Porter already thinking all-star lineup

PORTLAND — To get away from the pressure that comes with trying to steer the Portland Timbers season back on track, Caleb Porter thinks about soccer.

Specifically, how to manage the MLS All-Star team that will take on Bayern Munich on Aug. 6 in Portland.

“It’s not hard for me to think more about soccer. So having an extra thing to think about in the down time is relaxing for me,” Porter said. “Once I’ve got (the Timbers) set and I head home, then I can think about this all-star game and who’s going to play where and what tactics am I going to use.”

Porter, the head coach for the MLS All-Star team, submitted the list of players he wants on the all-star team to the league on Thursday. The seven players who will join the Fan XI for the all-star game will be announced on Saturday. Porter has input in shaping the roster along with commissioner Don Garber and a vote of the league’s players.

Porter said his initial list had 35 deserving players on it.

“If you rewarded everybody that earned it you’d be playing probably five strikers. You’d be playing like a 2-2-6 (formation),” Porter said.

He then laughed about that scenario.

“That’s where it becomes a challenge because the irony is playing Bayern you probably need to play with eight defenders to have a chance,” he said.