Unpopular opinion: Inter Miami should keep first-year coach Javier Mascherano

Who would replace Mascherano? Never mind that changing coaches in the middle of a playoff run would be incredibly unusual, who out there might take the job? The "Masche Out!" lobby is fantasizing about another former teammate of Messi's at Barcelona, Xavier Hernandez. "Xavi," as he is known, is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time. After hanging up his boots in 2019, the 45-year-old Spaniard coached Al Sadd of the Qatar Stars League (2019-2021) and Barcelona (2021-2024), winning almost 64 percent of his matches and claiming the La Liga title with Les Blaugrana in 2023.

We know miracles do happen -- Messi signed with Inter Miami in June 2023, after all -- but I can't imagine a young manager with Xavi's profile forsaking the opportunity to coach at the very highest levels in Europe to test himself in Major League Soccer. Any potential replacement will need Messi's approval and should be accustomed to managing high-profile players and experience navigating the vagaries of football in the United States. Coaching experience, much less coaching success, at the club level would be a bonus.

I'd like to see that Venn diagram if anyone has a copy.

Dumping Mascherano would be foolish. Inter Miami's ownership opted for a younger, more defensive-minded coach in Mascherano, well aware of his lack of coaching experience and the difficulty European players and coaches have adapting to MLS. Given the success he's had DESPITE his inadequacies, the better bet is that Mascherano will finish the season and, unless the Herons completely self-destruct down the stretch, he'll get a chance to come back and prove he's learned from this season.

Given the uncertainty of changing managers midseason, that's exactly what I'm hoping to see.