Spiderman a.k.a. Jonas Manuel Gutierrez is one of those few rare footballers for whom loyalty comes before the moolah. The 28-year-old Argentine winger after three successful years with Spanish side
Mallorca joined Newcastle United and became an immediate favourite with the Tyne-side faithfuls. Though boasting of a star studded lineup including the likes of England internationals Alan Smith and Michael Owen and the club’s longtime idol Alan Shearer as its coach towards the end of the seasons the Magpies had a horrific campaign and was eventually relegated.
Most of the big names deserted the club, but Gutierrez was not one of them. He was one of the most consistent players for the side at the Championship and after Newcastle clawed back to the Premiere League Gutirrez continued to excel attracting attention across Europe. After finishing in the mid-tables last season, things might turn out to be more complicated. Forward Andy Carroll and midfielders Chris Nolan and Joey Barton have all left the club and Gutierrez suddenly has more responsibilities on his shoulders.
“I think the situation in Newcastle is similar to what we are facing with the national side in Argentina. Both the sides are going through a transition and we need to set our steps right very soon,” he says.
“But while playing for a club you get more time to spend with the entire group as we play every week. So building and working on strategies is easier.”
Still disappointed with Argentina’s heartbreaking World Cup quarterfinals defeat to Germany in South Africa, Gutirrez says: “At the World Cup we were improving game after game but it is such a difficult tournament. Just one hiccup could bring an end to your campaign that is what the World Cup is all about. We had a bad day and they did everything perfectly but still today we find it quite difficult to digest the margin of defeat.”
Echoing the words of current coach Alejandro Sabella, he sees the friendly against Venezuela at the Salk Lake stadium as a perfect dress-rehearsal for the South American World Cup qualifiers. “For us now it's all about starting from scratch and get the team back to proper shape. The journey for which begins tomorrow. It is an important date for us and our new manager,” he says.
The frenzy and warmth of the people of the river-side city has touched the heart of the ponytailed player. “Everything has been a new experience for us, whatever we have witnessed so far. The sheer number of people at the stadium when (Lionel) Messi arrived at the dead of the night is almost unthinkable anywhere else (other than Argentina and Barcelona of course),” he says. “We are used to adulations all across the world but this has been simply amazing. But for the time being we have to forget all that and focus on the match.”
The copy has been corrected for a spelling error.
