Messi, Alba, Busquets would not have joined Inter Miami were it not for Martino
Philadelphia Union boss Jim Curtin believes that Inter Miami's coup of signings was thanks in part to their first big acquisition: Tata Martino.
Curtin, who managed against Martino when the Argentine was at Atlanta United, believes that Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets would not have moved to south Florida were it not for the manager there now.
Martino arrived at the club midway through the season after the club sacked the poorly performing Phil Neville.
'Sometimes people forget, he was the first piece,' Curtin told the Miami Herald. 'I think Messi comes because Tata's there. Busquets comes because Tata's there. And Alba, as well. He was the first move in this whole thing that really transformed the club.
'He's the leader, an incredible coach, an incredible person. When you think of Tata, you can see how his players respond and react to him almost like a father figure who is an incredible soccer mind, as well.'
Curtin also praised Martino for how he set up his team - saying that it's 'terrifying' trying to prepare for a team helmed by the former Barcelona manager.
'When you think of his teams in Atlanta and now his team in Miami, the way they can manipulate a defense, the way they run at you for 90 minutes and be relentless with their attacking movements, that's something that's pretty clear to Tata's teams,' Curtin said.
'You know when you're playing against a Tata Martino team you better be on your game defensively for 90 minutes because they are relentless from the opening whistle until the final whistle.
'And after the game he smiles and shakes your hand. He's a gentleman.'
Martino and Miami now travel up the Florida Turnpike to take on Orlando City SC in what was supposed to be Messi's first true rivalry game.
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