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Former Inter Miami boss and Manchester United great Phil Neville is set to make his return to football management in the MLS. The Englishman is the leading candidate under consideration to become the new manager of Portland Timbers ahead of next season.
Neville, who currently works as an assistant to John Herdman with the Canadian Men's National team, spent over two years in charge of Inter Miami. He was relieved of his duties in June 2023 with the team languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference of the MLS.
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham appointed Neville, with whom he played at Manchester United alongside Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and his brother Gary Neville. The English manager led the Herons to the MLS Cup Playoffs in his second season in charge, having failed to make the playoffs in his debut campaign.
According to The Athletic, Portland Timbers are keen to appoint Phil Neville as their new manager, as they look to beat other interested clubs to his appointment. The deal has not been concluded yet, as an official agreement is yet to be reached, but the fans are not entirely happy with it.
Portland Timbers finished in tenth place in the Western Conference last season, one point behind the San Jose Earthquakes, who picked up the last playoff ticket. In the East, Inter Miami improved by moving up one place after Neville's dismissal to finish second-bottom, also missing out on the playoffs.
If the deal with Portland Timbers does go through, Phil Neville will hope for a better time than his time in Miami. The Former England Women's manager will be keen to enjoy a successful stint in charge of the MLS side.
Inter Miami keen to taste success in 2024
In 2023, Inter Miami have invested heavily in their bid to taste success as a franchise. They signed superstar forward Lionel Messi, as well as midfielder Sergio Busquets, defender Jordi Alba, and also manager Gérardo Martino.
The Herons enjoyed a great amount of success in their Cup engagements last season, winning the Leagues Cup and reaching the final of the US Open Cup. They were not so successful in the MLS, as they missed out on the playoffs by nine points.
Martino's side has begun working towards strengthening their team ahead of the new season as they look to succeed. Reports from ESPN in Uruguay indicate that an agreement has been reached over the transfer of star striker Luis Suarez from Gremio.
The Herons are prepared to have one of the most star-studded rosters in MLS history, and they will certainly be among the best teams in the competition.
