Source: Cristhian Hernandez Will Sign Home Grown Player Contract With The Philadelphia Union
by Scott Kessler on Feb 21, 2012 3:25 PM EST
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The Philadelphia Union will sign their third ever Homegrown Player, and second in the past three months, by the end of the week, a source close to the situation told the Brotherly Game. Cristhian Hernandez is one of the few non-contract players still with the Union in Florida, but he's set to end that distinction over the next couple of days.
Currently well into their 2012 preseason, the Union have been slightly more open than previous years in regards to non-contract players and trialists in the team's camp. Both Chase Harrison and Chris Konopka have been revealed by the team as trialists, and Hernandez has routinely made appearances in the Union's photos and write-ups.
The 18-year-old was named the 2011 U-18 Academy Player of the Year by the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA). Hernandez also starred for New Jersey high school powerhouse St. Benedict's Prep, alongside fellow Union academy member Christiano Francois.
Hernandez will count as an international player this season, as the midfielder is a Mexican citizen, according to the source. The Union recently acquired a 2012 international roster spot from the Galaxy in a trade that sent midfielder Kyle Nakazawa to Los Angeles.
Based upon his recent Twitter account handle name change (from @easydoesit_10 to @C_Hernandez31), Hernandez will wear No. 31 in 2012. He joins Zach Pfeffer and Jimmy McLaughlin as current Home Grown Player signings on the Union.
A comment he made to Sheldon Shealer, ESPN Rise's high school soccer reporter, in late October started speculation about Hernandez's future last year. The high school senior informed Shealer that he intended to pursue a professional career instead of heading to college at the end of the scholastic year.
In December, a tweet by MAE Agency's Michael Wheeler declared that he was close to representing a local soccer talent. MAE Agency is located well within driving distance of St. Benedict's Prep and Newark, leading the Brotherly Game to speculate about the possible connection between Wheeler and Hernandez.
As of right now, there has been no confirmation of Hernandez signing with Wheeler from either party or the Union.
Last summer's Union friendly against Everton, an English Premier League club, marked the first time that Hernandez played in a game with the Union's first team. The creative midfielder scored the only goal of the game, besting Slovakian international Jan Mucha from inside of Everton's box.
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Is this the Int'l signing you were so excited about in the Q&A?
And if it is, can you explain why it’s a 10 when he’ll barely see the field for the next two seasons?
This is him.
Hernandez is a talent that could make an impact right now or a couple years down the line, depending on how Nowak decides to utilize him. As we saw in the Everton friendly, he’s already at the level where he can compete with professionals, take a beating and still succeed.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Feb 21, 2012 3:47 PM EST up reply actions
I’m in agreement with your rating. This is like getting a top superdraft pick. He might not be ready right away, but he’s a stud. Also, our midfield is WAY crowded with young talent now.
by danielfarrell on Feb 22, 2012 9:36 AM EST up reply actions
Really?
This was the big signing? Way too many teenagers on this team now. Wake me up in 2017 when all these kids become men. The lines between the Youth Team and Real Team are becoming increasingly blurred.
Home Grown International
I like this signing, but it seems counter-intuitive that any team would have to use an international roster spot on a home-grown player.
My understanding is that the way MLS deals with internationals was created as a mechanism to prevent the wholesale importation of clubs, as plagued the NASL, to the benefit of local and domestic players.
I understand the reasoning be hind the rule, but if MLS is looking to develop talent within this country, it seems like one of the perks to signing a HG player should be a waiver on the use of an international slot as long as the player remains with the team. We aren’t at the point with our academies where we’re importing talent from around the world at very young ages, so why penalize the team for hiring a local boy?
by Chris Luczkowiak on Feb 21, 2012 4:15 PM EST reply actions
Exceptions, Not the Rule
Right now, home grown players that are internationals are exceptions, not the normal or average. I think your suggestion makes plenty of sense, but the only people pushing the limits of it that I can think of are Andy Najar (DCU) and Giorgi Chirgadze (former – NYRB).
Maybe a timed exception is appropriate? If they sign homegrown you get a roster exception for 2 years? or until they turn 21? I don’t think creating a mechanism where they become permanent exceptions will pass through the league office.
I’d be really curious as to where his status is in regards to getting US citizenship and/or a green card. Since he’s lived in the US for some time, I don’t think it would be difficult for his to pursue one or the other, especially if he’s now “working” for a US company in MLS.
Others have speculated that if he is going to become a US national in the near future, it might make sense in terms of only getting the extra international slot for one season. Perhaps by 2013, his presence on the roster won’t require an international slot and he’d be considered domestic.
