A Farewell to Nicky Hernandez
The departure of our #8 is more than just another bittersweet player departure, it's also the symbolic of the end of an era.
On Wednesday, December 11, New Mexico United did the thing I hate the most — they announced the first round of offseason player departures.
Two were certainly expected. Abu Danladi (#9) was injured and ineffective, and featured just five times all season. He’s sadly on a shortlist of United players that the casual fan will struggle to remember were ever here, along with guys like Will Palmquist (#12), Timothie Zali (#23) and Joris Ahlinvi (#26). Don’t worry, fellas, I love you all equally.
Marlon Vargas (#18) was another expected departure, as he arrived on loan to New Mexico from Colorado Rapids II shortly after Dayonn Harris (#5) went down with a season-ending ACL injury. While Vargas did display his talent in flashes, it made sense his club would want the talented 23-year old to return to continue his development with them. (Update: Vargas is out of contract with his parent club, and as of December 7th, appears to be a free agent. h/t Andrew Bolte!)
In this batch of offseason good-byes, three more players would be included — Avionne Flanagan (#27), Jacobo Reyes (#20, whose loan from C.F. Monterrey expired), and Nicky Hernandez (#8). Each of these guys deserves many hundreds of words written about them (hey, don’t worry, I’m writing a book), but today I’d like to focus on Nicky Hernandez and what his departure signifies in a bigger picture for you, me and the club we all love too much.
Eric Quill was announced as Head Coach on June 13, 2023, replacing Zach Prince, who was himself, was an extension of the halcyon Troy Lesesne era. The lineup in Quill’s first game featured names like Yearwood (#3), Hamilton (#4), Suggs (#5), and Moar (#11), Santi then on his second tour with New Mexico United. These players are important and beloved, and they are also players one associates with the Lesesne/Prince era.
When Quill took the New Mexico job, his first order of business was calling a guy he knew well, a guy he coached at North Texas SC in USL League One. Eric Quill called up Nicky Hernandez. Nicky was currently without a club after a successful run with San Antonio FC in the USL Championship. When I interviewed Nicky earlier this year, he told me was taking a much-needed mental health break from the game when the new coach of New Mexico United prodded him to come back.
Coach Quill told him he would give him a month to get ready to come out and train with New Mexico United and possibly sign a contract. That timeframe was doable for Nicky and he told Quill, “a month gives me enough time to get in shape.” The next day, Quill called back and said, “Can you hop on a flight in the next couple of days?"
So, Nicky Hernandez showed up in Albuquerque, signed a 25-day contact and immediately established himself as a regular for the new New Mexico United, the first of “Quill’s guys”, and a foundational name to be scribbled on the first page of what would prove to be an exciting and entertaining chapter in the club’s history.
When reflecting on Nicky’s time with New Mexico United, our memories immediately take us to September 30th, 2023, heretofore known as The Nicky Hernandez Game, against perennial USL powerhouse Louisville City. The in-progress book covers this night in great detail, but you remember it well, I know you do.
United, down a man but up 1-nil in their desperate late-season charge for a playoff spot, got a 75th minute goal from Nicky to take a more comfortable, if not necessarily commanding 2-0 lead against a very dangerous Lou City squad. In the ensuing celebration, Nicky donned a luchador mask in the jubilant mayhem in front of the delirious supporters and the eager photogs. He was promptly sent off on a second yellow by the officials for this crime against fun, reducing United to nine men with 15 minutes to go.
New Mexico held on to win the game and eventually made the playoffs in Quill and Hernandez’s first year with the club. So, it’s very easy now to say that that was the best and coolest and most worth it red card of all time.
(Note - Nicky shared with me the story of where and why he got the mask, and how it came to find its way onto the field and onto his head that night. Look for that story in chapter #8 of the upcoming book. The book is real, I promise).
But with Nicky’s departure, it’s not just the end of Nicky’s #8 line in New Mexico, it’s the first brick removed from a wall that Eric Quill built. As you’ll recall, the first real departure announced this year was that of Quill to FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. Thankfully a handful of players brought in under Quill have been retained after his exit (#4 Tony Herbert, #10 Marco Micaletto, #12 Talen Maples, #19 Zico Bailey, #26 Abdi Mohamed), but the loss of Hernandez, Flanagan and Reyes do signify a small re-imagining or hint at a transformation away from what “Quill Ball” was, the high-energy style of play deployed during Quill’s tenure.
The once fledgling New Mexico United is now entering its seventh (!!!) season and will soon appoint its fourth ever Head Coach and where the hell is time even going? I am still emotionally getting over saying good-bye to my favorite humans from the Lesesne era and we’re now doing it years later for the Quill era. The game of football is certainly one for the big-hearted, but sometimes it’s a rough assignment for the soft-hearted.
So, while we wish only the best for Eric Quill, Nicky Hernandez, Avionne Flanagan, Jacobo Reyes, and every other former New Mexico United player off to new and exciting ventures, we also look ahead to the next coach who will inspire us along with an all-new group of that coach’s “guys” who will certainly become our favorites, too.
I can’t believe this season is over.
Also, when does next season start?
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As always, the all-time numerical roster (including end dates, *sigh*) can be found here. Somos Unidos.