Gustavo Alfaro, 72 hours after Ecuador was eliminated from Qatar 2022, was offered to lead Uruguay, according to the Uruguayan press

Apparently, Gustavo Alfaro wasted no time while his continuity as the Tricolor’s coach was uncertain. On Thursday, four hours after the Argentine journalist César Luis Merlo came forward with the news, the hermetic Ecuadorian Football Federation came out of its informative lethargy and confirmed that the coach was not going to renew. On Thursday night, the daily The Observerfrom Montevideo, published in its digital edition a note in which it assures that Alfaro is one of the two trainers offered, more than a month ago, by businessmen to drive to Uruguay.

‘They offered Ricardo Gareca and Gustavo Alfaro for the Uruguayan team; Don’t fall asleep, Diego Alonso’, says the title of the news. “Since the Uruguayan team was left without a coach on December 2, because Diego Alonso’s contract ended, the telephone number of the leaders of the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) does not stop ringing with proposals for names for the vacant position. ”.

“(The leaders) listen, take note and continue processing in silence, while they are projected to the end of February to make a decision,” says the newspaper.

After falling with Senegal?

With the signature of the journalist Luis Eduardo Inzaurralde, it is mentioned in the text that, “according to Réferi (the sports section of The Observer), the two coaches have chances to take over in Uruguay”. And if Alfaro’s representatives, according to the note, had contacts with the AUF since December 2, 2022, that rapprochement would have occurred just 72 hours after Ecuador’s elimination from the World Cup in Qatar (that occurred on December 29). November, after Senegal’s 2-1 victory).

The options for Alfaro or Gareca in Uruguay are based on Alonso’s situation, summarized in two orders for The Observer, which refers to “a political element and the silence of the DT.” And details the following on the stage:

1) “The risk of naming him (Alonso, who led in Qatar) represents a backpack for the leaders, because if he continues he has no margin to fail at the start of the World Cup qualifier and they will have to support him at any price.” And 2) “The silence of the coach, who did not come out publicly to explain himself after the failure in the World Cup, is beginning to work against him. Six weeks ago he was eliminated and Alonso has not yet shown his face ”.

And it is insisted that “Alfaro and Gareca appear on the scene of the Uruguayan team and play their game. The phone of the AUF leaders rings insistently, through various businessmen, who offered the names of the Argentines”.

Alfaro, with advantage

Apparently, “the definition of the Uruguayan coach becomes a game of chess” in which the now former coach of Ecuador would have an advantage over Gareca.

He says The Observer: “In the case of Alfaro, the economic issue is not a limitation. Uruguay can offer you a contract similar to the one proposed by Ecuador. The AUF pays $150,000 per month for the entire coaching staff, taxes included. The technician receives about $60,000 monthly. This equates to $1.8 million a year. The figure he receives in Ecuador is similar (according to Francisco Egas, the FEF paid him $1.6 million per year). Gareca’s situation is different. In Peru, the DT received three times more salary”.

The note from the Montevideo newspaper suggests that the analysis of the celestial leadership is serious due to several factors: “President Ignacio Alonso uses time to make his best option, and knows that Gareca and Alfaro are close to the AUF: 1) because different businessmen offered it, 2) they will not be able to earn much more in Ecuador than in Uruguay, 3) the Uruguayan team will have a good squad, with (Ronald) Araujo, (Federico) Valverde, (Rodrigo) Bentancur, (Giorgian) De Arrascaeta and Darwin Núñez to fight for the qualification and have a good World Cup in 2026″. (D)