New additions fitting in as roster takes shape for season
Inter Miami plays its final preseason game Sunday against Toronto FC, kicks off its eagerly awaited second season a week later, and sporting director Chris Henderson met with the media via Zoom on Tuesday to offer an update on preseason camp.
He confirmed that four recently signed international players have arrived in South Florida and begun training: Gregore from Brazil, Ryan Shawcross from England (Stoke City), Joevin Jones (Trinidadian who played for Seattle Sounders) and Kelvin Leerdam (Surinamese who played for Seattle).
“We have a little bit of a different look to the group and competition at every spot,” Henderson said. “You always want to have that. It picks up the group of players who have been here to continue to see new faces come in.”
Henderson explained that the decision to cancel three preseason games last week and return home from the scheduled training camp in Bradenton was because of a few COVID-19 cases among staff and a player, some close contacts with people who had tested positive and cases on other
MLS teams that were training in the area.
He said they have quarantined the affected people and are back in their protective environment. On Monday, Inter Miami became among the first American pro sports teams to vaccinate its players and coaches. Players and coaches received their first doses at the club’s Fort Lauderdale stadium, which is a community vaccination facility.
“We have struggled throughout the league since COVID started and out of an abundance of caution we made the decision last week to come back here,” Henderson said. “There were some COVID cases among the groups of teams we were playing, there was someone from our staff, there was a player, and some close contacts … so we thought, ‘Let’s tighten things up.’ We have enough time before the season starts to get everything right and get back in our bubble.”
There is no resolution yet on the MLS investigation of Blaise Matuidi’s contract negotiations from last summer. “Nothing new, it’s in the league’s the hands,” Henderson said.
He did confirm that Matuidi will be reclassified as a Designated Player this season, which means the team has four DPs — Matuidi, Gonzalo Higuain, Rodolfo Pizarro, Matias Pellegrini — and the league allows only three. One player will have to be reclassified, likely Pellegrini who is young and could fit under another salary category.
“We’re still waiting for some decisions at the league level,” Henderson said. “We have four DPs at the moment, so that’s a work in progress. Roster compliance (deadline) is next week, so we need to work on things to get compliant.”
The team is playing two closeddoor scrimmages this week against Miami FC, which plays in the USL. Inter Miami’s new coach Phil Neville is friends with Miami FC coach Paul Dalglish, and the clubs have been working together more than they did last year.
“The collaboration and work with Miami FC has been great preseason,” Henderson said. “Paul and Phil have been talking and that will continue. We love hosting them in a closed-door scrimmage and being able to both get ready for our seasons.”
Dalglish agreed, saying the relationship between his FIUbased team and Inter Miami has changed for the better under the new leadership of Henderson and Neville.
“That’s how it should be, local teams helping each other,” Dalglish said. “We’re rivals on the field but partners off it. We’ve got a responsibility to grow the game. Under the previous leadership that wasn’t an option. Since the changes have been made, Inter
Miami have been absolutely incredible to us and opened up the doors and we’ll try to work together as often as we can.”
Although the real test comes in the season opener April 18 against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Henderson is pleased with his team thus far.
“As we see the pieces come in, now seeing them train together, you can start to get a vision for what we’re going to look like when the competition starts,” Henderson said. “I think we addressed some of the major positions we talked about. Gregore is a great addition in the midfield, Leerdam and Jones both have championship experience in this league. Ryan gives us three starting players for two spots, so there’s competition there. And Kieren Gibbs coming in July gives us other options. We’re going to be dangerous on the flanks and we have players like Pizarro and Higuain up top who can be difference makers.”