Former Canada assistant coach takes over as head coach of the NWSL Portland Thorns

By Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press on January 9, 2023.

The Canadian connection continues at the Portland Thorns.

The defending National Women’s Soccer League champions have named assistant coach Mike Norris as the successor to head coach Rhian Wilkinson, a former Canadian international.

Norris joined Wilkinson’s staff last January after eight years as a coach with Canada Soccer, where most recently he served as the set play and goalkeeper coach for the Canadian women’s team, helping it to gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Wilkinson stepped down as head coach last month after an investigation into a relationship with one of her players.

While she was cleared of any wrongdoing, Wilkinson says she agreed to leave her post at the behest of Thorns players.

The Thorns GM is former Canadian international Karina LeBlanc. The Portland roster features Canada captain Christine Sinclair and fellow Canadian international Janine Beckie.

A native of Newcastle, England, the 43-year-old Norris has made his home in Burnaby, B.C., since 2006 with his wife and two daughters.