiver process, according to a team release, bringing the 18-year-old to the Pacific Northwest from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Charles Renken is now a Timbers. (John Dorton/ISI)

It has been one of those days. First the Sebastien Le Toux trade now these two stories.

First up is former US youth phenom Charles Renken has been signed by the Portland Timbers. The Timbers got the youth star off of waivers somehow.

Charles Renken is now a Timbers. (John Dorton/ISI)

It has been one of those days. First the Sebastien Le Toux trade now these two stories.

First up is former US youth phenom Charles Renken has been signed by the Portland Timbers. The Timbers got the youth star off of waivers somehow.

The Portland Timbers are certainly not resting on their laurels heading into February as they just announced a new player acquisition in Charles Renken, a midfielder, via the MLS waiver. According to assistant coach Amos Magee:

"While only 18, Charles is a talented player who is already accustomed to the professional environment," said Amos Magee, Timbers assistant coach.

This is Part II of TSG's discussion with Amsterdam-based Greg Seltzer of MLSSoccer.com and No Short Corners. You can find Part I, here.

Gatt and a legend...

Matthew: So who are the key Americans abroad that US fans should truly be excited by? So many times one goal is enough to chop a forest worth's of timber to power the hype machine.

Cobi Span was on the 2009 Academy Select Red Team before joining Djurgarden.
Brian "Cobi" Span has joined Swedish club Djurgarden and will start trianing with the team early next year.
Span, who got his nickname from U.S. Men's National Team star Cobi Jones, was a member of the U.

Renken (middle) is Back in Camp with the Natinoal Team
We spoke to midfielder Charles Renken about his experience in this U-23 Men's National Team Camp. The midfielder seems like he has been around awhile - he was in Residency in 2008 - but he's still only 17 figures to be a part of Tab Ramos' player pool during the U-20 cycle.

With the US U-23 team in camp in Germany, one player who is making his highly anticipated return to US youth national teams is Hoffenheim midfielder Charles Renken.

Though not overly long, what a strange trip it's been. I will return to NSC-world tomorrow to gonzo it up with the tales of my journey for you all, the highs and lows and misadventures and macarons.Awesomeness sneak preview: Like me and Ian Joy, Charles Renken is an Imo's Pizza fiend. That kid is my dude!

The U-23 Team taking on Bochum
In the first game the U-23 Men's National Team beat VfL Bochum 3-1. It was a combo of some pros on Bochum as well as some youth players. Here's the lineup the U-23's put out:
USA: 1-Sean Johnson; 2-Sheanon Williams, 4-Ethan White (12-Gale Agbossoumonde, 16), 5-Royal-Dominique Fennell, 3-Zarek Valentin; 8-Joe Corona (15-Joe Gyau, 46), 6-Amobi Okugo (capt.

*Midfielder Jose Villarreal, a Leuzinger High product, and defender Zarek Valentin, who made 24 starts for the Goats this season, were among 31 players selected for the camp, which will run Monday through Nov. 16 in Germany under Claudio Reyna, U.S. youth technical director.

And check out all those German-based players on the full squad:

Goalkeepers: David Bingham (San Jose), Cody Cropper (Ipswich, England), Sean Johnson (Chicago), Jon Kempin (Sporting KC)

Defenders: Gale Agbossoumonde (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany), Anthony Brooks (Hertha Berlin, Germany), Sean Cunningham (Molde, Norway), Royal-Dominique Fennell (Stuttgarter Kickers, Germany), Greg Garza (no club), Perry Kitchen (D,C.

Thirty-one players were called in for the combined U-20/U-23 training camp in Duisburg, Germany, from Nov. 7-16.

GOALKEEPERS David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes; Pleasanton, Calif.), Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town; Athens, Ga.), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire, Lilburn, Ga.

From US Soccer:

Conor Doyle will be in action for the US (not Ireland)

U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team head coach Caleb Porter has named 31 players to the roster for the upcoming training camp in Duisburg, Germany, which also features several players who are age-eligible for the U.

Joe Corona will get his chance with the United States after all.

The Tijuana attacker and one-time Mexican youth international is among 31 players called into a United States Under-23/Under-20 combined training camp by new U-23 coach Caleb Porter.

The players will train in Duisburg, Germany, from Nov.

- Ben McCormick
Juergen Klinsmann came to the US National Team with some big ideas. He preached patience, saying he was going to need time to experiment with several different kinds of lineups, formations and tactics. If given time, he justified, he would find the right combination of players to play an attacking style of soccer that was uniquely American.

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard (Everton, England), Bill Hamid (DC United).Goalkeepers: Carlos Bocanegra (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Edgar Castillo (Club America, Mexico), Timmy Chandler (Nuremberg, Germany), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Clarence Goodson (Brondby, Denmark), Zach Loyd (Dallas), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis, Mexico), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York)Goalkeepers:
[[ This is a content summary only.

I am going to be out nearly the whole day tomorrow, so let's just get some tube to "air" now...NSC pal Adam Spangler tipped off our opening clip: JayZ's web magazine hangs out with Hoffenheim U-19 midfielder Charles Renken on camp departure day.mobilerider.embedVideo(2416, 39692 ,'', 400, 220, 'osmf', {extras:'skin:,muteOn:,autoplay:0,autohide:1'});Let's check in with the U.