FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Amobi Okugo Returns to Portland Timbers for 2017 Season
Stone Sports Management, LLC (Columbus, Ohio) -- January 23, 2017
Stone Sports Management ("SSM") congratulates Amobi Okugo on signing a new MLS contract with the Portland Timbers for the 2017 season with a 2018 Option. The 25 year-old Sacramento, California native will enter his 8th MLS season after spending the 2016 season with the Timbers. Coach Caleb Porter will rely on Okugo's versatility to play central defender and defensive midfielder for the Timbers who will look to bounce back from missing the 2016 MLS Playoffs after capturing MLS Cup in 2015. Okugo joins his teammates today in Portland to begin pre-season.
"I am excited to return to Portland and grateful for the opportunity this wonderful organization has provided me, to join my teammates for a proper pre-season and to play in front of the best fans in MLS," says Okugo. "The Timbers and the Portland community have been welcoming ever since I arrived, and I want to thank Coach Caleb Porter and his staff for having the confidence in me to return and to General Manager Gavin Wilkinson, MLS and my agent for working hard behind to scenes to finalize a solution so that I can begin pre-season timely. The Timbers Army and all Timbers' fans deserve more trophies this season, and I will do my best to help the team achieve its goals, earn clean sheets and hopefully I can celebrate with Timber Joey and earn a slab or two!"
After a nomadic start to the 2016 season that prevented him from particiating in pre-season due to his former club, Sporting KC, waiving him with two years left on his 3-year guaranteed contract, the Timbers signed him in May 2016 (after week 10). After taking time to integrate in the new system and getting back to fitness with the Reserve Team in USL, Okugo would go on to play 7 games between MLS, US Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions League play, including an MLS Team of the Week (22) bench honor.
"Amobi will cointue to give us experience and depth in two positoins and when called upon like last year, we know he has the ability to step in and get the job done," said Head Coach Caleb Porter. The Timbers' General Manager and President of Soccer Gavin Wilkinson reflected, "We are pleased to have Amobi back for the 2017 season and look forward to his continued contributions as a versatile and experienced player on our roster."
Out of Contract in January 2015 after 5 seasons with the Philadelphia Union (including back to back 32 game seasons) and recognized as one of the best young, domestic talents [MLS 24 Under 24 Talents: #8 (2013) at 22 and #13 (2014) at 23 and ESPN’s US Soccer: 10 to watch under 21 #8 (2012), Okugo elected to re-sign in MLS with Expansion Franchise Orlando City SC (with the club trading for his MLS rights) on a 3-year $1M USD contract. In 2015, after starting the first 9 games and applauded for doing the “grunt work” in midfield and on the USMNT radar, Okugo received a yellow card suspension and replaced by Colombian International Cristian Higuita. Okugo would go on to appear in eight more matches before Sporting KC and Peter Vermes (who coached him with Generation Adidas and praised Okugo for his versatility), traded for him in exchange for Servando Carrasco. After acclimating with his new teammates, Okugo unfortunately suffered a PCL tear (and played on it) during his first start with Sporting KC. Unable to return until a couple months later (and with team selection settled vying for Playoff position), his opportunities were limited as the season ended.
"With the Timbers' need at both positions that Amobi has played in his career, Portland was a logical fit for him and for continuity in Coach Porter's system," says SSM's President and USSF Licensed Intermediary Justin B. Stone. "With his contract situation resolved, he can now focus on having a great season and get back to his form a few seasons ago where he was considered one of the best young talents in MLS. I want to thank General Manager Gavin Wilkinson and Coach Caleb Porter for their efforts to ensure that Amobi builds on last season and looking forward to watching Amobi and the Timbers this season."
After a stand out Youth National Team and UCLA collegiate career, Okugo was a 2010 MLS Generation adidas ("GA") class member and earned the MLS Combine MVP. At 18, MLS Expansion Franchise Philadelphia Union drafted him as the #6 overall pick and limited his time (12 games) his Rookie Season due to Salary Cap reasons/preventing him from graduating from the GA program. Okugo participated in three U20 USA camps as well as an off-season GA trip to Spain playing against Real Madrid, Rayo Vallecano and Atletico Madrid reserves.
In 2014, expectations grew for Okugo and the Union. In summer, the club sacked Hackworth and replaced him with Jim Curtin who reverted Okugo back into central midfield where he was consistently one of the better players when on the pitch, including scoring in US Open Cup Semi-Final and Man of the Match performance against the Chicago Fire, providing Coach Curtin many options as the season finished. Okugo earned several MLS Team of the Week honors including Team of the Week (13) and Week 1 and Week (2) Benches. In all, Okugo made 117 appearances (101 starts) for the Union between 2010-14.
About Stone Sports Management, LLC
From developmental to Designated Players, Stone Sports Management, LLC is a Columbus, Ohio based boutique sports agency representing football/soccer players domestically and internationally. Led by President and USSF Licensed Intermediary Justin B. Stone, SSM has established itself as a leading North American agency since its 2008 inception by taking a cooperative approach to athlete representation, which provides increased opportunities for its clients. After gaining trust from clients representing over 75 nationalities, Mr. Stone has negotiated more than 140 contracts for his clients based in Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand and the United States, including more than 20 International clients to MLS/NASL/USL.
Follow Stone Sports Management on Twitter @StoneSportsMgmt
About Stone Sports Management, LLC
From developmental to Designated Players, Stone Sports Management, LLC is a Columbus, Ohio based boutique agency representing football/soccer players domestically and internationally. Led by President and USSF Licensed Intermediary Justin B. Stone, SSM has established itself as a leading North American agency since its 2008 inception by taking a cooperative approach to athlete representation, which provides increased opportunities for its clients. After gaining trust from clients representing over 65 nationalities, Mr. Stone has negotiated more than 180 contracts for his clients with clubs based in Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United States, including more than 15 international clients to MLS/NASL/USL.
Follow Stone Sports Management on Twitter @StoneSportsMgmt