Not a lot of playing time for Little, but Scottish midfielder hopes to contribute more, this season and next

Golf his other passion, and New Zealand is his future home

By Zach Stratton

The Portland Tribune, Aug 26, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

PAMELA HO

Midfielder Bryan Little makes a run in an exhibition match against Juventus Primavera.

When midfielder Bryan Little joined the Portland Timbers this season, he had high expectations about his role.

Things have not gone as planned.

Portland coach Gavin Wilkinson used contacts in his native New Zealand to identify Little as a player who might help the Timbers. The Scottish-born Little, 30, was leading Auckland City FC in scoring, and in April he jumped at the opportunity to take his skills to the U.S.

“I just wanted a chance to play in a bigger league,” he says.

He arrived in America — for the first time — just days before the Timbers’ opening match.

“I think it hurt a bit, fitness-wise,” he says, “and obviously the team had played some preseason games that I missed.”

Little quickly discovered how much higher the level of play is here.

“It’s a big step up from the league in New Zealand,” he says. “The teams are a lot more physical, and the standard of football is good.”

Still, Little says he expected to “get starts and start scoring some goals. Unfortunately, it’s not happening like that right now.”

Little has appeared in 13 of 24 matches and played 452 minutes. He has taken three shots on goal and tallied one assist.

That’s, well, little playing time — but he plans on being with the Timbers again next season.

“You’re always disappointed when you’re not playing,” he says. “But when I get in, I always try to do my best, and hopefully I can start more games.”

He says he enjoys Portland and has even had a couple chances to golf since joining the team.

Golf is Little’s passion, after soccer.

“It’s huge in Scotland, and we have some of the greatest courses in the world,” he says. “In Scotland, on summer nights, you can play till 10:30 … it’s light from 6 a.m. till half past 10.”

He’s about a 15-handicap.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit