Neither Reynoso, much less Gareca: why is the blessed renewal not a priority in the national team? [OPINION]

Since the Peruvian national team returned to play in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the average age has been increasing. This is normal because the commonly called up players and the base of the team are getting older, and therefore, the average age increases every year (see table). However, the challenge for the current coach is to balance this imbalance in order to sustain the process, which means adding young players with a good level who can replace those who are leaving, so that there is a generational change for the future.

• This is how the average age in the team changed

For example, when Gareca took over the team in 2015, he inherited the base left by Sergio Markarián, his predecessor, and relied on the most experienced players in the group, such as Paolo Guerrero and Alberto Rodríguez. Initially, the 'Tigre' avoided referring to the need for generational change in the team, and it was logical because his objective was always to qualify for the World Cup. "I never talked about that. The team is not in a period of renovation. We call up the best players," he said back then. But things started to happen, Peru qualified for Russia 2018, and Gareca added players to his process, such as Renato Tapia, Edison Flores and Andy Polo.

Then, on the road to Qatar 2022, there was a clear need to rely on younger players to sustain his second stage in the team. Gareca already had a previous base and to that group were added players like Marcos López, the only Under-23 player in that process and a starter during the last Qualifiers. After that, there weren't any more. What did happen was that those players who had little playing time in the run-up to Russia 2018 gained more prominence in the journey to Qatar 2022 (Sergio Peña, Wilder Cartagena, among others); but the average age increased in the same way (see table above). So, was there really a generational change?

"Generational changes happen naturally and according to what one observes. Things flow. There are moments when players who were important figures, for different reasons, are replaced by the appearance of young players. It's not that I decide to make a generational change," explained Gareca in 2021, right in the midst of the Qualifiers.

In that sense, what will happen with Reynoso will be something similar to what happened with Gareca; that is, relying on the "let everything flow," as if finding new players for the team was something occasional. If they appear, it is obvious that they will be called up. And if not, will what we have be enough to qualify for the next World Cup? The generational change does not depend on luck or destiny, but on the work done by the FPF in the youth teams, where we often perform poorly, and in the professional clubs, whose academies feed the senior national team. With a limited pool of players, it is more difficult to achieve that rejuvenation. And that's why what Gareca achieved was very commendable because he achieved a lot with very little.

Now, with Reynoso in charge of the team, the panorama is also challenging. The protagonists of the last two Qualifiers are already over 30 years old, some are leaving, and others are not maintaining the same level. But the concern lies in those who come after, in those who will lead the future national team because there are not many to choose from. The 'Cabezón' intends to make a change accompanied by good results; however, that doesn't always happen. Just look at Chile or Paraguay, who are going through a similar situation to Peru and did not qualify for Qatar 2022. So, we have to see how much the coach's intention can withstand. The priority, I believe for the majority of Peruvians, is to qualify for North America 2026. And if it happens with new faces in the team, welcome.

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