By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (May 25, 2022) US Soccer Players - For all the drama that followed the club for the first two seasons of its Major League Soccer existence, Inter Miami is suddenly decidedly ordinary. General manager Chris Henderson is working through a roster overhaul while second-year coach Phil Neville keeps the team within reach of the top-seven in the Eastern Conference. So . . .
Inter Miami’s revamp gets a six-point boost
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 20, 2022) US Soccer Players - Inter Miami didn't have much going for it when the 2022 Major League Soccer season began. Off the field, the club was mired in a years-long struggle to push through a stadium plan on the western side of the city it nominally represents. On it, the club was reeling from an 11th-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Add to that the . . .
Four points in the Eastern Conference
By J Hutcherson (Apr 12, 2022) US Soccer Players - There's no magical moment over the course of an MLS season where we all agree that the numbers become real. The league of the four-game losing streak doesn't lend itself to the points suddenly counting early or even midway through the season. Bad teams stay within easier reach than they should of a playoff spot as Decision Day looms. While this is . . .
Resetting the squads and expectations in Chicago and Miami
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Feb 9, 2022) US Soccer Players - The Chicago Fire is starting over again. Inter Miami is doing the same, but for the first time. Beyond that difference, the two clubs enter 2022 very much in the same rickety boat. A boat they're trying to mend while at sea. Transforming a soccer team while moving through the rhythms of seasons and off-seasons is a little like . . .
The 2021 Club World Cup in February, 2022
Wednesday's soccer news starts with the focus on the club game, specifically the start of the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup. Had things gone according to plan, a revamp of FIFA's marquee club competition would see it playing out with more clubs in the summer. Had things stayed the same, this is a December tournament capping the calendar year for club soccer. Instead, it's a 2021 competition now . . .
Inter Miami tries to find itself in year three
By Charles Boehm – WASHINGTON, DC (Jan 20, 2022) US Soccer Players - It was easy to set expectations for Major League Soccer's long-awaited return to South Florida. Bold and splashy, according to the conventional wisdom, with no room for the missteps that ultimately doomed the Miami Fusion back in the early 2000s. Glitz, glamour, and a centrally-located, suitable stadium almost became . . .
MLS retirements in 2021
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Dec 20, 2021) US Soccer Players – Decision Day was the end of the line for the 14 teams not moving onto the playoffs. With that, several MLS stars brought their careers to an end. In the case of the San Jose Earthquakes, there was nothing to play for at PayPal Park. Instead, the crowd was there to see star striker Chris Wondolowski score the final goal of his pro . . .
Mixed results for new MLS coaches
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 21, 2021) US Soccer Players - The start of the 2021 MLS season took place over three days this past weekend, pitting 26 teams against one another in 13 games. Only one team, Real Salt Lake, awaits its turn to get its campaign underway. An odd number of teams this season means there will always be a team sitting out a given round of matches. Unlike several of . . .
The new coaches in MLS
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Apr 7, 2021) US Soccer Players - Perhaps no season in MLS history provided a ruder introduction to the league for new coaches than 2020. A typical preseason led directly into two games before a two-month layoff with no games and effectively no training. The return to play, first in Orlando at MLS Is Back, then in a truncated regular season that featured few fans . . .
Chris Henderson and Inter Miami’s quick revamp
By Jason Davis – WASHINGTON, DC (Mar 5, 2021) US Soccer Players - Unless you're paying very close attention, it's easy to be confused about the division of responsibilities in MLS front offices. Every team has a head coach, but the way clubs label the people in charge of building rosters, overseeing academies, and engaging with the insanely complicated MLS budget rules runs a gamut. Because a . . .
