Danny Guthrie aware CV could be tarnished by NUFC relegation

Apr 29 2009 by Stephen Brown, The Journal

EMBARRASSED by Newcastle United’s current plight, Danny Guthrie is determined to avoid adding a relegation to his footballing CV.

The Magpies remain in a parlous state at the bottom of the Premier League table after failing to beat Portsmouth on Monday night.

Until then, many considered the visit of Pompey, and forthcoming home games against Middlesbrough and Fulham, to be United’s lifeline. Those encounters against Boro and the Cottagers may yet spare Alan Shearer’s men, but Monday’s draw has made survival that much trickier, with plenty now having given up the ghost. Not Guthrie, however.

“It’s a horrible place to be in,” he said, of the relegation zone. “No one wants to be there, no one wants it on their CV – involvement in a team being relegated. From my point of view, I’m going to do everything I can to ensure that’s not on my record. It does hurt, even to the extent of being embarrassing because of the size of this club and the players that we’ve got. It’s the last thing you want.

“When you’re in training it does take your mind off it but sometimes away from the club it can still play on your mind, after the game, on the night, or the day after.

“You try to take your mind off it but there’s not a lot you can do at this time of the season because you do need to rest, you’re starting to get tired now. If I don’t go for dinner I’ll play on the X-Box, or watch TV or DVDs.”

Speaking at a Q&A session with students of Northumberland College, an event organised by Premier League sponsors Barclays, Guthrie admitted that the long, boring hours spent kicking his heels between action are a chore. The X-Box overheats as a former Pro Evolution Soccer disciple has been converted to Fifa 09.

But when the real stuff resumes, he remains bullishly confident that Newcastle can escape the fate he fears adding to that CV.

“Ah definitely,” said the 22-year-old, who started Monday’s game on the bench but was introduced to the action early, after Jose Enrique was forced off with injury.