Diego Alonso out as coach of Inter Miami after one season

Inter Miami’s tumultuous offseason continued Thursday with anuncement that Diego Alonso will t be back as coach for club’s second season.

Alonso got team to MLS Cup playoffs in 2020, marking seventh time that an expansion franchise reached postseason. But Inter Miami was routed by fellow expansion club Nashville in that playoff appearance, finished 10th in Eastern Conference and wound up with a 7-13-3 record.

“This was a difficult year and a very tough decision for everyone, but we believe it is right step for club,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said in a release from team. “We have great expectations for Inter Miami in short and long term.”

decision to t retain Alonso means three of club’s key faces from its first season — Alonso, captain Luis Robles and sporting director Paul McDough — will t be back for Year 2 in club history. Robles, one of most decorated goalies in MLS history, anunced his retirement on Wednesday after 14 years in league, most of m with New York Red Bulls.

McDough and Inter Miami parted ways in December. He was one of primary figures in Atlanta United’s rise to winning an MLS title in just its second season in 2018.

It was a rocky first season for team, even with playoff appearance. club that has David Beckham as part of its leership group became first MLS team to lose its first five games, that coming after league shut down in March in response to coronavirus pandemic — just two days before Inter Miami would have played its long-awaited first home game before what was expected to be a capacity crowd.

club practiced for first time in January 2020, nearly six years into Beckham’s quest to finally get MLS back on field in South Florida.

Im Credits: AP