Diego Alonso is out as Inter Miami’s coach, Phil Neville is a candidate to replace him
It’s official: Inter Miami will have a new coach for the 2021 season.
The club and Alonso “have mutually agreed to part ways,” said a team press release Thursday morning.
The news did not come as a big surprise, as Alonso’s future with the team had been in question since the end of the season.
Despite signing one of the league’s most expensive rosters for its inaugural season, Inter Miami finished 10th in the 14-team Eastern Conference, and lost the playoff play-in game 3-0 to fellow expansion team Nashville SC.
Last month, Alonso left a postseason review meeting thinking he had been fired. He told staff and some players that he was gone, but the club immediately issued a statement saying it was a “misunderstanding” and that Alonso’s situation was “still being determined.”
But behind the scenes, the club has been looking for a new coach. Reports from England Wednesday said that Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, who is taking a more hands-on role this season and is reportedly in South Florida with his family, had contacted former Manchester United teammate Phil Neville about the Miami coaching job. Neville has been the coach of the England women’s national team since 2018.
“On behalf of the organization, I want to thank Diego for his hard work and dedication during our inaugural season and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” said Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas. “This was a difficult year and a very tough decision for everyone, but we believe it is the right step for the Club. We have great expectations for Inter Miami in the short and long term.”
Alonso, a Uruguayan who had success coaching in the Mexican league, was hired Dec. 30, 2019, after a lengthy, exhaustive search that made headlines and sparked rumors across the world. He was introduced with much promise at a Key Biscayne waterfront press conference.
At the time, then-Inter Miami sporting director Paul McDonough said of Alonso: “He understands this region, he understands the type of players we’re going to have and he’s been successful everywhere he’s been. He’s coached at two big clubs in Pachuca and Monterrey. He has very clear ideas in what he expects from players and how he expects them to work and carry themselves. I think he’s a really, really good guy. He’s someone I can work really well with.”
Less than a year later, both McDonough and Alonso are gone, as are 15 players from the original roster. McDonough is reportedly headed back to Atlanta United, where he was hired from in 2018.
Alonso had led Pachuca and Monterrey to CONCACAF Champions League titles but had no experience in MLS. He had little knowledge of the player pool, the intricacies of the league’s complex business structure or the culture. Learning all of that during a global pandemic made Alonso’s job even more challenging.
The timing of Alonso’s hire and the signing of marquee players also did not work in his favor. Alonso was hired Dec. 30, 2019, just three weeks before training camp and after much of the roster had been signed.
Three of the team’s top players — Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Blaise Matuidi and Higuain — did not join the club until the summer. Gonzalez Pirez came in July, Matuidi in August and Higuain in September.
“Going through the journey of this inaugural season with Inter Miami has been an incredible experience, and I am thankful to the ownership group for the opportunity. I want to thank the staff for their work and friendship, the players for their efforts on the field, and especially the fans for their constant support throughout the year. I wish everyone the best this upcoming season,” said Alonso.
This story was originally published January 7, 2021 at 10:01 AM.