As the

played their way through the 2010 season, the season itself transformed into a near afterthought.

Yes, there were goals to score and games to win, but everyone had one eye on the 2010 season and another on 2011, when the Timbers join Major League Soccer.

"The whole year was like a tryout," midfielder

said. "Most of the guys felt that way."

When the Timbers' 2010 season ended with a playoff series loss to Vancouver Sunday, coach and technical director Gavin Wilkinson immediately shifted his gaze toward 2011.

"I think we have to analyze the players ... who did step up and do well and who can honestly say, 'I should be here next season,' " Wilkinson said.

Wilkinson himself was involved in the Timbers first major change in preparation for MLS. After the last game, Willkinson's coaching duties ended and he became technical director (general manager). John Spencer, the former Houston Dynamo assistant coach whom the team hired as head coach in July, has assumed the coaching duties. Spencer has been with the team watching practices, games and evaluating players since August.

"I'll be my own guy, for sure," Spencer said. "I'll make my own decisions. I'll live by them and I'll die by them."

The first order of business for Wilkinson and Spencer is to decide which of the current players will stay with the franchise. Spencer said he has already told some of the players whether they will be invited back for training camp. A formal announcement about which players will be included on the Timbers' initial 2011 MLS roster is expected early next week.

MLS rosters currently are limited to 25 players, although the league is considering increasing roster size.

The Timbers carried a roster as large as 30 players at times during the season, as Wilkinson brought in a number of players for workouts and evaluations during practices and games. John Rooney (brother of Manchester United star Wayne Rooney) and Omar Salgado, a member of the U.S. U-20 national team, among others, worked out with the team. Kalif Alhassan from Ghana played in seven games and Ibad Muhamadu from the Netherlands in 11 games.

"I want to build a young, athletic and hungry team full of desire. It's a young man's game if you want to play a certain way. You have to look at the young guys," Spencer said. "It used to be 'A' for ability. Now it's 'A' for athleticism. That's the modern game. That is the way the game is played now and that's the type of player we're gonna need."

The Timbers may have found a keeper in the 19-year-old Alhassan, who played very well against the Whitecaps Sunday. He could join a small group of current players who are likely to remain with the team next season.

"He showed a lot of character in wanting the ball in tight situations in a tough environment," Wilkinson said. "There were some things there that we really liked. He's a player that may fit the criteria moving forward."

Mamadou Danso, a 6-foot-3 athletic central defender who anchored the defense and was sorely missed – called up to the Gambian national team – during the playoff series loss to Vancouver, could remain on the roster.

Three Timbers with previous MLS experience are among other players who could remain with the team.

Rookie forward

was drafted by Columbus th is season but did not make the regular season roster. After landing with the Timbers, Dike finished second to Ryan Pore with 10 goals – eight in the Timbers' final 12 league games. Goalkeeper Steve Cronin, formerly of the Los Angeles Galaxy, played well for the Timbers this season. Pore, who played four seasons in Kansas City, was the first Timbers player in franchise history to outright win the league's Golden Boot award (most goals in league play with 15) and the overall points title (35) in the same season.

A player of local interest is Nimo. The former Benson High star started 16 games this season, but played little in the final month (one start in final eight games). Nimo was on loan to the Timbers from Real Salt Lake for the second consecutive season, but has said that he doesn't want to return to RSL, who owns his rights for next season.

"They (RSL) never gave me an opportunity to really play," Nimo said. "I told that them I don't want to come back."

The issue for Nimo and the Timbers is Nimo is a Generation adidas player and RSL cannot place him in the upcoming expansion draft. If the Timbers do want Nimo to return next season, they will need to work out a trade, or use another player acquisition method to keep the 20-year-old midfielder.

Spencer said he's not interested in using the league's designated player rule to sign a high-profile, high-salary player. He added that with so many player acquisition options available, he wants to see what's out there.

"We still have to see what's available come expansion draft time," Spencer said. "Rather than diving in and pulling the trigger too early, we sit back, take stock and see what we need and then make a decision at the right time."

The success of the Seattle Sounders places even more pressure on the Timbers' debut next year. The Sounders have secured a playoff spot for the second consecutive season and they continue to set new attendance records. Fair or not, comparisons between the Timbers' inaugural season and the Sounders' first season in 2009 are inevitable.

"Seattle has raised the bar for every new team coming into the league," Spencer said. "I respect for the job they have done up there and we're gonna have to try and emulate them, if not be better. That's the vision we have for the team."