It's no secret that Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez's debut MLS season with the LA Galaxy didn't live up to the sky-high expectations.
Brought in as the club's marquees offseason acquisition ahead of their 2020 campaign, the longtime star Mexico international struggled with injuries and never quite seemed to click in the Galaxy attack, ending up with just two goals in 12 appearances.
Hernandez opened up about those first-year struggles in a wide-ranging LA Times feature by Kevin Baxter released on Friday, with Hernandez saying that the responsibility for the lack of production ultimately falls on him, even during what was an extremely challenging year off the field.
“I touched rock bottom,” he said. “I lived things that normally you live through [in] five, 10 years, you know what I mean? It’s not an excuse. It’s reality. And the reality is I didn’t take responsibility. I wasn’t able to handle all of that.”
Going into year two, Hernandez said the adversity of last season has left him feeling as motivated as ever as he undertakes a rigorous offseason training regimen. The root of that, he said, is a debt that he feels to the Galaxy fanbase to live up to the hype that surrounded his MLS arrival.
“I haven’t worked this hard in my whole life,” Hernandez said. “I haven’t trusted the correct people that can help me to elevate my performances, my sleep, my health, my food and my relationships.
“I have a big debt with my club. I have a big debt with my fans, with the Galaxy family," he added. “I’m 32. But the thing is, there’s so many avenues that show you that age is a number.”
