Well, that was quick. It was widely reported a week ago that Inter Miami manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino would leave the club with immediate effect. Within three days, he had officially left. And now, a week on from Martino leaving, Miami officially has a new manager in Javier Mascherano.
"This job requires somebody with the experience to be able to maximize our unique collection of talent - from our global superstars, to our burgeoning Homegrown players, to our young international prospects, and everything in between. Javier has amassed unmatched experience in his career, from playing on the world’s biggest stages, to coaching at the youth international level," owner Jorge Mas said in a statement Tuesday.
Needless to say, it's an interesting choice.
Mascherano's managerial CV is hardly glittering - although he was immensely successful as a player. He has shared the pitch with Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez. If the majority of this Miami job is about man management and keeping the stars happy - and it most certainly is - then he's a shrewd appointment. Mas admitted that there's a lot of work to do, with roster changes on the way in the coming months. Miami, he promised Friday, will be competing for MLS Cup next season.
But have they got the right manager to do it all? While Inter Miami is hopeful to extend Messi's contract beyond 2025, that is no guarantee. And if this Messi's last MLS go-around, is Mascherano the man to ensure that he departs on a high?
GOAL looks at Mascherano, why he could be the manager Miami needs, and where it could also all go wrong.