Inter Miami: The Herons and their focus on youth
Charlie Rowan talks to Inter Miami Director of Player Development, Darren Powell, about he the club are doing things differently to most
They call themselves “The Herons” - “a symbol of power, protection and patience”, or so they explain. However, “patience” is certainly not reflective of the club’s ambition and continued growth
In 2018, English footballing legend David Beckham co-founded American side Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami, or simply Inter Miami. In 2020, they moved into a new 18,000-capacity stadium in Fort Lauderdale (they plan to eventually move to a new $1bn site) and played their first Major League Soccer (MLS) games.
The former Manchester United ace is leading this project. He didn’t become the coach or manager, but Beckham is still nurturing the next generation of talent.
How is Beckham doing this?
Funding from Beckham himself, along with businessmen Marcelo Claure, Jorge Mas, and Masayoshi Son, has helped to attract some experienced world stars, including Blaise Matuidi and Gonzalo Higuain.
However, the 45-year-old’s experience and influence has a deep effect on the young players, too. His impact extends beyond his role as an owner.
21-year-old Inter Miami forward Robbie Robinson told the club website, “David Beckham had a huge impact on my career from when I was a little kid. I used to watch him and try to emulate his free-kicks and the ability that he possessed on the ball.”
Manager Diego Alonso fielded a squad in 2020 with an average age of 26.7; although this isn’t an old squad, the integration of even younger talent to the first team is important to Inter Miami’s vision.
Go Inside Inter Miami- in the first episode of the new docuseries that showcases the Club's unique journey
Chatting with Darren Powell
Inter Miami have a particular way of developing the young players from their academy.
“The academy is very important to the vision of the club. I think David Beckham has gone on the record to say that he wants to see these players from South Florida make their way up to the first team,” Darren Powell, who oversees Inter Miami’s youth development from the academy to USL level, told Charlie Rowan of The Sporting Blog.
“From day one, the ownership of the club has stressed that they want to be a pillar in the community. So what we're doing is providing opportunities for South Florida players. There is going to be no residential programs to import talent from outside the area, but we feel it's a good talent pool and one that we're looking to grow.”
According to TransferMarkt, the club has spent over £22M in transfers since its inception. Racking up 21 points in 20 matches, Inter Miami sit 11th out of 14 teams in the Western Conference of the MLS. Considering the investment, the results seem somewhat disappointing.
But Beckham and Inter Miami are playing the long game. He wrote on Instagram in July, “Manchester United, Real Madrid, La Liga and the [Premier League] wasn't built in a day. Teams, players and clubs need time to flourish but when they do all the hard times seem so distant.”
It is important that the patience that Inter Miami speak of, marries the ambition and growth aspirations of the ownership group, as Beckham and the club prepare for the long term.
There is a clear inspiration for these young, South Florida-based talents. “All of the young players have something to strive for; they see the lights from the stadium when they train every day. The training ground is attached to the first team stadium. So it's an inspiration for the young players to try and get into that stadium and to play for their hometown club.
“And having a fully integrated pathway from u12s all the way through to the first team, they can see that logical progression. And they are on the track - previously in Miami that pathway hasn’t been there before, so it is new to the area.
“I think that newness, that credibility of the ownership group and then the whole integration of youth program - it all becomes very tangible for the young players and certainly makes them aspire to play for their hometown team”
Darren explained his role at the South-Eastern US side: “My role at Inter Miami is Director of Player Development. I work with players from the age of 12 all the way through to the USL, which is the reserve team. So I'm on the field on a daily basis as an assistant coach with the reserve team and then oversee the day-to-day academy. I’m almost like an academy director.”
“But the emphasis is obviously on the player development side. So for those top talents to boost through the pathway. It is about how we create that pathway for u12/u13 players. What's the next step on their football journey. So currently we have 14 players from our academy playing with the reserve team - playing full men’s professional football in the third tier over here from the age of 15 to 18.”
Inter Miami are looking ahead to the future. To see the project come to life, with fans allowed in the stadium. To see the growth and success of the club. And, ultimately, to see the plethora of young players harness their potential.
“Whenever you start something from ground zero it takes time to build. I think the growth has been very rapid in the first year. And it is a massive compliment to the local clubs and community that you can have 14 young players in the academy that will over the next two, three or four years go from playing in the USL team to earning a spot in the first team.
“To start a club in 2020, it gives fresh energy - there is a lot of freshness about the club. The ownership group is globally recognized - everybody knows who David Beckham is!”
“And with that, it just gives you freshness and energy and excitement in the community, in a city like Miami that doesn't happen very often. This opportunity is massive, and to see it all come together is special. It also helps build a fanbase outside of Miami.”
“Inter Miami might not be the first team you support, but I think it can be a second club for a lot of people around the world just because you have that association with David Beckham, with a wonderful city like Miami. There’s a lot of positive energy that goes into it.”
Written by Charlie Rowan for The Sporting Blog.
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