It’s a few days ahead of Minnesota United’s regular season opener in Portland, and every spectator has their eyes fixed on the new addition.



It isn’t goalkeeper Tyler Miller going through his reflex drills, nor is it well-coiffed Paraguayan striker Luis Amarilla. Instead, reporters and club staff alike can’t stop talking about the new training pinnies on display at the National Sports Center. For years, the team has alternated between lime green and traffic-cone orange, but now, vibrant blues, purples and yellows differentiate the groups of players as new assistant coach Sean McAuley barks commands in his Yorkshire accent.



The mood ahead of the Loons’ fourth season in MLS is much more relaxed than in previous years. In 2017, they were scrambling to prepare for their first run in a new league, with some starters joining a week or two into the season. They set a record for goals conceded that season, and so 2018 was an exercise in damage...