Portland Timbers head coach Caleb Porter is confident that the club is heading in the right direction after just their third MLS season.
The Timbers were beaten 1-0 by Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference final on Sunday to bow out of the playoffs in the penultimate round 5-2 on aggregate.
Portland have now finished 8th, 6th and 3rd in their three campaigns in the top flight and Porter suggests they only need a little bit of improving to join the higher echelon of club such as finalists Sporting Kansas City and RSL and the past two MLS Cup finalists LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo.
"Obviously, this is the first time we've been in this position and there's a reason why a team like Salt Lake is moving on in this series," Porter said in his postgame comments.
"You see teams like Salt Lake, teams like Kansas City, teams like Houston, and the Galaxies of the world, there's a reason why they're in this situation year after year, and that's experience and having players who have been in that situation."
Porter added: "I think if we took the same team just like it is, we would be in that position next year like we were this year. This series could've gone differently. If we played it again it could go differently.
"We don't need to get a ton better. I think just through experience we will be better next season."
