June 02, 2020 – 02:49 p. m.
Taken from Fifa.com
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By now, Chile should have started the FIFA World Cup Qualifying Qatar 2022 by visiting Uruguay in March and hosting Colombia on the first two dates. But international football was suspended by the pandemic and we will have to wait to see Reinaldo Rueda’s Roja in action again.
“Hopefully football will come back soon. We need it ”, acknowledges the Colombian coach. In spite of everything, the activity of the Professor and his team has not been reduced in these times of quarantine. They are days to plan, be aware of your internationals and your sporting and personal situation, participate in talks and soccer workshops, and even to pick up old hobbies.
Also to sit down and talk with Fifa.com about the need for Chile to return to a World Cup after the painful absence of Russia 2018, the generational replacement that has begun in the team or their favorites to qualify for Qatar 2022. Expert in “resurrecting teams ”, Rueda has before him an exciting challenge that he speaks to us exclusively about.
Professor, how are you doing this period without soccer?
It is a new life experience! Before, day to day was more shared with the entire technical staff and we met in the training center with the different departments, we shared the planning, review of work material, training preparation, video editing … Now we do it all online . And then participating in training dynamics, reading, exercising to relieve stress, helping with housework …
Any activity that you are taking advantage of now that you are at home?
I am improving English and also dedicating minutes to the accordion, one of my weaknesses since I was a child, with our folklore vallenato in Colombia. Unfortunately the neighbors have complained to me (laughs). Now I have taken some precautions and I close windows and doors to get some notes.
How is your relationship with your players?
The first few weeks we were very aware especially of those we have in Europe, contacting them about their health and wishing them the best … And then, being very respectful, because we are aware that each club has its work dynamics, we began to send them to all very cortical videos to make a little tactical memory and build confidence, reminding them of the good times they have experienced with the national team.
We should be immersed in the Playoffs, but we have to wait. How does the break affect the team?
It has been very traumatic, because it has been 6 for 7 months with hardly any contact with the players and here in Chile, in addition, there were no competitions from October to December – the friendlies in November were suspended due to social protests in the country. Now it depends on when the leagues return. The pace after so many days of inactivity, as much as players and coaching staff have worried about doing maintenance, it will be difficult. And then there is the psychological part of achieving an ideal level of competence. We must take advantage of what the clubs where our internationals are doing.
Are you afraid that this break is especially damaging to members of the Golden Generation, already veterans?
It is very strong, but they are very optimistic. The Chilean player has a good longevity. Like wine, the more aged, the more mature and calmer. But you have to face the reality of the wear of this profession. Six months, for example, are not the same for a boy of 26 as for a man of 35-36. They impact.
It is to be hoped that our great players will have health and that this will allow them to have validity in their clubs because, especially those who play abroad, they are having difficulties to start.
Reinaldo Rueda, coach of the Chilean team.
Taken from Fifa.com
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One of the challenges of his project is to start the generational change. Do you plan to rest the Vidal, Medel, Alexis …?
It takes both the wisdom and experience of the great men and the strength and enthusiasm of the young to be able to make a balanced selection. And there is the path that was already reflected in the Copa América of the previous year, where young people like Paulo Díaz, Erick Pulgar, Édgar Pasos appeared …
We must wait for football to return, see which men are better and plan the way to Qatar with those who are going to reach the World Cup requirement with a better level. Talking about strategies now is a bit uncertain, but I do not rule out projecting young people also taking advantage of the maturity and experience of leaders. We have to leave a legacy and sow for the immediate future of Chilean soccer.
Speaking of veterans, last year we left Claudio Bravo’s return to La Roja. Does the way you play with someone in your hierarchy change?
Definitely. It is impressive how Claudio Bravo and his ancestry influence the team due to his career, his intelligence of the game … We lost him a whole year due to his injury, a broken Achilles heel, and now we hope that he can continue to contribute all his ability and talent. It will be decisive if we can enjoy it. That is the great illusion. No one wants to leave the national team and everything will happen there. Hopefully we will see him defend the goal in Qatar.
Specialist in returning teams to a World Cup, as he already did with Honduras (2010) and Ecuador (2014), now he hopes to do the same with Chile. Is this a challenge that you find particularly attractive?
It is a very high challenge because of the impact of not classifying Russia for a generation that had given great satisfaction to the country. 2018 was a very strong blow for Chilean society and we arrived at this trauma as a palliative. The first thing was to do that psychological healing that both players and fans needed to believe in this football again. Our hope is to recover the status that Chile has had in recent years.
The South American Qualifiers are very strong, very difficult because of all the talent there is, the geographical complexity and the teams themselves, all very balanced, very strong. Here there is no 13-0 or anything like that.
Do you dare to predict who will go to Qatar?
We have as a reference what happened in the Copa América, although I don’t know how reliable a short tournament is. For example, there are powers like Uruguay that were not in the top four. It is all very balanced, but apart from us, I have my admiration for the great work that Argentina has been developing. In the Copa América, of the 23 players he presented, 14 were new and with a great projection, consolidated players in the elite and with a great presence in the main leagues. Apart are Uruguay, Brazil and Colombia. Those four countries have that great kindness of overpopulation and the good work that they have been developing.
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