Christian Hernandez is a good player but I doubt he will make an impact for awhile, hes fast with the ball, has a shot and smart but I would not say he is strong enough to stand up to a lot of the players he would be playing against and he sure loves to fall and complain.. Another thing I don’t like about him is he talks alot of trash. Don’t get me wrong I doubt he would at the pro level but talking trash at any level of the game isn’t showing he is ready for the pros. His coaches did a good job at building a soccer player but did they make him a mature adult. I would love to see him grow as a person and hopefully become a part of the team full time.
Balancing swagger with work ethic
I hear what you are saying about trash talking, but some trash talkers work like crazy. And some just talk and don’t put in the work. I think if you build the right kind of professional and professional environment, you mold players who play like they have something to prove, play like they have a chip on their shoulder, and still bring the confidence that supports trash talking, goal celebrations, and the like. Nothing wrong with being passionate or talkative as long as you back it up when its time to work.
Michael Jordan
was a huge trash talker. Some guys use trash talking as a tool. Though as a professional the older guys on the team will help him along and tell him when to talk and not to.
by sean.figgins on Feb 22, 2012 1:12 PM EST up reply actions
slightly confused
If Hernandez doesn’t count as an international until next year, why did the U go out and acquire an extra slot for this year? That is, even if they sign Hernandez, won’t they still have an unused int’l slot for the 2012 season?
Other way around.
Managing Editor for Brotherly Game, SBNation's Philadelphia Union blog and contributor for SBN Philly. // @scottdkessler
"College is only 4 years, but the Eagles are for life." - Ironhank
by Scott Kessler on Feb 22, 2012 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Did you edit...
Or did I fail terribly at reading comprehension?
Doesn't anyone
see a problem with the Union operating as though they are the Oakland A’s – i.e. signing teenagers, dumping Le Toux when he get’s expensive, trading Harvey, etc. – when they should be operating like the LA Galaxy? Everyone on here “loves” these high school kids who we’ve never seen play but maybe once or twice….I’m partial to the guys in their late 20s who have actually done something as a professional. This is a team that sells tickets and make money – they should act like it.
They’ve picked up a number of experienced players this off-season to fill in holes — Pajoy, Gomez, Lopez. Matinez is young, but has played frequently for his club and country. The back end of the roster is high upside younger players, which is good, but most of the regulars have at least a few years experience. It’s not like the teenage corps is expected to be counted on for more than spot appearances and reserve matches.
I swear....
that I did not create a new user name! lol
Nimphius, alot of us share your concerns. However, I think Hernandez has the potential to be the best of the bunch for what that is worth. I like his style of play, his skill set and his swagger. Should be an intersting year to say the least.
True.
I mean I like exciting prospects as much as the next guy, and I have nothing against Hernandez, Jack Mac, Hoffman, Pfeiffer, etc., – I hope they all dominate at some point – but it seems as though the Union have entered “re-building” mode unnecessarily. I guess that coming off a playoff season with good fan interest that you’d look to add pieces to get over the hump rather than loading up with tons of young kids.
It seems to me that they did approach this off-season as adding pieces to “get over the hump”:
1. get a proven Left Back: Lopez
2. Improve the midfield to have better “connection” to along the middle third: Gomez. Also, a full year of Adu and getting Torres permanently
3. Get depth along the backline: Albright (plus Gaddis to some extent)
4. Fix the goal scoring: now this is where the complaints occur, but I’m think that the team feels that adding Martinez and Pajoy (and more minutes for Mwanga) is an improvement over Le Toux and Paunović in that department.
- is the key point and the reason why so many people are complaining about the team not building on 2011. Yes, the got rid of Le Toux and in a vacuum that looks like some sort of re-building decision, but that’s just one move. Other than that, the majority of the experienced players they added this off-season seem clearly there to improve on the 2011 team. And I really think that the team viewed Martinez — a guy they wanted for some time and are very high on — as a better alternative than Le Toux right now, not some project for the future.
Obviously, losing Mondragon could also be viewed as taking a step back in the immediate competitiveness, but it doesn’t seem like that was something the team wanted, but something that occurred per his wishes. My impression is that they would have been more than happy to have him on the team in 2012 and were somewhat surprised by his decision to move on.
Most of the “youth movement” guys like the draft picks or home grown players aren’t likely to see significant minutes this season. People make it sound like our starting is going to be all guys under 23 years old or something, but if you look at who the first XI will be, there’s a lot of guys over 25 or younger guys who have a lot of experience.
I’d actually be pretty surprised if this team isn’t clearly superior to the 2011 version given how the team approached this off-season to tackle our deficiencies.
Agreed for the most part...
The FO needs to do what it thinks is best, despite what any of us might think. If (or in my opinion, “when”) the strategy of dumping vets/team leaders when they become worth more money blows up in their face, then I think we all have the right to be upset and demand changes (or discontinue our finacial support of the team).
Many people fall in love with “potential,” but few players ever actually reach their full amount.
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