Ronald Hernandez believes Aberdeen was the right place at the wrong time for him. The Venezuelan international signed for the Dons in 2020 for a substantial six-figure fee from Stabaek, but struggled in Scotland as he took time to get up to speed and the following season was curtailed by Covid.
Hernandez reflects on Aberdeen spell
Speaking in a Daily Record ‘In Conversation’, Hernandez, now with Portland Timbers, admitted: “Sometimes that comes to my mind, if I am being honest: 'What if?' But I am the guy who thinks that everything happens for a reason. I tried to leave that behind but something at the back of my mind thinks that if I had the right environment that season, it would have turned out differently, 100%.
“But, it is what it is. They were difficult moments, but in the future you never know. That 2020 season there were a lot of circumstances outside of football that played a huge role in my time there. It is what it is, I learned a lot from that experience. During my time in Aberdeen I did everything for the club.”
Adapting to Scottish football
The right-back noted Scottish football was far different from what he had faced at Stabaek or back home. Hernandez explained: “It was faster and a lot more physical than Norway at that time, 100%. Unfortunately for me, in Norway we had stopped playing. It was similar to the Major League Soccer calendar.
“We finished the season in December, so when I got to Aberdeen at the end of January I was in pre-season. I couldn’t get my (match) rhythm up to 100%. Then coming in to play against Rangers and Celtic and those teams you need to be on your toes always. That timing played a huge part in things as to when I arrived.”
Family separation during pandemic
The biggest setback for Hernandez was lockdown. His family and child were back in Venezuela while he was in Scotland alone, as the world tried to fight off the threat of coronavirus. He said: “They (my family) were in Venezuela trying to get their visa approval for the UK. As you know, the pandemic hit and everything was shut down. I was stuck in Scotland and they were stuck back in Venezuela. I didn’t expect that to be honest.
“I approached everyday with hope. Hoping one day that everything would reopen again and they would be able to travel. As you know, the timing extended and everyday we had to wait. It was a little bit rough for me, but I was lucky I had one of my teammates, Funso Ojo, in Scotland. He opened his house and he was always available for me. He was a huge resource in those difficult moments for me.”
Struggles for game time and departure
Boss Derek McInnes sanctioned the deal but was reluctant to play the South American. Hernandez tried hard to make it work but in the end, he had to admit defeat and was allowed to leave.
“I worked so hard during the Covid time,” the defender insisted. “I got to play against Rangers and St Johnstone. I felt very good. The thing is that the results weren’t positive. It is always the manager’s decision. He is the boss and after that it was difficult to get in the team.
“The overall experience after the pandemic, the experience of playing in front of our fans was great, although it was a little bit weird (with only a small number in the ground). At the end of the day, we tried to get as many points as possible.
“Not getting game time and being way from the family, there were so many circumstances that played a huge part in my life at that moment. I need to thank the Aberdeen chairman (Dave Cormack) because he allowed me to go early with my family. I was lucky my agent was able to work out something in the MLS and I was able to reunite with my family again.”
Hernandez moved on to Atlanta United, which at that time had a partnership with Aberdeen. He admitted his preference was to remain in Europe but Covid had other ideas. He explained: “I was aware (of there interest), but it was not my option. My personal option was to stay in Europe, as much as possible. That was my mindset. Again, the pandemic played a huge role in that time, everywhere in Europe. Nobody knew what was coming after that. Atlanta offered me a huge project and they convinced me to go there. It was the right decision for me. After Aberdeen, I played more than five seasons in Atlanta. We never achieved any titles, but the projects with me, I think went well.”
