Gutierrez: Magpies set to fly back into top flight

Aug 21 2009 by Steve Brown, The Journal

For why would they want to, he suggested, when enthused by Newcastle’s promising start to the season, and determined to reclaim the club’s top-flight status?

“We know that starting the season winning (games) is the most important thing because it is a difficult, harder and longer season,” Gutierrez said.

“The most important is the first three or four months because if you start well, you have a better opportunity of going up.

“This club cannot be in the Championship, it has to be all the time in the Premier League, so we want to fly and get Newcastle back there next year.

“I think the players want to be with Newcastle in the Premier League so we are all doing the best we can. That for the club is very important.

“The crowd helps too, it is always like that, all the time. Last year when things were not really good, they stayed with us and now they want to be in the Premier League next year, so all the time they are with us and we know they give us a lot.

“We have had bad times and we could lose more players but you have to think in the present, not of what is going to happen in one week or two weeks. We know that we have not too many players in the squad, that it will be difficult if nobody comes, because the season is very long and we have a lot of matches. But you think now in the present and not in the future.” Well, not entirely. When Newcastle were relegated and a summer spent back home saw him encounter friends shocked at United’s fall from grace, Gutierrez (left) thought about leaving the club, not least because he feared playing outside the limelight could harm his participation in next summer’s World Cup.

Thanks to a few becalming words from Maradona, however, he insists his future remains at Newcastle. “My friends don’t believe that Newcastle are in the second division,” said Gutierrez.

“It was going to be a difficult situation because I am very happy at Newcastle, but I want to play with my national team.

“But Maradona told me that it was no problem. For me, that was important.

“He said to take care, to do the things for my team. It’s no problem that I have to play in the Championship, I’m going to be in the (Argentina) squad for the World Cup qualifiers.

“That is the word from the manager, and it is encouraging.

“Now I am very happy about that because for me to play in the national team is a dream.”