Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez Interview

Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez Interview

Mexican striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez has been a sensation since arriving in the Premier League, and this week SoccerBible caught up with the Manchester United player to talk football, boots and that famous nickname of his...

SoccerBible: Could last season have gone any better for you? Chicharito: It was a good season for all the team not only for me, because we won the 19th title which was brilliant. But I think that is in the past and we now need to look forward, to look to the present and to keep going, we've started the season well, but we need to think day-by-day and game-by-game. SB: Were you confident you would have an immediate impact on the Premier League? C: Yes, but I don't like to talk about only me because this is a group game, it's not like tennis or golf with only you playing, you're there for your team-mates and working hard for the team is the most important thing. SoccerBible: Were you pleased with your goal tally, and have you set yourself any targets?

C: People can say that I scored 20 goals, but for me that's extra, what's important for me is that we won that 19th title. We're very happy about that and if I score more goals or if I score less goals it doesn't matter, the only thing here in Manchester United is about winning trophies.

SB: Who would you say is your best friend at the club?

C: All my team-mates really. Of course with Antonio and now with David De Gea I have more communication because of Spanish, and also with the Latin guys like Nani because of Portuguese. But I try to be the same person with all my team-mates, I want to be a very nice guy and for all my team-mates to think i'm their friend, to help them and sometimes so I can ask for help from them.

SB: You could have your pick of Nike footwear, you choose the Nike Tiempo Legend, why is that?

C: For me I feel the most comfortable in them. When I first started I was playing with the Tiempo and they felt really good, so I've stayed with them.

SB: Have you worn the new Tiempo Legend IV football boots? C: Yes, of course, and I like them a lot. I will probably wear the new white ones, because the black ones are good they're classic, but I prefer the white ones. SB: Is white your favourite boot colour? C: Yes, I love to play with white shoes, they're my favourite. SB: So why is it you have 'Chicharito' on your shirt and not Hernandez? C: It's because my father was nicknamed Chicharo (Pea), and as I was his son they called me Chicharito (Little Pea), they never called me by my name only my nickname. When I started playing, I spoke with the kit man of Chivas and asked him if I can use my nickname on my shirt, from then on I started playing with it.

SB: Is there any significance to the number 14?

C: I'm not superstitious about it, when I started playing my debut number was 45, then I changed to number 25, I decided to change to the number 14 and things are going really well. There are a lot of players who play with number 10, 9 or 45(!) but the most important thing is the player not the number. But for me it's a very nice number, also my father played with that number when he was young and he won titles with it, so I'm very happy with 14 and I want to keep it.

SB: We have a large Mexican fanbase, and they're in awe that in the space of 12 months you've gone from the subs bench to being the most important forward for Mexico?

C: No I don't feel that i'm the most important player of Mexico, I'm a Mexican player trying to do my best so all the world can look at my country to see good things. But I don't feel I'm the best, in my life I never feel more or less than any person we are all the same people. For me being a football player, in my mind I can't think that I'm more than other people, I'm just a person that loves my job that is football, and I want to keep enjoying.

SB: Finally, what does the 2011/12 season hold for Javier Hernandez?

C: The same as my first season, to improve a lot. To keep enjoying this dream, because for me it's a dream to be playing here, to keep improving and to keep learning, to help my team-mates with all my effort and all my work, and of course to win trophies.

SoccerBible met Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez at the recent Manchester United Megastore Event, Chicharito was at Old Trafford along with Sir Alex Ferguson, Ryan Giggs, Chris Smalling and Patrice Evra.