Patience is the key for Chicharito

As featured on the Spanish web site of Manchester United:

Getting up at 6:45 a.m. on New Year’s Day to watch United play West Brom was no easy thing. In general, it’s not easy being a United fan in Guadalajara, Mexico with weekend games on in the morning and midweek fixtures necessitating a sneaky long lunch break.

However, I do admit to feeling smug watching local Guadalajara-born Chicharito blowing streams of freezing air into the night sky. It often seems slightly surreal as I, a Manchester native, contemplate whether or not sun-cream needs to be applied that particular day.

It has to be said though that getting up for games is much easier knowing Chicharito might be playing, or even might come on. It gives you that extra little motivation. If I missed a goal or something incredible happened, my friends here wouldn’t let me live it down, especially not as a sports journalist. If you didn’t already know (perhaps you live on Mars?), in Guadalajara Chicharito is the man.

The local sports papers keep everyone informed of his every goal, every killer pass and every slight mistake. Chicharomania is alive and well. Newspaper sales rise when his face is on the front cover, meaning the striker’s every move is analysed.

I have to complain about one thing, however. There seems to be a rush amongst the Mexican press for Chicharito to be in United’s starting eleven, to take on Europe like the legend Hugo Sanchez and to become almost like a superhero.

Tranquilos, there is no rush. Nine goals in 24 appearances (most as a sub) is a fine start in the red shirt. Chicharito is already the highest Mexican goalscorer ever in the Premier League and he’s become the de facto number three striker at United in a matter of months ahead of the likes of Michael Owen. How many people in Mexico, if we go back one year, would’ve believed a Mexican would be putting pressure on Wayne Rooney for a starting place at United?

At other clubs in the Premier League there is often less direction and planning with young foreign imports. In those cases, the press are correct in getting slightly agitated. Many young foreigners in the English game are left stranded. Prime examples are fellow Mexicans Carlos Vela and Giovani Dos Santos who have hardly kicked a ball in anger this season. With Chicharito and United, I repeat, there is no rush. As Sir Alex Ferguson says, first the 22-year-old needs to become physically stronger and regular chances will come be it this season, the next or in two years. United fans who have followed the club for a long time know they can trust Ferguson. The trophy cabinet speaks for itself.