The Eastern Conference side let half of their team go at the end of the 2024 season, and might be all the better for it
Curt Onalfo watches training every day. The New England Revolution Sporting Director, who has overseen immense change in his 18 months in the role, makes sure to be on the sidelines every time his team – yes, this is now team – goes to work on the practice field. And of course, Onalfo is there. He used to be a head coach himself. He sees it all.
He sees veteran playmaker Carles Gil find pockets of space and orchestrate in small-sided games. He sees winger Luca Langoni, Argentine flair and all, sit-down defenders. These days, he also looks at Leo Campana, his marquee winter signing, do all of the right things — make the right runs, press at the right time, and find the back of the net.
And the man in the middle of it all, leading the session, is Caleb Porter – someone he is aligned with. It has been 18 difficult months in New England. The Revolution were poor at the back end of the 2023 campaign, mired by scandal and the subsequent departure of Bruce Arena. In 2024, they responded by hiring Porter, a coach with an immaculate MLS pedigree, but one who played a markedly different style to the roster he inherited. This wasn't a full rebuild, but changes had to be made.
This winter, they all happened at the same time. Sixteen players were let go. Fifthteen came in. With the transfer window still open, more might yet arrive. New England is a different team altogether, re-energized, rebuilt, and, finally, shaped in the image of a club that looks far more aligned, top to bottom.
"I would call it the end of a cycle. Every roster goes through that… and we felt the group had stagnated a bit," Porter told GOAL.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowUSA Today ImagesA rejuvenated head coach
Porter knows what the world thinks about him. He knows that he is a perfectionist and fiercely competitive — often to a fault. Those things will never go away, he admitted. But it might just be time for change. This has been, in Porter's words, the best preseason of his life. The former title-winning manager with Portland and Columbus endured arguably his worst season as a head coach last year. And now, with a new group, he feels more energized than ever.
"With this group, I'm already seeing it. It's just more natural for them, the way I work and the things I'm looking for," Porter said.
There is a real buzz about the side, he said. The refresh has brought not only new talent but also good vibes. The team is working hard, top to bottom. There is a palpable energy. It marks a change from the head coach. Porter, at times, has developed a reputation for being a hard-nosed, intense figure. He has routinely been icy with officials and media members.
These days, though, he is just trying to have fun.
"I've probably hated losing more than I've liked winning in some ways. I think I'm just trying to enjoy the little things, and I don't take it for granted," Porter said.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe situation in 2023
New England was in an odd spot when Porter took the job following the 2023 season. It was clear from early on, he said, that the squad didn't fit his playing style. Arena has an immaculate pedigree as an MLS and USMNT coach. But he plays a radically different brand of soccer to Porter. The current manager likes creative players, wingers, a reliable No.10, and a high line. Everything here is focused on winning the ball and being expressive when you have it.
Arena, meanwhile, is different. He has, admittedly, evolved over the years. But his New England played in a diamond with two strikers. That system and its personnel didn't fit Porter's approach.
"We needed to increase the profile. We didn't have any wingers. It was crazy. We needed a few more, what I would call, soccer players, a bit more creativity in the center of the park," he said.
The fallout from Arena's resignation, too, had left an impact, Porter said.
"I felt there was actually quite a bit of scar tissue in the locker room, just with some of the things that went on and everything. So the group needed to be rebuilt completely," Porter said.
Throw in the fact that New England had one of the oldest squads in the league last season, and changes were needed.
USA TodayLetting players go
Porter didn't know all of this when he first joined the club. He had an idea, he said, but wasn't entirely clear on how deep the issues ran. But he and Onalfo have enjoyed a good relationship from early on.
"When we were in our interview process, immediately we saw eye to eye on players and how the game should be played," Onalfo said.
The plan was always to move players on and refresh the squad. But the state of the club suggested otherwise. Money was tight in New England, making it difficult to make wide-scale changes in 2024. Following the season, the focus shifted towards moving on the old guard and promising young talents like Esmir Bajraktarevic also needed to go to allow the GM and head coach to reinvest in the squad.
"Prior to last year, and we had a lot of mature players who were paid a lot of money, and so we were able to obviously free up some cap space with some moves," Porter said.
The work started in earnest last summer. Langoni was bought from Boca Juniors for a club-record $7 million – an expensive outlay from a club that tends to keep things tight. In Langoni, they immediately had the kind of match-winner they had been missing.
This winter, they got even busier. New England has found success in recent years selling homegrown talents for significant fees. Djordje Petrovic, Tajon Buchanan, and Matt Turner have all been sent to Europe for big money. They energized that network once again to send Bajraktarevic to PSV for a handsome $6 million. Six players didn't have their contract options exercised. A further five were let go in free agency. By the end of November, they had shed $4.5 million in salary while keeping their best XI mostly intact.
USA Today ImagesBringing the right ones in
And then, it was time to go to work. There weren't unlimited funds to work with here, but the Revolution could certainly explore some options. The big outlay came on Campana. Pushed into a reserve role by the arrival of Luis Suarez in Miami, New England thought he could be an excellent value for money signing – and their starting No.9. Porter, in particular, was excited at the prospect of bringing in a player who had always scored goals, and deserved a bigger role.
"With Leo, we love the fact that he's scored, he's been successful in this league. He scored goals in this league, but he's never been the guy. He really wanted that opportunity to be the guy. And we feel like, with a role where he's going to game in and game out, be highlighted and be given the opportunity to find goals that he'll produce," Porter said.
Campana should also benefit from the presence of Gil as the team's roaming No. 10. And Porter has been impressed with just how well-rounded Campana is.
"He's got enough pace, he's got enough work rate. He's got enough, you know, tactical understanding, you know, he's got a little bit of everything. He's pretty complete in a lot of ways," Porter said.
He represented excellent value for money, too. A player of his age, 24, could easily cost $8 million if the Revolution were to dip into the international market. Using the newly established cash-for-player provision in MLS, New England spent just $2.5 million. Onalfo sees him as potentially one of the best strikers in the league.
"We felt like if he was playing regularly based on his qualities, he should be a guy who can score 15 to 20 goals. In our league, that's exactly what you want out of your No. 9," Onalfo said.
But Campana wasn't the only new face. Fourteen others arrived, both via the draft and in other moves. Mamadou Fofana and Brayan Ceballos have offered much-needed center back strength. Ignatius Ganago should provide an extra attacking threat. Jackson Yueill is an ideal veteran depth signing in central midfield. Factor in all of the competition brought about by the additions, and half of the starting XI will be new.
