No margin for error: While Tata Martino leaving is harsh, David Beckham, Inter Miami must get the right manager to please Lionel Messi in what may be his final run

This was always going to be about Messi. It just was. Even though Martino took the job before the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner landed in South Beach, there was a sense of puzzle pieces falling into place. Martino, remember, had coached Messi - albeit unsuccessfully - at Barcelona and Argentina. They already had a relationship.

Jordi Alba might have denied that he moved to Miami because they were certain Messi was coming. But it doesn't take a footballing savant to figure out that Martino was the guy brought in to make Messi happy. Even if we were told that he was flirting with Barcelona until the very last second, Martino always seemed like the deal-sweetener. Look, Leo, your mate is here!

And that's the point of his career at which Messi arrived. In all honesty, he's been here for some time. It's hard to imagine that Mauricio Pochettino - also Argentine, formerly of the very same club Messi started his career at - was brought in at PSG to coach Messi for his tactical acumen alone. His influence is immense. The next manager, whoever it may be, simply has to keep Messi happy.

The names already at the top of the potential candidate list - and this is purelyspeculation - such as Xavi, Javier Mascherano and Thierry Henry, are all good friends of Messi's.

The difficult job here for whoever's next is that, at this point, Messi cannot really be coached. He has admitted, himself, that he had to change his game to adapt to MLS. But these are more personal tweaks. He walks more, and expends his energy more wisely. Modern footballing concepts of "pressing" and "defense" are nowhere to be found. He stays higher up the pitch, and does most of his action around the box.

MLS's official statistics page refers to him as a second striker, basically the guy who floats around just behind a more traditional No. 9. It's hard to imagine that this is anything other than Messi's choice. At this point, all of his coaches - whether it be Martino at Miami or Lionel Scaloni for Argentina - have effectively set up systems that allow Messi to go where he wants, while ensuring that the guys around him cover for his lack of legs.

There is an argument to be made, in fact, that Messi hasn't been coached in years. Pep Guardiola, not in the running here, molded him into a false nine in 2010. A few years later, in 2014, Luis Enrique ensured he played as an inverted winger. But outside of that, it has been a case of personal development. It is credit to Messi, in that sense, that he has evolved and adapted to remain effective with age. But he is - perhaps deservedly - beyond the point of being "told" what to do.

It is tempting, at this point, to search for parallels. The one that will always come up is Cristiano Ronaldo. The Al-Nassr striker, though, has resisted change. He still tries to play like the No. 9 he was under Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Except, at the highest level, in the biggest games, it's pretty clear that he can't operate in the same way. Indeed, his benching at the 2022 World Cup for Portugal was more than smart tactics; it showed that Ronaldo could no longer do it in the same way for his country - especially if the goal is to, you know, win things.

But MLS is more competitive than the Saudi Pro League. Ronaldo's managers there haven't been megastars (although the appointment of former Milan head coach Stefano Pioli is admittedly funny.)

Perhaps a more apt comparison, especially from a U.S. sport perspective, is LeBron James at the Los Angeles Lakers. At this point, the 40-year-old needs a cooperative, friendly coach who can take care of all the details, with LeBron's influence - and be surrounded by assistant coaches who know what they're doing. New Lakers head coach J.J. Redick has never been in such a position in his life. But he has a few good advisors around him, and the Lakers are 10-4 to start the season. Will they win an NBA Championship? Who knows? But LeBron is happy and the season has started well. In a parallel sense, that's what Miami need for Messi.

Still, this is a slightly different remit. Everything about Miami is about glitz and star power. David Beckham is the owner of this club. They have Messi and Luis Suarez on the roster. Neymar is linked with a transfer - despite it being financially impossible under MLS rules for the currently injured Brazilian to move to Miami. They don't have to hire someone that the rest of America knows, but it absolutely needs to be a big personality in the sport.

That's why some of the potential candidates - Xavi, Henry, et al. - make sense. Xavi, for example, survived, despite the best efforts of Spain's press, for more than two years in the Barca job, and won a La Liga title with no money and an overbearing club president. Henry's on-pitch success has been comparatively limited, but he knows MLS well, played with Messi, and is arguably one of the few figures in football who holds universal respect.

Zinedine Zidane would seem less likely given his many years at Real Madrid, but his relationship with Beckham and influence in the game might help.

At this point, the list gets even thinner. Mostly because the next manage has to be able to coach everyone else. As a brand, Miami is about Messi. But as a footballing unit, there are 10 other guys on the pitch at any given time that need managing. It was Martino's biggest flaw that he didn't set up this team to win in MLS.

In effect, he tried to mimic Scaloni's Argentina, deploying his side like a slow, possession-based unit in a league that is inherently frantic. Atlanta's round one win of MLS playoffs was entirely predictable; they are young and energetic, Miami, in key positions, are old and slow. Sometimes this sport is simple, and when quality is lacking, athleticism can make the difference.

This does not mean that the next manager has to have a deep knowledge of the league. But it does require a certain amount of tactical acumen, willingness to adjust, and an acceptance that Messi, Suarez and aging superstars alone will not be enough to win MLS Cup. There will be roster moves made. Diego Gomez, a fine contributor, is gone in January. There are certain to be trades and tweaks.

Regardless of who comes and goes, though, Miami simply have to be set up to compete, immediately. Younger players must get better. League veterans must adjust. This needs to be a team - not just a star player and 10 individuals making it work to keep him happy.

So, this isn't an easy job, and there are very few managers in the world capable of doing it. Slash all of the elite from the list - Jurgen Klopp is not doing this thing - and you're left with a handful of big personalities, friends of Messi, but very few top-level managers. Xavi would seem to fit the bill nicely. He's been out of a job for a year, and MLS might be a good way to ease his way back into management before seeking a European job. It's hard to imagine that Miami haven't already moved that way.

But the final issue here, is that this is could be a one-year gig - at least with this caliber of roster. Messi likely has one season left, and although there is a club option in his deal for 2026 - and perhaps the beckoning of the opportunity to play in the World Cup - there is also every chance he hangs up his boots in 12 months time.

Whichever coach is at the helm might not be inclined to stick around for what could be a post-Messi apocalyptic wasteland in South Beach. When he leaves, it's hard to see Sergio Busquets, Alba and Suarez all sticking around without Messi. As with his signature in the first place, it is no coincidence that all of their contracts expire at the same time.

This is the last ride for Leo. And it's a crucial season for Miami, too. In 2024, they failed in their primary objective of winning MLS Cup. That doesn't look good, but it's allowed. Now, though, lessons should be learned, excuses removed, and failures addressed, as 2025 could be Messi's final year as a professional footballer. Miami simply have to bring in the right manager - or risk wasting the last of what Messi has to offer.