Pekerman with Clarín: his vision of the World Cup, his news and the DNA of José’s team at Scaleneta

Jose Pekerman He is going from stadium to stadium in Qatar 2022. He is making the most of what this very particular World Cup offers as an advantage to be concentrated in short distances. This is why the historic Argentine coach, who currently manages the Venezuelan team, commanding an integral project with the aim of bringing it back to world competitions, watches all the matches he can on site. And of course, Take note of all the teams.

Right there, in one of the many fields visited, he comes across clarion and agree to a good round trip football trip. “José, he doesn’t talk much, shall we take a few minutes?”listen to the request of this special envoy and reciprocate with a smile: “In general, I’m far from interviews. I put my energy into my daily work and focus on that. I respect places and moments. But the World Cup is an exceptional situation, something wonderful that opens us up to the exchange of knowledge and this it’s important.

An authorized word when speaking of the World Cup is that of Mr. Jose. It is a record for being the manager with the most direct matches at the World Cup: 48 in total, counting the youth and senior teams (eight World Cups among all categories organized by FIFA). No one has driven more than him in history.

For this reason, when Pekerman speaks, all that remains is to pay attention to his concepts. He was in Germany 2006 in front of Argentina and participated with Colombia in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018. Between the three competitions he won nine matches, drew three and lost two. The man who marked an era in the training of football players and has left its mark on a generation that today relaunches its values ​​and its flag in the Scaloneta responds to how it sees the national team, Messi, Scaloni, Brazil, Germany, the surprises of the World Cup and its goal in the Red wine.

-Why did you decide to venture into this experience in Venezuela, sought after by many?

-All my life I have been a person of projects and challenges. And we found in this proposal a place where sportingly we could wish to leave a mark and accompany a growth which is what Venezuelans want and this is how President Giménez has transmitted it to us from the beginning.

-What did you find there?

-It is clear that football has taken over the majority of society in recent years. And clearly we need this first year to make an exact x-ray of what were the virtues and needs that we must act on and cover in order to have aspirations to a higher level.

– Has the World Cup so far met your expectations in terms of level of play?

-There was a lot of variety. The competition was very high. Which has produced surprise in some cases with results that have attracted attention.

-Which team has attracted your attention the most and why?

-As a collective functioning we must highlight Morocco. He commented it after also watching his first match against Croatia. The level of work together is very good. They are coupled to a system and this is where we come back to what we talked about earlier. Since 2006, Morocco has faced a very deep foundation work in view of a new project with a 180 degree turn from what they had done up to then. And today, with a lot of patience, they are beginning to reap the fruits that are seen reaching an instance perhaps unthinkable for many. We must also highlight the permanent growth of the Asian teams. And it should be noted that England and France are holding, who one day thought of starting a process and today, over time, show a sustained level.

-Who is the best player in the World Cup so far?

I don’t want to name just one. If they take me to that place, I don’t hesitate to say Messi. However, I also want to underline that I am pleased to see Modric and I was lucky enough to go to several matches in Croatia where the boy Gvardiol also confirmed my expectations, who is a defender who has a very high threshold and today is among the improve. Surely in this hurry I forget someone, but we also have to highlight Frenkie de Jong and the boy Moisés Caicedo from Ecuador who has a huge future. And a little further up are Rafael Leao, Harry Kane and the big appearance by German Jamal Musiala.

-With Venezuela you faced Saudi Arabia in a friendly match not too long ago and beat them. Were you surprised by the victory over Argentina at the start of this World Cup?

-Perhaps the greatness of the result yes, but the solid teamwork of the Arabs no. They are very disciplined players. Many play together in their league team and it shows. But for some time now he has shown a work and an intensity that mirrored him in that game. Just a few days ago I met Hervé (Renard) his coach and we were talking about that clear progress.

-Where do you think the key was to recover quickly?

-This coaching staff has a long history in national teams and great knowledge based on that, a lot of experience in these competitions and they knew how to transfer that wealth to quickly rebuild trust and achieve the immediate team mutual commitment that the argentinian shirt requires .

-What is the greatest virtue you see in Argentina?

It’s not just one. To maintain itself over time as this group has done, including the Copa América, many virtues are needed. Beyond the individual points, it is necessary to highlight the group commitment, delivery and versatility in the different strategies that the coaching staff has chosen with great response from the players. Also there is a great union between players, coaching staff and directors and this is always an advantage.

