El Chicharito came back home to Chivas to a hero's welcome and he suited up in the first half for his former club against his new club, Man Utd. One of the conditions of the transfer deal that brought him to the Premiership was that United would be at hand to inaugurate Chivas's new stadium.
Eight minutes later, he scored a sensational goal to put Chivas one up. This kid is going to be special. He and Wayne Rooney are going to form a formidable partnership that will keep scoring goals.
Chris Smalling, another of Sir Alex's talented prospects scored an equalizer. Chivas went ahead through Adolfo Bautista (his hair dyed platinum blonde) and Hector Reynoso made it a two goal lead before Nani pulled one back late for the final score of 3-2.
OK, I think I agree with both Shourin and Kev. Obviously, each case in unique but I just don't see this as one where it was primarily for marketing. Besides what Shourin noted about the examples of Giovanni and Vela and the insularity of Mexico as regards club soccer, I just happen to think that chronology is important here. Chicharito was a popular player when United bought him before the World Cup but nothing close to the national hero that he is in its aftermath. That's all I was really saying.
Actually, I do agree, in these matters there are a couple of different criteria- buying Dong Fangzhuo was a purely market driven decision to increase access to the Chinese. Every big Premiership club has been trying to get into the biggest market - which is Asia. South Koreans follow Man Utd because of Park Ji Sung (it helped too that he was talented). The Asian market represents potentially the most money from merchandiing and TV subscriptions. But I look at Chicharito as different. Mexico is far more nationalistic when it comes to soccer - for them it is not following a club simply because of who got in. They've had a number of players in the big European leagues for a while. Hugo Sanchez was their biggest star and he played for Real Madrid in the 80s. So Chicharito might drive up interest in United but I don't think that translates into actual pounds in the pocket. Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela have been in the Premiership for a while but I have yet to see Arsenal shirts being worn amongst Mexican fans.
Jesse, I agree with you. It is not in their interest to sign a marginal player, wherever he may be from. But I do know United signed a young Chinese player a couple of years back, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dong_Fangzhuo, who for various reasons didn't pan out. A worthwhile gamble in terms of player talent and t-shirt sales?
I really don't see how you guys can say that this is more about marketing than football. Ferguson noted that he had been scouting Chicharito for a fairly long period of time before he all of a sudden started scoring goals like crazy last season. Then he snapped him up at a great price BEFORE his goal-scoring exploits during the World Cup made him a national hero. Now he has basically ruled out a loan move for Hernandez and seems to think that he will make a great partner for Rooney. Am I missing something here? Even if he doesn't pan out in the end (I think he will) what makes you guys think this was mainly a marketing move other than that he happens to be quite popular in Mexico?
Remember, people said Park was a marketing buy and look how well that has turned out.
Shrewd marketing to be sure, they will make bundles selling his jersey. But he has to be a good player for that to work out best. If he is a bust, then they won't sell many jerseys at all.
The signing of Chicharito almost seems like more marketing than for his skill. Though he is a pretty good player.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aeH-5rqNLk
All of Mexico are now Manchester fans.