Neville shifts focus to next season
Now that Inter Miami’s playoff hopes have been extinguished and there is just one game left, on the road Sunday against the first-place New England Revolution, much of coach Phil Neville’s focus has turned to next season.
Truth is, he and chief soccer officer Chris Henderson have been thinking about 2022 for some time now. There are major roster decisions to be made for a team that has not lived up to expectations through its first two seasons despite having the league’s most expensive roster at $17.8 million.
This year’s team, which kicked off with a new coach, big promises, and the signing of a few new players, can finish no higher than 11th place in the Eastern Conference, a spot below where Miami finished last season. The team’s 35 total goals rank second lowest in MLS and its minus-18 goal differential is fourth worst.
“I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t expect us to finish higher, so I’m disappointed at that and take responsibility for that; but I honestly can’t wait for January 17 [the start of training camp] to attack next season as quickly as possible,” Neville said.
He predicted that next season’s roster will be “younger and fresher.”
Two of Miami’s three high-priced designated players — Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi — will be 34 at the start of next season, as will defender Ryan Shawcross, who missed much of the season with a back injury that required surgery. Brek Shea and Kieran Gibbs will be 32. Kelvin Leerdam will be 31.
Neville also said the club is looking for players “who are more interested in the team than themselves.” Sunday’s game will serve as an audition of sorts, Neville said, to see which players are hungriest to return.
After Saturday’s 3-1 home loss to New York City FC, and at other times during the season, Neville complained that his team at times plays like a collection of individuals rather than a unit. All three of the DPs — Higuain, Matuidi, Rodolfo Pizarro — spent some time on the bench this season as Neville tried to instill a team mentality.
“You need 15, 16, 17, 18 players all on the bus going in the right direction,” Neville said. “It doesn’t matter what level of quality or how much you get paid, you’ve got to have a collective spirit to win in this league.
Look at Nashville. What Gary Smith has done there is a prime example of what you can do with those qualities. Everybody else seems to have those qualities that we’re trying to instill in our culture.”
Reports out of Brazil in the past week said Inter Miami was in talks with midfielders Jean Mota of Santos and Raphael Veiga from Palmeiras. Mota is 28, Veiga is 26. Mexican media have been reporting that Pizarro could wind up back in Liga MX.
Asked if he expects all three DPs to be on the roster in 2022, Neville pointed out that they all are under contract and in the plans. But plans can change. Inter Miami may be willing to part with at least one designated player.
Making matters more complicated, Miami faces hefty financial sanctions for the next two seasons after violating MLS’ salary and roster guidelines during 2020. The club will have to operate with a reduction of $2,271,250 in allocation dollars for 2022 and 2023.
Neither Neville nor Henderson was an employee of the club when the rules were violated, but they are suffering the consequences.
“It’s about building a roster, building an attitude, building a momentum to win next season,” Neville said. “This club has to win games of football, has to win things and we shouldn’t hide away from that. It’s going to be tough. We are behind the eight ball in terms of other teams and their ability to recruit because of the sanctions. We’ve accepted it, we’ll take it, but we have to make even better decisions because our margin of error is less than everyone else.”
Defender Nico Figal added: “All of us need to look at ourselves and not point fingers, not say, ‘This guy isn’t doing this and this guy isn’t doing that.’ We need to put pressure on ourselves
because we play for a club that has a lot of potential and we have failed in many ways. We have a lot to improve, and hopefully, whoever is still here next year can do it better and win a championship.”
Injury report: Goalkeeper Nick Marsman injured a knee ligament against New York and is “a major doubt” for Sunday’s game. Gonzalo Higuain has been playing with plantar fasciitis in his foot the past three games, Neville said, “which is like walking on broken glass. He’s given everything and more and tried to carry the team to the playoffs on his own.”