“Reynoso is a coach who seeks perfection: he anticipates things that later happen in the game” | INTERVIEW

We still call her Canchita, despite being 30 years old. There is still illusion about the football leadership that he can have in the national team when, for example, Christian Cueva is not there. And his scoring rush is still fresh in his memory: 33 goals in six seasons with Cristal, the team in which he seemed to feel best in Peru. Today, once again abroad, he has scored goals again: he has 4 with Al-Adalah in the Arabian league.

-To what do you attribute this good scoring moment of yours, Christofer, there in Al-Adalah? What has changed about your training?

Yes, actually, it is very important to have regularity, a good level outside your country, that is very important. It was even what we considered when we came here, to be able to maintain a good level, fortunately we have been progressing very well and thank God we are well here.

-In this position almost as a forward, very strategic, you have 4 goals in 25 games.

Without a doubt, it is very important to be able to reach the area, my coach asks you to reach the surprise area and that is when the defenders also do not expect it and many times you are left free when you find yourself as a second option. That is what happened and happily I have been able to score goals with my head.

-The Arab market is becoming more and more attractive

It is very important to be able to maintain a good level around here, the most important thing is to be able to open doors for our compatriots. That is always the objective, the idea, as André (Carrillo) did, Christian (Cueva) did when he was here and that is important.

ARABIA, THE CLIMATE, ITS PRESENT

-What difficulties did you find in Arabia apart from the language, customs and training schedules?

We train at night mostly, there are some months that we train in the afternoon, when the weather is cooler. In itself, it is a very different culture from all others, the adaptation has been very good in all this time and these are decisions that in the end one makes and the most important thing is that the adaptation was good, fast and the treatment of colleagues, people administration and the club has been the best.

-You face André Carrillo, how is the relationship you have?

(He laughs) I don’t think I’d bet, but we do have a good friendship, we talk often, we’ve also met there, in the capital where he is. We have very good chemistry.

-Al Hilal invests a lot in Saudi Arabia, what do you think about the possible arrival of Lionel Messi to the Saudi Arabian league?

I haven’t actually seen anything. I have read more on the networks, but Al Hilal is a very powerful club and the same thing happened with Cristiano Ronaldo. I imagine that it is within his possibilities, as you say, to hire Messi. Al Hilal is a very powerful club that can hire Messi and players they decide.

-A month ago your club faced Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a double for them, how is the experience of having one of the best in the world in the league?

Actually, I didn’t show up for the game, unfortunately. I was just doing the issue of my visa in Spain after the friendlies of the national team, it took me a few days and I just arrived one day before the match. But imagine, it is a luxury.

-Is the ideal league in Saudi Arabia for this moment in your career?

It is a league as time goes by and time continues to go by, it is growing and you see the signings they hire, they are of a good level, very competitive players who make the League strong and it is growing. I believe that each time the League will improve and it will strengthen itself more and it will be stronger. I see a competitive league playing here and later on it will continue to advance and grow.

-You have a contract until 2024 with your Al-Adalah team and being selected, there are always offers. Is the plan to move soon?

Yes, without a doubt, that is also very important for me to be able to have chances, for that one works, trains, competes and seeks to improve. Surely, as things go well, more doors will open, however, now I am focused on my team and that is the most important thing for me. Things will be seen later, but now I am focused and concentrated with my Al-Adalah team.

THE SELECTION

Let’s talk about selection. You played against Germany for a few minutes, what instructions did Juan Reynoso give you in that game?

Yes, that game I played as a winger on the left. The indications were those that were worked on during training, more than the entire system and movements. But we found a Germany that played at a good level, a very competitive team, had just played in the World Cup and with good shooting, rhythm. It helps us learn, teach about that game, to try to make fewer mistakes, make fewer mistakes and deal with the minimum positive details that we can get, we will maintain it and the negative things that we can see in the game, we have to improve , that is vital and without a doubt there were negative things that we are going to improve so that it does not happen again later.

-How do you describe the work of Juan Reynoso?

He has his methodology, he has captured it with us, we have quickly grasped it and when there are details that can stop the game and he stops to correct some movement or posture of a pass. Stops the game and explains it. He is a coach who tries to seek perfection in the details of the movement, control of the ball, whether with the left or the right. He tries to make us better and have a little more intelligence in some details of the game. He anticipates, he anticipates things that later happen in the game. He is a coach with a lot of character and he is also a winner, he likes to win and that is important to us.

-What did you talk to Juan Reynoso on his visit to Arabia? What can you know?

The negative details are discussed, they are discussed, not only when he can go on tour, but after the game or in the talks themselves, in the videos that are seen the details that we made mistakes as a team, in general, all that is handled within from the internal, more than anything to improve and it does not happen to us again in very important games such as the Qualifiers or Copa América.

-Is it important that Juan Reynoso travel and meet with you in the countries where you play?

Yes, of course, it is very important. Everyone has her point of view in relation to what sports and personal matters are, she not only talks to you about sports, but talks to you, asks you about your personal life, how have you been feeling? This is important because it helps you have a clearer message between the player and the coach.

-Did you talk about the two friendlies against Korea and Japan?

Yes, it has been discussed, they are teams that have just played in a World Cup, they come with a lot of competitiveness and they are teams with a lot of experience, a dynamic, tactical team, mostly teams like Japan and South Korea are tactical and the main thing is to counteract their virtues. It is important for us to measure ourselves against them and well that helps us a lot for the start of the Qualifiers.

-How do you feel more comfortable in the field? 6, 8 or extreme?

As I have always played mostly, I always did it as a mixed midfielder, 8, with arrival in the box coming from behind. Also in the national team I have played double contention, but my position, I think it is in the middle, where I feel that I can perform much more than as a winger, despite the fact that I have no problem and I have played several times, but I feel that I can contribute much more in the central part.

-What to tell the fan about what has been working hand in hand with Reynoso?

That they continue to support unconditionally, that they continue, that they do not lose faith, we know that now there have been changes and we must support Juan, his work, give confidence to his work and even more so since he is a Peruvian coach. Now that he has the possibility of being in the Peru team, we must give him all the support. We, as players, will always want the best for Peru and for the new values ​​that are coming out, that is the idea of ​​the older players who are in the national team, to always receive the new players who join in the best possible way and give them that confidence to develop in the best way. Young people are the future of the country and beyond sports, what is human is important and treating them well as we have done with Reyna, Castillo, Quispe, among others, but that is what is important. Surely more will come and the teammates will receive it in the best way. People have to know that the team is a family and that we will be together from the beginning to the end.