Henderson on Revamped Inter Miami: “We wanted to get hungrier, younger, faster, more dynamic as a team”

Following a full preseason of gathering momentum, a new season is just around the corner for Inter Miami. When the team does take the field for the start of the 2022 season on Saturday, it will look quite a bit different. First, the team will be wearing The Heartbeat Kit, the team’s first pink kit. Also, the team will feature a number of new faces, both on and off the pitch.

The club has retooled with an eye on improvement heading into its third season, beginning with significant changes in personnel among both players and staff. So far, Inter Miami has announced 14 new signings, with just a few days to go until its 2022 MLS season opener at home against Chicago Fire FC on Saturday, Feb. 26.

For Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director Chris Henderson, the focus of the offseason has been a methodical insistence on creating flexibility. This meant having to make a number of changes, but it offered an exciting opportunity for him.

“We’ve had to make some difficult decisions, but we’re excited about the direction we’re heading. We said we wanted to get hungrier, younger, faster, more dynamic as a team, and we feel that with the moves we’ve made, we’re on our way. Every move we make is made with the intention of improving our chances to achieve our objectives,” said Henderson.

Henderson and the other key decision makers in the front office have utilized careful player identification methodology to make a number of important signings. This offseason, Inter Miami has acquired DeAndre Yedlin, a 28-year-old U.S. Men’s National Team defender and former MLS All-Star returning to the league, Jean Mota, a 28-year-old midfielder with more than 250 matches under his belt at South American powerhouse club Santos FC. The team has also added Christopher McVey, a versatile defender with experience in European competition and Damion Lowe, a Jamaican international captain, as well as Emerson Rodríguez, a Colombian U22 Initiative signing, and Leonardo Campana, a young Ecuadorian international coming from the English Premier League, and Robert Taylor, a Finnish national team attacker.  A trio of in-prime players with notable MLS experience – Mo Adams, Ariel Lassiter and Clément Diop – have also joined the club ahead of the 2022 season.

“It’s about finding the right players for what we want to build here. We think these guys are all motivated to succeed and each brings something to the team that will make us better. DeAndre is a former star in this league returning while in his prime. Jean is a highly accomplished player who has been a mainstay at a big club like Santos, and is in his prime. Christopher and Damion are physically imposing center backs who can help solidify our defense. Emerson and Leonardo are highly rated young players with big potential. Robert and Mo are versatile pieces who can help us in several areas. Ariel is a gifted attacker with good physical attributes who has done well in MLS and on the international stage. And Clément is somebody who we had seen firsthand in training and we think can add good depth and competition to our goalkeeping unit,” said Henderson.

With the additions of Campana and Rodríguez, along with George Acosta, CJ dos Santos, Bryce Duke, Aimé Mabika and the team’s 2022 MLS SuperDraft first-round pick Ryan Sailor, the integration of standout young international center back Jairo Quinteros following his return from loan, and the return of other young players such as Edison Azcona, Drake Callender, Robbie Robinson and Felipe Valencia, the team will also have an injection of youth in 2022.

“We believe in our coaches and our development pathway, so we want to continue to focus on our young players. Between the new players and the ones coming back, we feel we’ve cleared more of a path for them. But whether they’re with our First Team, our MLS NEXT Pro team, in our Academy, or out on loan, the growth of these players will be crucial for us in the long term,” added Henderson. 

Though there has been notable turnover, a number of standouts will return in 2022, including leading scorer Gonzalo Higuaín, midfield stalwart and team captain Gregore, starting goalkeeper Nick Marsman, versatile midfielder and 2021 MLS Humanitarian of the Year nominee Victor Ulloa, and the veteran left back trio of Kieran Gibbs, Brek Shea and Joevin Jones.

“These guys are key parts of our foundation as a team and we’re happy to have them back. They’re very committed to what we’re building and we expect them to be important to our efforts this season.”

The changes around the club also extend off the field, as the team has continued to shape a number of key areas across the staff, including the addition of assistant coach Martin Paterson. Notably, the club will also have a revamped performance staff, headed by Performance Director Dawn Scott, a renowned professional with an impressive track record of success with the U.S. Women’s National Team and England Women’s National Team. Along with Scott, the performance staff will be buoyed by the arrivals of Julian Haigh as Director of Sport Science, Tom Jobe as Director of Fitness and Rehabilitation and Silas Waszczuk as Sports Performance Specialist.

“We’re doing everything we can to build the infrastructure of this club to world class levels and these additions are a product of that. We feel that Dawn and her staff will help put our players in the best position to succeed here.”

Through all of the change, Inter Miami has put together a promising preseason, including claiming the first silverware in the First Team’s history by winning the Breeze Airways Carolina Challenge Cup. The preseason also saw the team play its first-ever international friendly, winning 4-0 over Peruvian side Club Universitario de Deportes, and face a number of MLS opponents in scrimmages, sharpening the squad for the home opener. With the real thing approaching this weekend, Henderson is excited for what’s to come and pleased with the club’s direction. 

“We’re excited. There’s more work to be done, and players to sign, but we feel this is all a good start. We want to put Inter Miami in good positions to be successful and hopefully that’s what we’re doing.”

Inter Miami fans can join The Heartbeat of the club and secure their seats for the 2022 campaign by becoming Season Ticket Members. Season Ticket Members receive the best prices and priority seating locations for all 2022 home matches. Additional benefits include priority access to home playoff matches, interest free payment options, and discounts on season parking passes. For more information on Season Ticket Memberships, please visit intermiamicf.com/tickets.

Individual match tickets for each of the 17 regular season home matches on the Inter Miami CF schedule – beginning with the highly anticipated home opener on Saturday, February 26 are available visiting https://www.intermiamicf.com/tickets/single. Fans can also call 305-428-0611 to learn more.