Austin FC: Javier Hernandez the obvious and intelligent flagbearer

Austin FC owner Anthony Precourt has already confirmed that the organisation will chase Mexican star, Javier Hernandez. The former Manchester United striker is the obvious and intelligently selected flagbearer to lead the expansion club forwards.

While, at the end of it all, sport is about winning, there are plenty of secondary and ulterior motives in the complex and often contorted world of professional competition.

Yes, everyone, in theory, wants to win, but that does not mean that every decision is made with winning directly in mind. Sometimes, decisions are made despite the consequences making it harder to win. Other times, how the choice helps is a little more difficult to determine but does indirectly contribute to success.

These types of decisions have become far more prevalent in the modern era of sport, where money is integral to everything and building a brand is as important as filling out the trophy cabinet — it should be noted that the two often go hand-in-hand.

This week, Austin FC owner Anthony Precourt was asked about potential transfer targets for MLS’ latest expansion team. Precourt was not shy to respond. Speaking to Austin’s Soccer Pod, Precourt said:

"“Chicharito would be pretty special. I’d be as excited as anyone. That’s the type of player we’ll target, and we’ll give our best pitch. I think he’s got a year left on his contract at West Ham and I think there’s [sic] other clubs that are rumored to be looking at him in MLS. We’ll certainly be active in trying to recruit him in the years to come.”"

Clearly, then, Javier Hernandez is a key target in Austin FC’s bid for MLS glory.

And really, when you think about it, it makes a whole lot of sense. Obviously, Hernandez is a world-renowned footballer, one of the stars of the Mexican national team, proven throughout Europe having played for the biggest clubs in the world. Who wouldn’t want that player in their squad? But dig a little deeper, and it is easy to see why Precourt views Hernandez as the ideal flagbearer.

More from MLS Multiplex

A quick look at a map will tell you all you need to know. Austin is one of the neighbouring U.S. cities to the Mexican border. It is about 400km to the nearest entry into Mexico. As such, there is a high proportion of Latinos and Hispanics in Austin — and Texas as a whole. In fact, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Austin’s population is 34.5% Latino or Hispanic. Texas has the fourth highest percentage of Latinos and Hispanics, behind Puerto Rico, New Mexico and California. For the U.S. as a whole, Hispanic and Latinos account for around 16.7% of the population.

Clearly, Austin has a market in the Latino, Hispanic and Mexican communities. And Precourt, being the wily businessman that he is, knows this, recognises it, and understands how to use it to his advantage. Chasing a Mexican hero like Javier Hernandez makes complete and utter sense, only raising the profile of the organisation. And this comes off the back of record-breaking season ticket subscriptions. Austin FC are popular, and they are only going to be more so.

Next. USMNT Vs Guyana: 3 things we learned. dark

It may seem a little calculated or crude. Perhaps overly businesslike too. But this is the world we live and Precourt is simply putting his Austin FC in the best position possible to attract fans and compete in MLS. And that means having Javier Hernandez as the expansion’s flagbearer.

Home/MLS News