With the footballing world closing around us, one of the few remaining actives league is in Belarus and although there may be action taking place in Eastern Europe, there is nothing in the way of progress as far as Major League Soccer (MLS) is concerned.
This means that after just two games as a sporting entity, Inter Miami CF’s season has hit pause and for former LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, this is undoubtedly a large piece of frustrating news.
With the English Soccer legend taking up the option to buy an MLS franchise in 2014, this is a project that has been besieged with setbacks and the fact that it took six years for Inter Miami to be fully operational, should be a testament to the struggles involved.
However, all the roadblocks that were placed in Beckham’s direction have thankfully been dealt with and with MLS preparing for its 25th edition of the competition, the Miami based franchise was ready to join the party.
Amid what was supposed to be a celebratory year, MLS maintains hope of completing a full 34-game season https://t.co/jzNsxOPG1s
— Planet Fútbol (@si_soccer) April 6, 2020
Although if it had a precious invite, it certainly didn’t seem to take it up and on the evidence of their first two outings, you do get the feeling that the 2020 MLS season is going to be something of a struggle.
That’s because one of the two latest additions to the MLS franchise roster (the other being Nashville SC) has lost their opening pair of early-season fixtures and it is a return that sees Inter Miami lying third bottom in the overall standings.
While it seems that struggling as a newcomer is not unique to Inter Miami, as it is the Nashville outfit who occupy the place below them and they both have New York City FC for sparing their blushes, due to them currently ranked bottom overall.
With the MLS becoming more and more competitive with every year that passes, it is perhaps understandable that David Beckham’s franchise has not got off to a flying start and with that in mind, there is a belief that the project in Miami will be something of a work in progress.
Although the project certainly should not be undermined within the first few weeks and the fact that Inter Miami have had to play both their opening matches on the road, it should be taken as a mitigating circumstance for their performance.
Which is why there is almost a sense of sadness at present and it stems from the fact that Inter have yet to be able to play in front of their own fans, due to the Coronavirus pandemic that is currently sweeping the world.
Just like so many other leagues and competitions around the world, MLS has had to press pause on proceedings and this has meant that the 2020 season has been halted after just two weeks of on-pitch action.
This creates something of an issue for the likes of Don Garber and his fellow MLS board members, as they will need to try and reclaim the number of lost weekends that have already taken place and the weeks are still yet to follow.
With the competition running on such a tight schedule, it means that the planned program may have to be curtailed and therefore a shortened version of the 2020 MLS season may be the only way that it reaches a conclusion.
This means that Inter Miami will have to wait patiently to christen their new 18,000 capacity stadium but for how long that wait ends up being, is the question that no single entity currently has the answer to.
It’s too early to tell whether this season will be a bust for Inter Miami and there is a feeling that when they finally take to home soil, results will turn in their favor and they will be able to celebrate more wins than losses.
With that said, David Beckham and his fellow Miami decision-makers know that being competitive in the MLS is not going to happen overnight and it might take a couple of years before they are competing with the likes of last year’s finalists, Seattle Sounders and Toronto.
And some inspirational signings.
?| David Silva is debating between two interesting proposals from David Beckham’s new MLS franchise Inter Miami and Japanese side Vissel Kobe.
Silva’s compatriots David Villa and Iniesta are at Vissel Kobe and are convincing Silva to join them in Japan.
[Estadio Deportivo] pic.twitter.com/mUjpQIfOge
— City Chief (@City_Chief) April 5, 2020
However, there is no doubt that Beckham is a genuine Soccer man and one that is patient to boot. While if he can show the same level of patience to his efforts on the pitch in America, then success should eventually come Inter Miami’s way in the end.
