Mexico star's father quits coaching job to watch him at World Cup
Say what you want, but you can't deny the overwhelming family loyalty present in the Mexican national team. First came the outrage from the dos Santos family. It was upset over manager Javie Aguirre excluding 20-year-old Jonathan from the final World Cup squad. Jonathan is the younger brother of attacking midfield staple Giovani, who made the team. Father Zizinho threatened to have Jonathan never play for Mexico again, and Giovani hinted that he might leave the squad in South Africa in protest.
Now comes a brighter story of Mexican World Cup family loyalty, thanks to the father of Mexico forward Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez.
Javier ‘Chicharo’ Hernandez has quit his job as manager of Chivas' reserve side in order to watch his son, Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, play for Mexico in this summer's World Cup in South Africa.
Hernandez had initially asked for permission to leave for some time from the Chivas institution, but they refused and so he quit 11 days ago, according to several media outlets.
“I asked for permission to go to the World Cup, and they didn’t allow me,” Hernandez told reporters. [...]
"I had to think about it for two days with my family and kids and I made the decision to quit because I want to go to the World Cup and see my kid play. Work is secondary.”
Tremendous stuff. Being the reserve team manager of Chivas, one of Mexico's biggest and most storied clubs, is no joke. To leave a position like that to watch your son play live in a World Cup, for however many games that may be, is an awesome display of family dedication.
Hernandez said that the decision was helped by once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
"It was difficult, but in the end one is not eternal," he noted.
"Institutions remain for lives and one doesn’t. Moments from your life is what makes you take that decision. I understand the institution and that no one is above it, but one is also just here in passing."
It's refreshing to see such a level-headed view come on the heels of the dos Santos family uproar, and I can guarantee that whatever Mexico and Chicharito's outcome in South Africa may be, the elder Hernandez will never regret the decision to watch his son play in the World Cup as long as he lives.
