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"The Word" is MLSsoccer.com's weekly long-form series. In this week's final part of a three-part feature, senior editor Nick Firchau examines the relationship between Portland Timbers owner and president Merritt Paulson and general manager Gavin Wilkinson, and the expectations surrounding new head coach Caleb Porter.

Read the first part of the series here, and the second part of the series here.

PORTLAND, Ore. When the Portland Timbers parted ways with embattled head coach John Spencer in July 2012, they didnt look far a replacement. He was the owners closest friend in Portland.

Sitting just inches to owner and president Merritt Paulsons left during the emotional press conference that sealed Spencers fate was general manager Gavin Wilkinson, who had been by Paulsons side since Day 1. Wilkinson who first joined the Timbers as a player during the teams days in the A-League in 2001 and became the teams head coach in 2007 is perhaps the person Paulson most trusts with his teams on-field success, and has been the driving force behind the young owners soccer education since he bought the team six years ago.

But to expect Wilkinson to be the long-term solution to the Timbers problems? Even Paulson knew that might be asking too much. Paulson installed a reluctant Wilkinson into a double shift as both GM and interim head coach and set about finding Spencers permanent replacement for the 2013 season, a process that he said rejuvenated him after the disappointing and high-profile coaching change.

Portland Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson served as the team's head coach for four seasons before their MLS debut in 2011, but he says he was reluctant to take the post again when the 2012 season fell apart.

- Getty Images

Meanwhile Wilkinson still had to see out the season, and that proved far tougher than most expected for both GM and owner. He made his MLS coaching debut on July 14 in a nationally televised 5-3 defeat to the reigning MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy at JELD-WEN Field, and while the match was one of the teams most thrilling of the year to watch Designated Player Kris Boyd delivered two goals in his first game without friend and countryman Spencer as his coach it laid bare the disparity between a real MLS title contender and the Timbers, who went on to lose their first four games with Wilkinson at the helm.

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The Word : A new coach for the Portland Timbers, and a new philosophy for Merritt Paulson