The concept that Reynoso had in the FPF was always positive. There were the best references about him even when Gareca was the national team coach. The relationship between him and Juan Carlos Oblitas, who at that time served as sports director of the federation, was cordial and respectful. Both had coincided as captain and coach, respectively, in the bicolor that was one step away from qualifying for France 1998. And due to that good relationship, ‘Ciego’ opened the doors of La Videna to visit Ricardo in June of 2019, when the ‘Tigre’ team was training to compete in the Copa América in Brazil. Since then, that closeness was consolidated little by little and finally came the opportunity to work together again, after Gareca left the national team.
How did Reynoso become coach of the Peruvian team?
When Peru finished in fifth place in the Qatar 2022 Qualifiers and secured the playoff against Australia, no one thought about experiencing the worst scenario. The triumphalism over the possibility of qualifying for that World Cup (the second in a row under Gareca’s command) was so great that it blinded everyone. Players, coaches, managers and fans suffered a shock of reality when we lost on penalties against the ‘Socceroos’. From there it was time to reevaluate everything and make decisions. Agustín Lozano, president of the FPF, stated at that time that they would exhaust efforts to retain Gareca and that “there was no plan b” to replace the Argentine. But it was not like that, the subsequent negotiations showed that the committee in charge of renewing the ‘Tigre’ was a total failure. Confidential figures of what Ricardo earned were revealed and he did not like the way things turned out at all. Later, in December of the same year, Gareca told the truth about him and left the head of the federation, who is currently being investigated by the Prosecutor’s Office, in a bad light.
Oblitas did not have a candle at that funeral. All negotiations were entirely with Lozano’s entourage. And although Agustín said that his objective was to renew with Gareca, his intention was always to appoint a coach he completely trusted. At the suggestion of Oblitas, who since July 2022 became the general director of football of the FPF and no longer had the power to make decisions, he contacted Juan Reynoso. The ‘Cabezón’ had all the qualities to take on the team’s diver: a successful coach, champion in Peru and Mexico, former captain and connoisseur of the bicolor dressing rooms. That is to say, he met each of the requirements and enjoyed the approval of Oblitas and Lozano. He was offered a contract that was economically smaller than Gareca’s, but with the same objective of achieving classification. The negotiation went quite quickly. It was the golden opportunity for Reynoso and the official announcement was made at the beginning of August 2022.
The bet on him was risky, since it was Juan’s first experience leading a national team. His work methodology had worked in the clubs he went through, where he had his players almost every day of the week and could put his idea of the game into practice. He had time, dedication and continuity. But in the bicolor something else happened. Although he had friendlies before starting the Qualifiers, Reynoso was never able to find a base team. He rotated, changed and made mistakes, as often happens with inexperienced technicians. But his real problem was the qualifiers, where the team barely added two points out of a possible 18 and will end the year in last place in South America. Added to that is the play shown by the team: no inventiveness, zero reaction, little production and only one goal. That is to say, in terms of results and performance, it did quite poorly.
“C.When they looked for me and we talked, they said that this could happen. If I knew I was doing things wrong, I would step aside, but – today – I don’t feel like that.”, Reynoso said in his last press conference. His words confirm unrevealed details of the approach and subsequent negotiation with Oblitas and Lozano to become the national team coach. Juan put the worst scenario on the table, discussed it with the other two, and they gave him their support. Under that premise, the negotiation was quick and the DT was sure that he would stay until December 2025. The bet was long-term, but results are necessary to sustain that period. And Reynoso didn’t get them until now. Although his intention was to stay despite the bad moment and trust that he is the ideal coach for the national team, the FPF board made the decision to end his time as coach.
Oblitas was in charge of telling Reynoso that he will not continue as coach, thus putting an end to a story that did not have a happy ending. If there was someone who could make the ‘Big Head’ notice what was happening outside the Videna, it was the ‘Blind’. Because of that good friendship that both have, because of that relationship as coach and captain that they built in the 90’s, because of that respect that they have maintained for decades, the most sensible thing was to proceed that way. And Reynoso accepted it. Another area will be in charge of negotiating the termination of the contract, but Juan has the right to demand what he has to be paid. The decision to remove him came from another side, not his, so he will enforce the penalties stipulated in the contractual relationship.
Oblitas and Lozano believed that Reynoso was the ideal coach of the national team, but each story is different. They made a mistake in choosing the coach and they have responsibility for Peru’s current moment in the Qualifiers. They say that in soccer the pita breaks on the weakest side, and Reynoso is a consequence of that. But there are other important protagonists in this story. From Oblitas for not foreseeing this scenario, to Lozano and his inability to lead a true reform of Peruvian football. How long will we continue in the same way? Draw your own conclusions.
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