2023-09-21 18:52:02
ASUNCIION (AP) — Daniel Garnero wants to return Paraguay to a World Cup.
“The very clear objective is to go to the World Cup,” Garnero highlighted on Thursday when he was presented as the new coach of the Paraguay national team, replacing his compatriot Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
Garnero, 54, led Libertad, the current Paraguayan soccer champion. His link will cover the South American qualifying process towards the 2026 World Cup, starting next month with a match against world champion Argentina in Buenos Aires and then against Bolivia at home.
As was the case with Barros Schelotto, Garnero’s mission will be to take Albirroja to the World Cup for the first time since South Africa 2010, when they surprisingly reached the quarterfinals.
“I know what Paraguayans are like culturally, I know the customs, I know a lot of things and that gives me the security of being able to have a healthy coexistence,” said Garnero.
“I want to see a solid team in defense, that attacks correctly, that is effective in finishing the plays,” he added about the vision he has for Paraguay’s approach.
The focus of criticism for the team’s poor performance in its last games, Barros Schelotto was fired last Saturday, ending a two-year period at the helm of the national team. The former Boca Juniors helmsman became the first coach to be fired in the playoffs, just after the first doubleheader.
La Albirroja drew goalless at home against Peru on September 7, at the start of the tie. Five days later, they succumbed 1-0 on their visit to Venezuela.
With the harvest of a single point, the Paraguayans are in sixth position among the 10 teams competing in the tie. That site grants a direct pass to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, which will be held in 2026. The seventh will play a playoff against a rival from another confederation.
Paraguay will face four more qualifying matches this year, and the first will be the visit to Argentina on October 12 and, five days later, they will host Bolivia. In November, they will play against Chile as a visitor and against Colombia at home.
“Against Argentina it will be a very difficult match, especially with this team that is tending to its individualities with great performance,” Garnero warned. “But this is still football, if there is effectiveness the rival can become impatient.”
A midfielder who played for clubs in Argentina, Chile and Mexico, Garnero first took over as coach of Arsenal de Sarandí in Argentine soccer in 2008.
He has been managing in the Paraguayan league since 2015, going through four different teams. He has won local tournament titles with Guaraní, Olimpia and Libertad.
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