After presenting the squad for the double FIFA meeting in October, the La Roja coach spoke during a long press conference.
Ricardo Gareca delivered the roster for the double elimination date in October. Then he explained his determinations. The absences of Gabriel Arias and especially Ben Brereton stand out. “What we analyzed is what we consider to be the best for the match against Brazil and Colombia. We want to see guys who have to coexist with the team and the national team. We fixed this issue. Some boys have to live their own experience, apart from the personal merits they may have, because they perform well,” the coach began by saying.
Regarding the decision not to call up the Southampton striker, who started against Bolivia and was replaced after half an hour, the coach illustrates the situation of the candidates from the University of Chile. “We can consider date by date. Now we’re calling four from the U because they’re having a good time and we want to see other options. We’ve been trying to maintain something for eight dates. Beyond that, we also need to deliver results. We have to look at the options, these lead us to have certain players. Today you see players you didn’t have before, and vice versa, those who were there and are no longer there. It’s nothing more than that. “We just want to look at other options,” he said.
“During this period, we haven’t seen anyone who has stood out. We trust the players, but we don’t see a savior. We haven’t seen it before and we don’t see it now. So the savior must be the team that does a good job. So it could be Alexis, but he’s a certain age and we have to see what he wants. At the time, I clarified about Bravo, who left football overnight. We don’t know what we can find. We have to find a great collective sense, not just from the players. This will give Chile a chance to achieve a goal. We see some very good players, but none stand out as the big savior on an individual level,” added Gareca.
“I love Brereton, otherwise I wouldn’t have called him. The other is your perception. Before, I called him in all eight games, but in 40 minutes he has to perform, that’s what he has to play. If he has to play 15 minutes, I want to see him. All the other colleagues are in the same situation. Now it’s my turn to go out because I want to see other options, which can offer other alternatives. Just that,” he added.
Then he addressed the situation with Arturo Vidal, who repeatedly fired darts at the coaching staff. “The players express themselves on the networks. For us, it’s a whole. We’re interested in boys who want to be there, that’s something I take into account. If they give options to other situations and want to move away from the national team, we are open to that. We called all the boys and some didn’t answer, it’s a privacy that we respect. I have no problem with his personal comments towards us as a coach,” Tigre said.
In this sense, without wanting to go into detail about the names, he emphasizes that he needs footballers who believe in his approach. “Players are human beings and we all have problems. I noticed at one point that this was happening, because it had never happened to me, but these are things that we respect. I talk about it to expose the situations we go through. Nobody closed doors in the national team. With Arias for example, he has experienced personal situations and I need to give him a break to calm certain things down. We don’t have a problem with anyone. We want the good of the national team. Some people reconsider and, through social media or through the press, say they want to come back,” Gareca said.
Among the novelties that appear is Luciano Cabral. “His story wakes me up, we see it as an improvement. Besides the fact that he is an interesting boy in terms of football, we saw the possibility of recalling him. Now there is greater continuity and we are thinking about it. We want you to adapt and get to know the national team. “We have to give him a chance.” said the Tiger to explain his call.
The coach analyzed the problem of maturation of athletes, emphasizing that he sees them ready to take on challenges. “I see players as men and not as creatures. Argentina became world champions with 22-year-old footballers. If they are in the first team, they are men. With Brazil we are going to play with these players, I don’t know if we will win, but I know they will leave their soul on the pitch. “I have no doubts about the players we have called up,” he said.
Holds on to the post
A few days ago, the strategist said he was uncomfortable. Now he justifies his statements. “I said I had a good time in Chile, I felt comfortable, it’s a respectful city, Santiago is a very good city. We want to know the idiosyncrasy of the Chilean. But they asked me sportily how I was and I said it was bad. Losing against Bolivia, without underestimating them, was not in my plans. As a local we chose to add some and it didn’t happen to us. Sportingly, it’s not the right time, but we have the strength to be able to turn the situation around. Brazil and Colombia are as difficult as anything, as a coach I didn’t beat Argentina, I beat everyone. Always respect everyone, in all scenarios. We are going to need the massive support of the people, they must not stop believing in their national team. We are in debt, but that is one thing and losing faith is another,” he said.
On this point, although he is far in the ranking, the coach remains hopeful of qualifying for the World Cup. “I cling to my experience, to what I had to live through. By creating a functioning team. We lost to Bolivia, but in the final analysis a lot is lost. I am the technical director of the national team and in this match we had 10 clear situations to convert. You haven’t seen it because the anger at the outcome takes over more. They had two chances, and that’s OK.” he pointed out.
“I have convictions. I think Chile is going through a period in which no one is essential. There are guys with huge projection, like Osorio, but the idea of the team being able to work keeps me firm. Maybe you get carried away because the possibilities of losing points that we had are reduced, but I maintain that we can save units in unfavorable scenarios. I have an obligation, as a coach, to leave a competitive team. If I am the one responsible, I hope someone else will come,” he added.
“I have a good relationship with the board of directors. Our position is not to abandon our duties. From there, draw your conclusions. I wouldn’t want to put them in a difficult situation. One thing I liked about coming here is that Berizzo wasn’t fired, but left because of a personal decision. Rueda went to Colombia because he was presented with the opportunity to lead his country. I don’t want to go into details that I don’t know, but to conclude, I only left Vélez’s position, but because I didn’t want to force a complicated situation. Now it’s us who are targeted, there they went against the players, in a club of which I am a fan, I left”, he explained to explain his continuity. “Now, no one is happy with the results,” he added.
Gareca benefits from the resolution of the Chilean football crisis. “At some point Chile will have to trust a project. You have to believe in something to know where the national team is really going. There are some scenes that are more brilliant than others and there are times when you have to bet on everything that happens. I believe we can get through this. Nobody says it will be easy, but I have faith,” he said.
Source: Latercera
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