“The demand in Peruvian soccer is below all of South America,” he had said in March of last year, when he was still the champion coach of Cruz Azul. John Reynoso I knew perfectly well what is the main deficit of our football, of our footballer. And that lack, precisely, is his greatest virtue. This was noted in his first training session with the peruvian national teamyour selection.
The date will be marked. This Monday, September 12, the official beginning of the “Era Reynoso”. Before that, there were interviews with different media, press conferences, visits to club training sessions and League 1 matches, and a call. But on day one, directing on the main pitches of La Videna, it could only happen. Everything with a view to the first friendlies: against Mexico on Saturday the 24th and against El Salvador on Tuesday the 27th, both in the United States.
John Reynoso he arrived at Videna de San Luis at noon. There were still hours to go until the start of training, but the coach had details to finalize. He met with Agustín Lozano, president of the Peruvian Football Federation, who has not hesitated to actively participate in the process, thus showing his absolute support for the coach.
The players began to arrive at 1 in the afternoon at the bunker of the white-red located between the well-known avenues Aviation and Canada. Some entered the gym, others took the opportunity to rest a bit. The chimpunes were put on and they were ready to start the work.
There were a total of 25 players. The six summoned from the local media (Alejandro Duarte, José Carvallo, Nilson Loyola, Aldo Corzo, Yoshimar Yotún and Piero Quispe), added to the 19 from the ‘Selectivo’ of League 1. Marcos Lliuya, Ángel Zamudio and Axel Moyano were not present, starters in Sport Huancayo’s 2-2 draw against San Martín for the Closing Tournament. Yes, Catriel Cabellos was present, the 18-year-old youth who shines in the minor divisions of Racing Club de Argentina and is worth 20 million euros. The intention in the Federation is that he decides to dress the red and white before the albiceleste.
The ‘Selective’ is basically a methodology imposed by Reynoso, which is reminiscent of Sergio Markarián’s microcycles, but which aims to expand the universe of summonable players. In other words, an opportunity for the League 1 players to fill the eyes of the coach and show that they are prepared for any event.
Day 1: demand to the maximum
Around 3 in the afternoon, the players began to make their appearance in the main fields of La Videna. I was waiting there John Reynoso. Dressed in black sneakers, a dark sweatshirt, a red hat and a stopwatch hanging from his neck; the technician received them, welcomed them. Smile, handshake and one or two hugs with which he had contact before.
Reynoso he gathered them in a circle and gave his first talk. She then asked that three groups be formed. On the one hand, the ‘locals’ together with those who played the day before (Sunday) with their clubs; and from the other two small groups of the ‘Selective’ that worked under the orders of Néstor Ibarra, the physical trainer 2.
While Ibarra demanded those summoned in the warm-up, leaving his mark from the first minute, and Jaime Serna (physical trainer 1) worked with the ‘locals’; John Reynoso He watched from afar and got together to talk with the technical command of the minor divisions (Ernesto Arakaki, director of the Technical Unit for Minors; Gustavo Roverano, technician of the Sub 20; Carlos Fernández, Roverano’s assistant; and Sergio Fentanes, the methodologist).
After about 20 minutes of activation, with Ibarra demanding the maximum from the footballers in each job, the teacher commanded the circuits with the ball. And there you noticed the real Reynoso. She stopped observing, standing with her arms crossed or talking to her assistants. She adjusted her hat and began to give directions.
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“If I receive the ball well outlined, the rival will not surprise me. You have to receive well, ”he emphasized. “Go ahead! Faster, faster!” she yelled at another moment when he wasn’t happy with what he was looking at. The coach emphasized passing and control, two fundamental aspects for him. “Speak, speak, speak, don’t be quiet!” he ordered.
John Reynoso he stopped practice a couple of times to explain what he wanted. And the players put their laughter aside to frown and concentrate as much as possible on the jobs, on what the technician says with the voice of a sergeant. And when it was necessary to congratulate for a good pass, a good control, the ‘Cabezón’ was the first.
It was day 1 of John Reynoso in command of the peruvian national team. The beginning of a process whose goal is the 2026 World Cup. Demand, details and effort are the order of the day in Videna, the Bicolor headquarters.