Hernandez’ last hurrah

Having spent the entirety of Mexico’s World Cup campaign starting from the bench, Javier Hernandez may need to reconsider his future at club level.

Hernandez’ arrival at Old Trafford came as a surprise. He was relatively unknown and negotiations between Manchester United and Guadalajara were kept quiet on the media front. All of that lessened expectations which undoubtedly helped him blossom in his debut season at the club, scoring 20 goals in all competitions according to Soccer Base.

The Mexican striker made more appearances in 2010/11 than any other season with 45 in total. Along with the lack of football came a decline in goals scored over forthcoming seasons.

Hernandez plays off the last man but an abysmal first touch at times rules out any pace he has. As a result of being a dangerous finisher off the bench it became a common perception that the 26-year-old could replicate the attributes that accompanied Ole Gunner Solskjaer.

It was a shame seeing Hernandez sat on the bench throughout the World Cup but new coach Miguel Herrera favours Oribe Peralta to lead the line, a 30-year old that plays for Club America in Liga MX. I had not seen much of Mexico’s preparation prior to the tournament but Herrera’s decision left me surprised.

The outcome of such a disappointing international campaign will probably force his hand in wanting a move from United to reconstruct his club career in aid of retrieving a spot in Mexico’s starting eleven.

After all, Hernandez is El Tri’s third highest goalscorer of all time at just 26 and beloved by the whole nation, seen as their darling boy. Perhaps seen in the same light as Brazil’s Neymar or Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic but a Mexican equivalent (you get the point). Herrera would disagree no doubt.

Hernandez needs to be playing week-in week-out. As much as I would love to see him remain at Manchester United and chip in with the goods when called upon, it’s not exactly fair to expect that when you consider the repercussions it will have on his career.

An enthusiastic striker with an eye for goal, once fully loaded with confidence, Hernandez is a player that would attract attention from all over the football world if made available by Manchester United. The current situation is partly down to Louis van Gaal and whether the Mexican is involved in the new manager’s plans. If not, Hernandez has no other choice but to find a new club.

“Right now we’re thinking about an international tournament and it’s not the time to talk about club matters. I’m not going to say anything else about this,” said Van Gaal when quizzed about Hernandez’ future. There is nothing really worth reading into from that blurb as the Nether land’s manager has maintained that approach ever since the World Cup kicked off.

However, realistically speaking, when you consider the options Manchester United have up front, Hernandez not getting much of a look in is understandable. The argument is with Danny Welbeck, who many reds voice different opinions on, but there is no getting past the likes of Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney in the pecking order.

Nobody could blame Javier Hernandez for wanting to leave if that was the case. He has remained patient for long enough and is a terrific professional. I would rather see Hernandez succeed abroad (Spain/Italy) and reach the potential he expects of himself than waste his career away on the bench at United. Sad but true.

More Stories Danny Welbeck Javier Hernandez Manchester United Robin van Persie Wayne Rooney World Cup

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