Today has to be the best day in the history of Mexican futbol and my life. Ok, disclaimer, my wedding was the best day of my life, but this comes pretty close. Love you babe!
Javier "El Chicharito" Hernandez has been purchased by Manchester United and, pending his work permit, will be playing alongside Wayne Rooney come July. In fact, his first game will be on friendly turf in July when Manchester opens Chivas' new stadium. Rumor has it that Chicharito will play one half with Chivas and one half with Manchester. What a beautiful way to open a stadium and send off a new national hero.
Some might disagree but Thursday ranks higher for me than Mexico's U-17 World Cup Championship, higher than Rafa Marquez winning the UEFA Champions League, higher than any other achievement by a Mexican player, Mexican Club, or Mexican National Team. Today, for the first time in recent history, a Mexican striker was deemed worthy by one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Mexico's poor exportation history has finally been reversed. Today, Chivas, under the masterful eye of owner Jorge Vergara, exported a player to a premier league in Europe and not a feeder league such as Holland, France, or Turkey. Today, Chivas exported a player and sold him outright. There was no conditional loan for purchase agreement. Vergara did not allow Chicharito to leave on loan and thereby devalue the player's accomplishments. Vergara told Sir Alex Ferguson to buy him or no deal. Sir Alex did not hesitate and came through with a rumored 6 million British pound offer.
Why, for so long, has Mexico allowed players to be loaned out on conditional contracts and force them to re-prove themselves before being purchased? Why are the same conditions not placed on Argentinean or Brazilian players? Well, today, Chivas finally said no more. Chivas and Vergara told the European leagues that Mexican players are quality players, that they should be purchased outright, and that a serious offer is the only acceptable offer.
America, Cruz Azul, and all Mexican clubs need to look at Chivas for an example of how a club should be managed. Two years ago, when Chivas was losing and bottom of the table, and had coaches being fired on a weekly basis, with heroes Omar Bravo and El Bofo Bautista fighting openly with management Jorge Vergara held fast and refused to spend wildly on players. In fact, he sold or let players go. Players who were considered icons by the Chivas faithful were told that no one was higher than the institution. Chivas came first and the players came second.
Vergara swore by his youth system and sure enough that faith paid major dividends. Today, Chivas sits atop of the table, with Bofo and Bravo back and in line with the team, and El Chicharito on his way to Europe.
Sure, sometime soon we can sit down and analyze Javier Hernandez's playing chances, how he might fare against big physical brute defenders like the ones that break the legs of talented players (I'm talking about you, Stoke City) and whether or not Manchester United is truly a good move for El Chicharito.
But today, and up until the World Cup, I say fans should just enjoy the news. Celebrate this day as a National Holiday and leave the details to another day.
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