-Is this Messi’s best World Cup so far?

-You can’t talk about better or worse. They are different times and phases. He gave his all in all of them. No doubt. But I believe that the fact of having finally achieved the objective of lifting the Copa América has also given hope in the nickname of candidate when it came to pursuing the dream of the World Cup, without that extra weight that annoyed him so much and which, moreover, guys who have kept Argentina in the high levels of competitiveness of all tournaments. Today everything looks different.

-You know him as a boy, does it strike you to see this facet of Leo who doesn’t keep quiet when he doesn’t like something?

-Experience and travel give you a maturity to know when and how to express yourself, knowing what generates your figure. And which today takes him from the position of leader of this team.

-Were you able to perceive in Scaloni something of the coach he is today?

-Totally. She was always very smart watching football. And that’s what led him to the big leagues and to be part of the national team. He was always very detailed and attentive. With an advantage that I would like to underline: he has always been concerned about the union of the group beyond his role and that is clearly reflected in the union of this team today.

-What does it mean that the coaching staff of this national team is made up of almost all the names you’ve had since you were a kid?

It’s a great pride. A joy for them, for Argentine football that identifies itself with history, with the past and with a path that has left its mark over time.

-Do you have a dialogue with Scaloni, Aimar or any of them?

-Yes, the prudent one. In these very particular stages we need to be very careful because the moments and the roles lead to a vortex that often puts us in other positions. But whenever we can, we don’t hesitate to make big speeches or melt into a sincere hug. I follow them with great pride.

-In which stage would you put Argentina among the four semi-finalists?

-At this stage, one detail defines you. That’s why putting a position would be very wrong. Obviously the joy would be to be able to obtain this third cup so precious. But until now the team has stood out as a great protagonist.

Pekerman and the elimination of Brazil, Germany and the absence of Colombia

As a football man, Pekerman observes and analyzes everything. And for everything he has a conclusion. Thoughtful, thoughtful, measured, Don José puts into words some of the impacts that Qatar 2022 has produced so far, such as the farewell of Brazil and the early elimination of Germany. He also refers to the absence of Colombia, a team he led in the two previous World Cups.

-How did you experience the elimination of Brazil?

-I had to be on the pitch before going to see Argentina against the Netherlands. First of all I was sorry because as a South American you want the teams in the region to do well. As for the result, perhaps it was a little unfair because in the match he managed to demonstrate that level he has held for some time and which had previously placed him among the favourites. But what happens often happens when an unexpected result hits a great team.

-How do you explain the decline of Germany, eliminated for the second consecutive time in the group stage?

I wouldn’t use that term. Germany is still a power. I have seen him in several matches and have no doubts he marks the Germany-Spain match as one of the best matches of the World Cup. Germany had a second half that bordered on excellence. In the match there were almost no mistakes by either of them and, instead, today they are gone. These are things that can happen. But I can say that sooner or later both teams will be protagonists again in their competitions because they have a solid base that has been very marked over time.

-You are loved in Colombia where you qualified for two World Cups and after your departure they were unable to return. What does it do to you?

-The absence of a team that was getting used to participating in the Cup is a big void, I don’t hide anything when I talk about my love for that country and its people. I really would have loved to see her here in Qatar.

The integral project in Venezuela and what objective it pursues

A little over a year ago, José Néstor Pekerman decided to say yes to Venezuela’s proposal over other offers he had on the table. It is the third team managed by the Argentine DT and there, as he did in Argentina and Colombia, he will also try to sow the seeds and then reap them over time. What are you looking for and what goals are you considering in the short and long term?

“As happens in countries that have had a growth that today competes with success, the work at the bases is based on young people who progressively nurture the big teams over time to arrive more prepared for great football. You can never, and it’s not the nature of this type of project, to talk about immediacy,” says Pekerman.

And he adds: “You must always keep in a hurry and not lose sight of the real objective so that the situations achieved are not sporadic and can consolidate as a real basis over time to maintain that much desired competitive continuity. it is fundamental and it is the fruit on which not only the national teams feed, but also the players themselves, raising their personal level and the clubs which, in reciprocity with the selection, promote and motivate this growth”.

-Does the next World Cup offer more odds increase the illusion of Venezuela?

-That of Venezuela and that of all countries equally. It can be seen that in all the last editions the competition has been very strong, it has not been easy and there has been a clear superiority in those teams that have a greater number of players in top competition.

Doha, Qatar. Special delivery.