The Rondo, Inter Miami edition: How shocking was Javier Mascherano's departure? Is Xavi the solution? And are they still MLS Cup contenders?

Tom Hindle: Poll 10,000 Inter Miami fans and not one of them will tell you they saw it coming. Sure, Mascherano had tied a couple of games in a row, and the CONCACAF Champions Cup exit hurts. But those were knocks, not referendums on his tenure. A tactical genius he is not, but Mascherano's position didn't seem to be in threat whatsoever.

Ryan Tolmich: Pretty shocking, but mostly due to the timing. It would have made sense if he wanted to walk off on a high after the MLS Cup. Or to leave after the disappointing CONCACAF Champions Cup exit. It would even make sense to leave this summer post-World Cup. But now? In April? Something has to have happened because, otherwise, there's little reason to make this call right now.

TH: Well, it depends on who else is out there, right? It's a weird one, because Miami has always felt like a bit of a vibes job. Keep Messi happy, and you're more or less sorted. That's what Mascherano did. Now, if they go out and hire, say, Xavi, then maybe hindsight will suggest this isn't the worst thing in the world. But for now, it's a hard one to explain.

RT: Is it shocking? Yes. Might both parties be better for it? Possibly. Mascherano leaves having boosted his coaching stock with that MLS Cup, despite some fair criticism for his approach before that playoff run. Miami, meanwhile, can turn the page towards someone with a better tactical fit. Somehow, everyone might win here.

TH: That something is deeply, deeply wrong here. Not to make light of anyone's personal experience - and we should always try to take people at their word - but Miami have now seen two managers leave for "personal reasons" in the last two years. The fact that another main man is gone and the front office has shuffled around in the meantime - their former sporting director is now their head coach - suggests that this is a club in a constant state of flux. There's no stability to be found. Perhaps that's why it took them so long to win an MLS Cup, even with Messi in the fold.

RT: Miami want to be a global club and, on the coaching front, they sure act like it. No one is safe, and no achievement buys too much time, even for coaches who are friends with the star player. Turnover is natural at the highest levels, but not so much in MLS. In Miami, though, turnover is common as Mascherano becomes the latest big-name manager to walk out the door.

TH: The dream surely has to be Xavi, who has been keeping his powder dry on a big job for over a year now. He checks the 'Messi friend' box, too. But he might want a European job, which would be a little more high profile. An outside shout for Lionel Scaloni after the World Cup, who is just Mascherano with a little more clout. Thiago Motta could be an option, too. He played with Messi for a year, and has been out of a job for a year after impressing in Serie A.

RT: Pie in the sky, most fun appointment? Xavi. He's been out of the game for a little while now and would surely like to work with his old friend Messi. His time with Barcelona showed he's good with young players, too, which is part of the job description in Miami. Because of that, he makes sense, on the field and for the brand.

TH: Absolutely. BUT they really have to get this appointment right. Any uncertainty at the top, and this could be a mightily difficult few months.

RT: Yes. They have Messi. No need to overthink this. As long as the Argentine is around, they can beat anyone in the league.