Pékerman resigns from the Venezuelan national team in the midst of a great controversy | International

After a couple of days of intense rumors, the resignation of the Argentine technical director, José Pekerman, and his management team, from the Venezuelan National Soccer Team has been confirmed. The strategist would have argued the breach of some clauses of the contract and differences of criteria with the board of the Venezuelan Football Federation. Pekerman had been hired in November 2021 for a sports cycle that would include the Copa América and the next World Cup qualifiers, and which was to conclude in 2026.

When he resigned, barely more than a year later, after having the entire football structure of the country under his command, and generating enormous enthusiasm among the fans, he left an opaque balance sheet, with five victories against small-time teams. , one draw and four losses. With Pekerman, the Argentine coaches Leandro Cufré, Patricio Camps, Fabricio Coloccini and Fernando Batista also left.

Although versions have leaked around the alleged existence of non-payment of fees and the absence of ideal conditions to work that were undermining the spirit of the coaches, in Venezuelan journalistic circles it is insistently commented that the difference between the Argentine delegation and the Federation Venezolana de Fútbol rests, above all, on the conduct of Pascual Lezcano, a soccer agent, journalist and person trusted by Pekerman, -consequently endowed with enormous power and room for maneuver- who could not have justified certain expenses in the audit. Lezcano had arrived as a representative of Pekerman, and ended up being director of selections.

This circumstance caused trouble in the Venezuelan federation. Some time ago, Lezcano would also have been a point of contention that would have prevented the renewal of the contract between Pekerman and the Colombian Football Federation, an instance that would have made similar questions to Lezcano. After the Russia 2018 World Cup event ended, in Colombia they wanted the continuity of Pekerman, but without Lezcano, and since there was no agreement, the employment relationship ended.

So far, the board of the Venezuelan Football Federation has not ruled on Pekerman's departure or his reasons, although it is said that soon the new DT of the under 17 team will be informed, who must be named urgently in virtue of the imminence of commitments. Nothing is known, so far, about the new coach of the absolute Selection.

The Venezuelan journalist and commentator Erasmo Provenza commented on his twitter account that it is not true that the Argentine governing body did not have the conditions to do its job, as stated in the first exchanges both in Argentina and in Venezuela: "Total control of the Federation, elimination of the youth norm, Reserve Tournament, payment of fees for one year in advance. And in Argentina they affirm that they did not comply with Pekerman.”

“Pékerman's cycle in Venezuela will come to an end. Administrative issues and inappropriate handling of Pascual Lezcano were discovered that could not be presented to the Deloitte auditor and that forces the FVF to open a process in the ethics commission, ”says the journalist Milena Gimón, a commentator specialized in soccer. of the Directv Sports chain on their social networks.

Although Pekerman's parchments were unquestionable (he led the Argentine team to the 2006 World Cup and was crowned with his country three times in the Under-20 World Cup; in addition to qualifying Colombia for Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018) dissatisfaction slowly began to develop in the informational environment of local football, due to the few achievements evidenced with the selection, the distancing with public opinion, and the reluctance of the technical team to appear before the press.

After being the eternal Cinderella of South American football for decades, La Vinotinto, -which today occupies the 59th position in the FIFA ranking-, had managed to climb positions and gain some respect in the regional football context in the last two decades, coming very close to to qualify for the World Cups in South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. All the advances have rolled to the ground in the last qualifiers, in which they have returned to last place, amid the chronic disorder of the FVF and failed experiences with national coaches and foreigners, similar to this one by Pékerman.

And if a few months ago there was talk about hiring an experienced foreign coach who would allow Venezuela to get the "extra" it needs, now on social networks fans are talking again about looking for a Venezuelan coach who will lead an authentic emotional process that involves love for the shirt, and not just some leaders brought in to fulfill an assignment based on what a contract stipulates.

"José Pekerman has a great career," commented César Farías, the Venezuelan coach who was very close to qualifying Venezuela for the 2014 World Cup, and who managed to put the red wine in the 2009 U20 World Cup. "What I don't see It is good that he does not connect with people, that he does not live in the country, that he is like God, that everyone knows he exists, but nobody can touch him.”

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