Roberto Palacios on Ricardo Gareca: “He did not get the replacement that Peru needed”

Ricardo Gareca’s work in the Peruvian team was positive, but not perfect, said Roberto Palacios in a recent interview for the Chilean newspaper La Tercera, when asked if the Argentine achieved a change of players in the Bicolor.

“Overall, we were happy with what he did. Despite everything we went through, because they were not easy Qualifiers. However, with the change he made of bringing in new people, the team took off. We could even have reached Qatar.

The ‘Tigre’ left his mark because “he changed the mentality of young people,” said the ‘Chorri’. “It greatly strengthened the desire to succeed and that helped the boys achieve classification. He convinced them that goals could be achieved.” However, “it was strange that he didn’t leave something else here, that he took more players from the local tournament.”

“I had to work with some players from the Peruvian side, because at some point I was going to need players for a replacement. But, finally, Ricardo Gareca did not get the replacement that Peru needed. We stayed with the same ones that were on the payrolls. It was strange that Gareca didn’t leave something else, that he took more players from the local tournament. Maybe that’s why Juan Reynoso didn’t have as many options. Because when you have a replacement, you stay with the coach’s idea and he himself manages to see which ones he can include, said Roberto Palacios for La Tercera.