“I don’t remember having seen Peru so shamelessly comfortable trying to do nothing” | ANALYSIS

Our country, known for its generosity in hosting bad characters, has plenty of examples of these guys.

The same thing happens on the football planet, although there are also exceptions. Ricardo Gareca was one of those. His detractors, who are not few, still call him lazy and accuse him of having become a millionaire at our expense.

However, I highlight something more important: after forty years, football brought us together again. We put on the red and white again. With pride and without shame. Because yes, although some may not believe it (or remember it), there was a time when the shirt was repellent. Our children preferred Madrid or Barza. Diego’s albiceleste or that kid called Messi’s was more cool. The polo shirts with the red stripe accumulated in the shop windows because no one wanted to wear a loser’s suit. With Gareca, our children and nephews used it on birthdays, they wore it to go to the nest, to schools, to university or to sleep. Even some of us use it at work, in the car or the taxi. Those stories that our parents told, and that fifty-somethings like me barely remembered, about when the cities were paralyzed full of bustling cars, and in the streets horns sounded, banners were waved, little papers floated, and everything was merriment, joy and sublime frenzy , we finally lived them. Full How many of us sing the National Anthem through tears? How many of us discovered the lyrics of “Contigo Perú”? That football has reunited for a few days, for a few hours, this tattered country, which so badly needs to embrace itself, was priceless. It deserves eternal recognition.

What it means to be defensive

TO Juan Reynoso He doesn’t like to be called defensive, even if he is. Taking care of one’s own goal before looking at someone else’s is a legitimate and respectable position that, moreover, has allowed him to forge his successful career as a coach. When they chose him as coach of the national team we knew what the little book was that he would bring under his arm.

The inheritance he found in Videna was not the best. He received a squad in his thirties, worn out and, in more than one case, in decline, without sufficient replacement to ensure a smooth relief. It is unusual that the land that gave birth to Lolo and Perico lights candles for Paolo and prays that Lapadula gets fit for the games against Bolivia and Venezuela.

But being defensive doesn’t mean playing anything. And that was what Peru did against Chile. The team was a timid, weak team, unable to string together three passes in a row. Instead of throwing the ball forward he was happy to throw it back 40 meters to Gallese’s feet. At times it looked like Cuéllar’s ’87 team or the one Pepe put together two years later. Even Chemo’s, with the little he had, was ahead.

Since the fixture was known, we knew that returning from Santiago without points was a huge possibility. What is bothering you? The way it was lost. And not because of the supposed Chilean inferiority (a quite debatable argument). Juan’s sin is that with the way he plays he is taking away the essence of a team that if there is one thing it has are football players. Not the so-called chocolate or, as said at the press conference, “beautiful game.” We are talking about the talent of the Peruvian soccer player to play the ball properly and use ingenuity to overcome obstacles in favor of offensive actions.

The fan hates greedy teams that don’t stand up. That is why he supported Gareca, even in his worst moments, because he recognized that he never refused to play. Juan needs to understand it if he wants to survive.