Lima, Feb 5 (EFE) .- The coach of Peru, Argentine Ricardo Gareca, on Friday called “dangerous” the measures taken by the Government to stop the advance of the coronavirus, which keep soccer players inactive in the face of the restart of the South American qualifiers to the Qatar World Cup 2022.
“I know how to take care of the covid, (…) what I do not know is how to proceed with the measures that are taken. I think that the covid is dangerous, of that I have no doubt, but I think that the measures are also dangerous” because ” they generate a lot of inconveniences “, Gareca snapped from Buenos Aires, in a telematic press conference.
The coach of the white-and-red team asserted that the return to confinement, and the consequent impediment to returning to professional sports, was a “hard blow”, a “too hasty decision” that “surprised” him and made him remember “the great sacrifice” that did football during the first wave of covid-19 infections.
“Football has shown itself to handle itself very well, I see no reason for those who handle themselves well to be punished, in a certain way, forced to lead a situation in which they are harmed,” he criticized.
“INDISPENSABLE” TO RETURN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
Focused on preparing the next matches for Peru in the qualifying rounds against Bolivia in La Paz and against Venezuela in Lima, on March 25 and 30, respectively, Gareca considered “essential that each country start its local league” because an eventual postponement would influence directly in the performance of its players.
“To the extent that this is postponed, logically the players will be in less shape and less competitive condition,” he lamented.
In fact, the Council of Ministers already rejected this week the request of the Peruvian Sports Institute to resume the activities and training of professional athletes, so the schedule of the Peruvian league, which was scheduled to start on February 26, is subject to the advance of the pandemic in the country.
The coach said that the return to national competition would give “security” to the team, which “at least could have only players from the local tournament” in case the Peruvians who play in MLS cannot attend the next call.
In this sense, Gareca demanded that Fifa “analyze” and “reflect” to “facilitate the selection of the players to the national teams.”
“FIFA has to analyze if a team has 50% of its players in the United States, the qualifiers begin in March, and the championship begins in April. It will have to see what measures are taken because if the states have to quarantine, if the clubs are not obliged to yield to the players, it is something that harms a certain selection, “he warned.
In any case, the coach was confident that “they will make things easier because the boys from different parts of the world have the possibility to come because it is in the national interest.”
“I HAVE A CONTRACT TO FULFILL”
So far, the Peruvian team is in the penultimate position of the Qatar 2022 Qualifying Qualifiers, as the red-and-white barely achieved a point after the draw against Paraguay and the defeats against Brazil, Chile and Argentina.
Even so, and despite the “uncomfortable situation” of the pandemic and the paralysis of activities, Gareca said that the team has “the same possibilities as at the beginning of the start” and ratified his “faith” and “confidence” with the players to “do what is humanly possible to keep the chances intact.”
In addition, the coach reaffirmed his commitment to the national team and denied speculation about a possible abandonment of his position.
“At no time has it crossed my mind to leave the Peruvian team, I have a contract to fulfill and my intention is to fulfill it,” Gareca said.
WARRIOR READY
Regarding striker Paolo Guerrero, who suffered a serious right knee injury in August last year, Gareca confirmed that he is already in the final stretch of his recovery and that he is confident of his return in March.
The physical trainer of the Peruvian team, Néstor Bonillo, traveled to Brazil this week to meet with Guerrero and his report was “quite favorable.”
“Nestor saw him in his moral and mental condition totally restored” and “he told us: ‘although he cannot yet make a physical evaluation of him, he is very competitive and strong in the head,” Gareca said.
Bonillo, according to the coach added, has a “very great expectation that in March, for the first matches of the qualifying rounds, Paolo Guerrero can be there” and “the chances that he will really be in a position to be called are very high.” EFE