“In January we talked, but Adriana Lúcar asked for her space and not to be called up for the national team”

Women’s football in Peru is advancing. With Alianza seeking the two-time Women’s League championship to once again make history in the Copa Libertadores, and an increasingly visible Peruvian tournament; it’s close to the turn of the Peruvian women’s team that will face the Copa América 2022 from July 8 to 30 in Colombia. A tournament in which the Bicolor will share a group with Brazil, Venezuela, Uruguay and Argentina, and which grants three direct tickets to the World Cup (two to the playoffs), a direct ticket to the Olympic Games (one to the playoffs). From La Videna, the “bunker” of Ricardo Gareca, Professor Conrad Flores spoke with DT El Comercio. The coach presented his preliminary list for the tournament and cleared up many doubts. His idea of ​​the game, the mental work in the directed, the novelty of having so many called up playing outside and Adriana Lúcar’s decision to continue outside the selection.

—He was working in the lower divisions of Sporting Cristal and the Peruvian national team, but never with a women’s team. How did you assimilate the change and the new role?

I thought the difference was going to be abysmal, but I feel like it’s not that much. In fact, because of our society, women normally do not practice football from an early age, unlike men, which makes it technically cost them a little more. There is a void. But if that starts to change, the idea that women can’t play and they start earlier is over, we’re going to talk about having technically very good footballers. The only difference I find is the strength and the work that is done based on it.

—How is the preparation for the Copa América going?

We are trying to evaluate each one of the girls to see who we will have for the Copa América. The last microcycle will be June 13. We will have two friendlies against Mexico that will help us a lot to see how we are and thus face the tournament in the best way.

– How is the selection today?

The girls are very enthusiastic, with a very good predisposition and attitude because they feel they can go to compete in the Copa América, which is what they want. From there you can win, lose or draw, there are many factors in between, but the fact of going to play the rivals as equals is different. I feel that the girls have that attitude and feel very confident. We have many girls who have experience in Copa América or Libertadores, in addition to adding girls who will come from abroad such as Claudia Cagnina, Braelyn Llamoca or Teresa Wowk. Now on the list there are 13 girls who play outside, something incredible that we have achieved working with the federation’s recruitment department.

—Only two friendlies against Mexico before the Copa América will be enough?

What will they serve, they will serve. It was difficult to get other friendlies earlier because of the short time. Now we will be traveling to Mexico on June 23 and on those dates we need to consolidate an idea because we are working on a way of playing that is a little different from what was being done. So we need to capture that idea and for the girls to understand what we want in both the defensive and offensive phases. The games against Mexico will help us because they are a demanding opponent and will show us where we stand.

“What’s your game idea?”

Make us strong defensively, have a lot of order. Starting from there, we will be able to compete and look for the match. Our reality in women’s football tells us that we are not Brazil or Venezuela, that they are one step higher. What I tell the girls is that since the referee gives the initial whistle, we already have a point and that point cannot be taken away from us. For that we have to make ourselves strong behind. From there we can find ways to score and win. We are working on that idea.

—What can we expect from the Peruvian team in this Copa América?

You will always expect results. Those of us who are immersed, involved, know what the reality is and what we are doing to compete. I feel that we are ready for that: to compete, to face any rival and whatever the result may be, I am sure that the girls will be able to leave with their heads held high because they are going to leave everything. In football for sure one cannot say we are going and we are going to be first.

—But how close are we to qualifying for the World Cup or obtaining one of the playoff spots?

The group we are in is very difficult. It has touched us with the two best teams at the moment, which are Brazil and Venezuela. I think that the first objective should be that third place that will lead us to compete for one of the playoffs. So the direct rivals are Argentina and Uruguay. That is the first objective, being as realistic as possible. From there in football many things can happen. Why dream of beating Venezuela or Brazil? I believe a lot in the mental issue and I try to convince the girls that they can go to compete against anyone.

—How is the group in terms of mental strength? Are you convinced that you can go to compete against anyone?

In the selection there are girls who have experience, years and they are the ones who help me push the group. I see that they are confident of qualifying for the World Cup and that motivates me because I hear them say and repeat that they will do it. They transmit it to their colleagues and that’s where all this collective trust begins, that it can be done. It will be difficult, of course, like everything in life, but if we believe and are confident that we can do it, then it helps us a lot.

—A new call and there is no Adriana Lúcar, one of the best ‘9’ of the local environment. Did they try to talk to her and convince her to return to the national team after she resigned?

As a coach I am clear that here, in the local environment, she is one of the best forwards we have. It would be crazy not to want to have her in the selection. I have talked to her once I took over as coach. In January we talked and she explained her issues to me. I told her about the work that she is doing now, I explained her project to her and at that moment she asked to have a little space and not be summoned. I respect that decision and I cannot do more.

—Is it a disadvantage that a single coaching staff is in charge of all the divisions of the women’s team?

In fact, the situation arose that way and we assumed it responsibly. The ideal is that each category has a coaching staff and can concentrate on their own and give all the energy there. However, our reality is what we have assumed. I understand that there are intentions in the federation to have, at least, two technical bodies as a minimum, and later to have a working group in each category. There is that idea because after this Copa América, the tournament will be played every two years in the major league.

—How do you see the growth of women’s football in Peru and when is it contributing to the improvement of the Peruvian team?

That they are televising the matches, and that Alianza Lima has had a good campaign in the last Copa Libertadores, gives visibility and helps a lot. And that is our reality: people are driven by results. The federation is also doing its part to try to keep women’s football growing here, that there is more support and that the clubs continue striving to do a better job. There is much to be done, we would like the steps taken to be giant to equate ourselves with the powers, but for now progress is being made.

-And there is the contribution of the fan who has once again accepted women’s football and began to attend the stadium…

Of course, the fact that the fan begins to consume women’s football helps because that allows these stereotypes to be broken and that more people who have daughters allow them to develop at an earlier age in football because they are visualizing and seeing that there are girls who They are playing, watching on TV that he is representing his country.