Inter Miami: Patrick Vieira, Marcelo Gallardo, just get someone
Inter Miami are now reportedly closing in on appointing Patrick Vieira as their new head coach. But with others like Marcelo Gallardo having been linked, at this stage in the offseason, they simply need to hire someone. Time is running out.
You would be forgiven for thinking that Inter Miami have not realised they are playing in Major League Soccer next season.
While David Beckham and his ownership group constructed a fabulous expansion bid with terrific stadium plans, major investment, and a wide expectation of building a team capable of challenging for MLS Cup from day one, their offseason behaviour has been curious, to say the least.
Players have been slow to arrive, the spending hasn’t quite unfolded as anticipated, and yet the rumours of fabulous talent and major names have continued to roll out. Inter Miami are apparently busy, but there is little output from their activity.
Most concerningly, they still do not have a head coach. There is no person at any club more important than a head coach. Every great time in MLS and the world over has a brilliant manager and coach. There is a reason why Liverpool and Manchester City have been the best teams in the world for the past two years.
Everything that happens at the club starts with the manager. The tactics of the team, the personnel that is recruited, bought and sold, the philosophy of the club and the culture of the organisation. All of these crucial elements are dictated by the manager. And Inter Miami do not have one. You would be right in thinking that that is a problem.
This week, they were again linked to another big-name head coach, Nice’s Patrick Vieira, who enjoyed great success in MLS with New York City FC — as an aside, hiring a coach who understands the machinations of the league is perhaps more important for an MLS team than it is for any other league in world football, given the idiosyncrasies and unique aspects of how MLS is run.
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The report, from Mark Ogden of ESPN, states that Inter Miami are confident they can prise Vieira away from Nice, despite the Frenchman returning to Europe in the midst of an excellent NYCFC season as he jumped at a chance to further his career. Vieira is Miami’s number one choice, the club having approached but missed out on Carlo Ancelotti, who was unveiled as Everton’s new head coach on Saturday.
River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo has also been heavily linked with the role, despite him saying that he would not be leaving the Argentinian club earlier this offseason. Given the delay in making the announcement, Miami protesting that they had a manager in mind, and the timings aligning with the end of the Argentinian season, there was reason to think this could happen, too.
But while a rushed decision is never wise and Inter Miami are better taking their time to make the right appointing than diving into the wrong one, at some point, a decision does have to be made, and with the new season a little over two months away, that time is coming.
Next. Inter Miami: Why Marcelo Gallardo could be next head coach. dark
Whether it is Vieira, Gallardo or someone else, Inter Miami need a manager, and they need one now.