PORTLAND, OREGON – At this time last year – almost exactly a year to the day, in fact – Pedro Morales made a short, quiet trip to Portland.
The purpose of the visit was to undergo a physical and meet the Whitecaps FC technical staff, who were in town for Portland’s annual preseason tournament.
Morales also had an opportunity to check out Vancouver’s 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park – he sat up in one of the suites.
The news of his signing wasn’t official yet, so the ‘Caps kept his visit under wraps. He didn’t even meet any of his teammates. But he did meet Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson.
“When I was in Malaga, I didn’t speak with the coach that often,” Morales told whitecapsfc.com. “When I arrived here, I quickly learned that Robbo is a great communicator. Good person. Normal guy. For me, when you have a person like this, it makes for a better environment.”
It was a busy few days for Morales, who flew from Spain to Portland, then to New York to sort out his visa and sign his contract, and finally to Vancouver – with a stopover in Chicago in between.
And that came right after seven months of soccer with Malaga – with no real break.
What a difference a year makes.
This time around, Morales returns to Portland as one of the cornerstones of Whitecaps FC. He’s the team captain, reigning club MVP, and one of the most recognizable faces in the club.
More importantly, he feels as fresh as ever after finally getting some time off.
“Now I feel much better,” Morales said. “I feel good in training and I felt good against the Timbers. Now, one more game on Saturday and then the last week before playing at BC Place against Toronto.”
The Chilean looked like his normal self against the Timbers, spraying pinpoint passes all over the pitch and creating opportunities for his teammates.
It gave fans a taste of what to expect this year – something Morales is very much looking forward to.
“We have a good team,” he added. “Much better than last year. And we have a good opportunity this year for a good season and maybe make it further in the playoffs.”
If you can’t tell, Morales loves it in Vancouver – and so does his family. His wife, son, and newborn daughter are set to join him in a few weeks time.
“Now when I go to Chile, I miss Vancouver,” he said. “I like the city a lot. The people are nice. The country is clean. And for me, the rain is fine. It’s no problem. My family is happy here. I’m happy here."
Participate in the best sporting experience in Vancouver! The 2015 Whitecaps FC season kicks off on March 7 versus Toronto FC at BC Place. Whitecaps FC Season Tickets are now on sale. In addition to Season Tickets, Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including Half-Season Packs, 5-Packs, Student Half-Season Tickets, and a Youth Soccer Half-Season Ticket. For more information on 2015 Season Tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
