Phil Neville and Inter Miami have parted ways as the MLS team owned by former Manchester United team-mate David Beckham lost patience.
Neville has been in charge since January 2021, and led them to the first-round of the MLS Cup last season. But performances have dipped this season and Miami have lost 66 percent of their games in MLS.
The former England Women's manager ends his time in Miami with a 38.89 win percentage over 90 games, with only five wins coming this season. Miami are dead last in the Eastern Conference, and their home defeat on Wednesday night to ten-man New York Red Bulls was the final straw.
"Phil has made a real contribution to the culture of our club with his qualities as a leader and knowledge as a coach," Beckham said in a statement. "Sometimes in this game we have to make the toughest decisions and sadly we feel the time is right to make a change."
Miami have lost their last four MLS games after the 1-0 defeat to Red Bulls on Wednesday night, and the franchise has taken the decision to sack Neville in a bid to keep their playoff dreams alive. Until recently it was the Red Bulls who were last in the Eastern Conference before a sudden turn of form, but Miami couldn't capitalise at home.
Despite being seen as a must-win game, Miami only managed one shot on target all match. Neville's management has been under scrutiny for some time, and the MLS team have finally pulled the plug.
The pressure was starting to show in Neville, as he snapped at a reporter at a recent press conference. Miami lost 3-1 to MLS rivals Orlando City, and Neville lost his cool by swearing at a reporter.
"Can I finish speaking? Okay, because I don’t interrupt your question. So don’t interrupt mine - show some f****** respect," Neville said to the reporter. The team will now work on finding an immediate replacement, and an early name being suggested is Tata Martino - former Atlanta United manager.
Miami signed former Atlanta striker Josef Martinez before the start of the season, and it was under Martino that he played some of his best football in MLS. The 60-year-old candidate is also from Argentina, famously managing Newell's Old Boys and was in and around the team right at the start of Lionel Messi's journey through the academy.
Messi has since been linked with an ambitious move to Miami, although he's now heavily rumoured to be seeking a return to Barcelona. Regardless of Messi though, Miami need a quick fix to have any chance of making the MLS Cup.
