University: Reynoso, Gareca, Gregorio and everything that is known about the new coach of the champion for the Centennial

-What is the profile of the new U coach?

It has not changed and, in this search for the new coach, one more condition has emerged: that he understands the club’s Centennial for what it is, a historic season, which is not defined by money but by glory. What, then, is the profile? Three characteristics: 1) A coach with experience in clubs and, if possible, experience in the national team. 2) A technician who knows the titles in his CV. 3) A coach who imposes a seal, a registered trademark on the team, not only on the field but off it. Let’s say, a leader, regardless of whether he plays only 3-5-2. A source inside Universitario told DT the following, a phrase that explains the search intention at this time. “We know that it is the Centennial and that the U is more important than any name. But we also know what we want. We can evaluate, of course, different proposals, but a winning coach is going to arrive at the U.” First signs to close the circle. Next week, between Monday and Tuesday, the new coach will be known.

-Is it possible that Ricardo Gareca can return to the club?

It is a very difficult task. On the fan’s side, there is a certain consensus that it would be the best alternative: he knows the environment, the players, and has many points of contact with the club. On the administration side, with another coldness, there are other variables, not just the economic one. In fact, Manuel Barreto, Sports Director, clarified in RPP that “it is not possible.” The name of Ricardo Gareca, Apertura champion with the U 2008, is, of course, nothing new: he is very fond of the U, he has told his close friends in Lima that “he would only accept” directing Universitario in Peru, and he has a very close relationship with Antonio García Pye, an advisor on sports issues. He consulted AGP on the subject, he could only say: “For now there is nothing to report.” But he has also commented that he wants to “detoxify” Peruvian football for a while and perhaps think about directing in another medium, which will return him to high competition. A selection, for example.

-What names has the Ferrari administration considered to replace Fossati?

A WhatsApp, quoted in Montevideo and two hours apart, assures: “The technician that interests the U the most will be Uruguayan.” According to the profile that the sports secretary manages, there are not many names. In fact, on Wednesday night the resume of Martín Lasarte, 62 years old, champion in Chile, Uruguay, Egypt and Spain, and with an irregular past in La Roja (2021-2022), was leaked. Even the Peruvian-Uruguayan agent Pablo Bentancur – Fossati’s legal representative – could be the link in an eventual negotiation. Does it fit the profile? Yes. Is it a priority for the club today? No, it is not. Could Manuel Barreto travel to Buenos Aires or Montevideo for a second contact with other candidates? Yeah.

On the other hand, people from the club contacted Gregorio Pérez a few days ago, a former cream coach who had to leave the club in 2021 due to a heart problem. It was a friendly chat, to find out how he was doing, to congratulate himself on the title he had achieved. “I would love to, but it is very risky,” an important member of the administration explained to DT. Nothing else. For now. People from the club contacted Gregorio Pérez a few days ago, a former cream coach who had to leave due to a heart problem. It was a friendly chat, to find out how he was doing, to congratulate himself on the title he had achieved. “I would love to, but it is very risky,” an important member of the administration explained to DT. Nothing else. For now.

-When should it be defined?

This week is key. In fact, and despite public statements about “the time left” to play the 2024 games and the start of the preseason, the U cannot stop and begins with medical examinations this Monday the 18th. And although there are no deadlines, By the beginning of next week at the latest they should have definitive answers about the candidates who best fit that profile. There are, in addition to the names already mentioned, two others kept in the drawer, with whom there will be communication in the last hours. Juan Reynoso? It is the profile, but the current situation, his family, the price of a selection rank technician, make it an impossible mission.

-Who will be in charge of the start of the preseason?

Two three-time champions: Jorge Araujo and Piero Alva, in charge of leading the Universitario Minors Technical Directorate. Coco was in charge of the Compagnucci-Fossati transition (1-0 win at the Monumental, for the Apertura) and Piero summarizes in his biography the mold with which the new players of the U are formed. Brief contacts with one of them, he They explain to DT that they will be the information bridge for the new coach, a team that they both know quite well.

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