Inter Miami: Paul McDonough has learned Atlanta United lessons
Inter Miami sporting director will not meaninglessly chase a big European name. He has learned the lessons from his Atlanta United success.
If anyone knows how to build an expansion team and make it competitive from the moment it takes to the pitch, it is former Atlanta United vice-president of soccer operations, Paul McDonough.
McDonough was heavily involved in assembling arguably the most successful team in MLS history. Playoffs in the first season, an MLS Cup in the second, the Campeones Cup and U.S. Open Cup in the third, as well as setting records for players sold, bought, and home attendance. Atlanta United are the success story of modern MLS.
And now McDonough is trying to emulate that in Miami.
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McDonough is the Sporting Director and COO of Inter Miami. He, alongside co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham, and now head coach Diego Alonso is one the primary decision-maker at the club, especially in regards to player recruitment, which is where Atlanta flourished.
While those around them were investing in ageing European stars with differing success, Atlanta focused on a very clear and economically prosperous model: sign young, improving, hungry players from South America. Use the superior marketability of MLS to attract them to the club and show that they can better advertise themselves to European clubs. Sell these players on in two or three years time for significant profit.
Miguel Almiron was the chief example. Signed for an MLS-record $8 million, he produced two sensational seasons, Atlanta won the MLS Cup, and then he was sold for an MLS-record $26 million. It was the perfect relationship in which everyone benefitted. And now McDonough is attempting to do the same at Inter Miami.
“I like the model of what we did in Atlanta United,” McDonough told On Side. “It doesn’t say I wouldn’t go get a senior Designated Player that’s a global star, but the economics need to make sense, their motivations have to be right, they have to come here and be a leader.”
Crucially, Atlanta did not go down the route of many of their rivals and sign a Frank Lampard or Jermain Defoe or Andrea Pirlo or Steven Gerrard. They bought young. They bought hungry. They bought players who were going to work hard due to their own individual benefits of performing well. They were looking to sell themselves to Europe, and MLS offered the perfect shop window.
“Players want that intermediate step to come here,” McDonough said. “[They can] adapt outside of Argentina or other places in South American — but mainly Argentina — and then have the opportunity to jump to Europe.”
Already, Inter Miami have signed players of a similar make-up to Atlanta United’s targets. Rodolfo Pizarro, Matias Pellegrini, Julian Carranza and Jorge Figal all represent a similar type of approach. And with a DP slot still available, McDonough has the freedom to sign another up-and-coming South American star looking to sell themselves to Europe.
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It is the Atlanta United model, and it worked at a historically success level. Now McDonough has brought it to Inter Miami. And it might just produce exactly the same results.