Inter Miami interim manager Guillermo Hoyos denied the idea that Lionel Messi personally selected the team's new coach Cristian 'Kily' González, confirming it was a club decision.
Inter Miami announced on Thursday night that González will officially take over as manager once he receives the corresponding work permits. Hoyos is set to remain in charge as interim manager for the time being.
"No, no, [it wasn't Messi's idea to hire González.] It's the institution," Hoyos said on Friday morning.
"I think Messi has the kind of influence you'd expect from players with that kind of personality and greatness. I imagine it's the same elsewhere, too; when you're at Boca Juniors, for instance, you might consult someone like [Leandro] Paredes. Because Paredes is truly an emblematic figure at Boca, and his words carry real weight regarding the continuity of a coach or the arrival of a new one."
González and Messi briefly coincided while representing the Argentina national team, working as teammates during two World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay in 2005.
González now takes over Inter Miami as the team experiences a five-game winless streak, with a record of four losses and one draw across all competitions, including the Leagues Cup and MLS regular season.
Inter Miami sits in second place on the Eastern Conference table with 39 points in 21 games.
Hoyos revealed the club remained transparent in communicating the coaching change, emphasizing that there is no drama surrounding the arrival of González.
"The lines of communication have been open since day one. That's natural, given how we stepped in to handle a specific situation, it's a role that just kept going and going," Hoyos said on Friday.
"Now, they've found someone who, in my view, is the perfect fit, highly capable and truly able to help take the club to the level it deserves to reach. That is very clear. The great players there will shine just as brightly as they did with us, and we'll really get to enjoy the beauty of the game."
Hoyos added he will remain at the disposal of González during this transition period in order to make his adaptation to the club and MLS easier.
"We are open to all these situations. When Kily arrives, we'll surely get together to talk and discuss things. We are completely at their disposal; we are people of the club," Hoyos said.
"That's why I want to thank all the staff who gave us such extraordinary support. We've shared some very happy moments, so this isn't a drama. On the contrary, it's a chance for improvement, evolution, and growth, and we need to offer our full support in that regard."
Hoyos will not be available to coach Inter Miami on Saturday in the game against CF Montreal at Nu Stadium after receiving a one-match suspension for repeatedly violating the league's late kickoff policy.
