Here’s how David Beckham and a ping-pong table factored into Inter Miami’s recent run
Inter Miami coach Phil Neville on Friday revealed three of the secrets to the team’s recent success: mandatory group lunches, a ping-pong table and David Beckham.
Miami has lost just one of its past six games heading into a home match against Toronto FC on Saturday — and that loss is the only game co-owner Beckham missed during the stretch. Beckham has been attending training sessions of the first team and the club’s USL and youth teams, joining in at times.
“His presence in and around is massive,” Neville said. “We’re going to ban him from going home to England. He needs to get his green card as soon as possible. We’re going to close all airports in Florida because the longer he’s here, we keep winning.”
Also, the players have bonded in recent weeks over meals and a new locker room ping-pong table (word is Nick Marsman and Lewis Morgan are the men to beat). Due to COVID rules, players were eating at tables of one and two, but the dining room was rearranged for bigger group meals.
“The players are spending more time together, committing to each other and you can see that on the field,” Neville said. “Ultimately, you can do all the little things, but winning breeds confidence. That’s what we’ve seen, that never-say-die attitude against Nashville and Chicago. That comes from belief and trust in each other.”
Neville rewatched Wednesday’s dramatic 3-2 win over Chicago and was encouraged by his team’s fighting spirit in the waning minutes, reminiscent of the Manchester United Class of ’92, of which he and Beckham were members. In the closing minutes of last week’s game against Nashville, with the scored tied 1-1 in stoppage time, Neville looked up to Beckham in the stands and they both mouthed the words: “Go for the win!” to each other.
That they did. Indiana Vassilev scored the winning goal in the 95th minute.
“We approach the [Toronto] game in a really positive mind-set,” Neville said. “The last 30 minutes of Wednesday’s game, the attitude and commitment to make sure we got the three points, was sensational and gave me great confidence. What I’ve learned really quickly in this league is that from top to bottom — take away New England on an absolutely fantastic run — the difference in the quality of the teams is very minimal.”
Despite Toronto (3-11-6) being last place in the Eastern Conference, Neville called them dangerous. Miami (5-9-4) is eight points shy of the seventh-place playoff line with 16 games to go.
Miami’s three designated players — Gonzalo Higuain, Rodolfo Pizarro, and Blaise Matuidi — have stepped up recently and are a big reason for the turnaround.
Pizarro had a spectacular finish on the game-winning goal against Chicago. Higuain, inspired by the arrival of his girlfriend and baby, was instrumental in all three Miami goals.
“I thought he was sensational,” Neville said of Higuain. “He put in a team performance that probably we have not seen in the past from him. I think what people don’t understand from the outside is that these people are human beings. Gonzalo has gone eight months without seeing his little baby, has gone eight months without seeing his girlfriend — the love of his life — and [Tuesday] they arrived in the country and he saw his little baby for the first time.
“I don’t care how hard you are or how soft you are, that would give you a lift. He said to me before the game that even just having a room in his house that was full of toys, that was messy, mucky, was something that inspired him and made him so proud.”
Neville is also impressed with center back Christian Makoun, who has shown great improvement since last year, when he battled COVID and got little playing time. Neville and his staff have helped the young Venezuelan better his technique and make his left foot “an X-factor” to make up for his lack of size.
“His growth has been incredible,” Neville said. “He’s leaner, fitter… is one of the most popular members of our team. Has worked his socks off. We’ve put him through the mill. He’s becoming a really important member of the starting 11.”
Makoun agrees that he is a different player than he was last season.
“I have gained a lot of confidence because my coaches and teammates believe in me,” Makoun said. “They showed me how to work the right way and I have been willing to learn. Last year was very difficult for everyone, and especially for me, but this is the prize for perseverance. I waited for my moment. The past is the past. Now, there is no limit. I want to keep improving to be a better player and person.”
Center backs Ryan Shawcross and Ventura Alvarado remain injured and will not play Saturday, Neville said. He hopes to have them back soon.
This story was originally published August 20, 2021 at 4:03 PM.