Hernandez: I will do anything for this manager!
Javier Hernandez struggled to understand Sir Alex Ferguson’s Scottish accent the first time he spoke to our legendary manager.
The Mexican striker, who currently plays for LA Galaxy, is the guest star in the first episode of Series 3 of our UTD Podcast - available to listen to from Monday on our Official App.
Hernandez was signed by Ferguson from hometown club Chivas in 2010 and went on to make 157 appearances for the Reds, scoring 59 goals and playing a key part in the 2011 and 2013 title wins.
In the podcast, ‘Chicharito’ as he was affectionally referred to during his time at Old Trafford, tells an amusing story of when he initially held conversations around joining with the boss, over the telephone.
“The coach Sir Alex Ferguson came and it was one of the most complicated calls!” Hernandez, now 33, recalls.
“His Scottish accent, man… and in that moment I wasn’t aware of that language, so it was so complicated to understand, so you could see me pushing the phone.
“You have to imagine, he was speaking from Manchester and I was in Guadalajara. It was the first time we’d spoke.
“Imagine the connection, too, so I was never in my life so focused on a phonecall!”
Fortunately the pair were able to overcome the barrier and Javier’s signature was clinched in April 2010, the day after he attended a Champions League quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich in M16.
The young forward, who was already a full international and would go on to impress at that summer’s World Cup for Mexico, was bowled over by the boss’s personal touch.
Sir Alex’s warm hospitality made Hernandez resolve to give everything on the pitch for United and he did just that, scoring 20 goals in his debut season to help lift us to a record-breaking 19th Premier League triumph.
“It was great, it was amazing and then when I arrived to the presentation he wanted to have dinner with myself and my family,” Chicharito added.
“The way he presented himself and the way he treated you like a human. The way he treated my family, for me it was like, yeah I will kill myself for this manager inside the pitch, for sure. For sure!
“If he treats my family that way, man, I will vomit after every game if it helps him to achieve in games and championships. He was an amazing man. It’s hard to believe.”
You'll be able to listen to Javier Hernandez's episode of the UTD Podcast via our Official App from Monday 6 September.