Inter Miami has had a whirlwind of a day, witnessing the suspension of its interim coach and the hiring of a new permanent coach in mere hours—an occurrence that appears coincidental.
On Thursday afternoon, Major League Soccer announced that Guillermo Hoyos, Miami’s interim coach, has been handed a one-game suspension due to “repeated violations of the League’s Late Kickoff Policy,” which highlights the club’s habit of delaying kickoff times, causing their opponents to remain waiting on the field.
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Later that evening, Miami revealed the appointment of Argentinian coach Cristian “Kily” González as their new head coach, confirming earlier reports that he had accepted the position.
The league also stated that both Hoyos and the team faced undisclosed fines for their repeated offenses regarding the kickoff policy, which mandates that teams must be on the field when the match is scheduled to begin. According to the league’s regulations, both teams and coaches can incur increasing fines and potentially face suspension for ongoing violations.
Miami has been late to several kickoffs in recent weeks, notably during last week’s match against Toronto FC and against Nashville SC on August 15, in both cases leaving the opposing teams waiting for several minutes before finally taking to the field.
While this tactic is intended to disrupt the momentum of opposing teams, it hasn’t proven effective: Miami suffered defeats of 4-1 to Nashville and 2-1 to Toronto.
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Hoyos will serve his suspension this Saturday when Miami faces CF Montréal.
It remains uncertain whether these two incidents are interconnected, but it seems unlikely that González and his new staff will be able to step in for Hoyos immediately; according to the team’s announcement, González will join once he secures the necessary work permits, while Hoyos will “provisionally continue in charge” of the team.
González, a former player with most of his experience in the Argentinian league, possesses a relatively brief coaching history, having managed three teams—Rosario Central, Unión, and Platense—since embarking on his coaching journey in 2020 before taking this role with Miami.
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This marks Miami’s third coaching change this season, coming after Javier Mascherano’s unexpected resignation in April, and González will be the club’s fourth Argentine coach since Lionel Messi joined in 2023.
This news is significant for soccer fans as it highlights the challenges and unpredictability within team management, which can have a profound impact on a club’s performance. The addition of a new coach, especially one with ties to Argentina, could ignite fresh energy in Miami and reshape their strategy moving forward in the league.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
