Danny Guthrie praises the Three Amigos

Nov 19 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

NEWCASTLE United’s Three Amigos have been praised for shattering stereotypes about foreign footballers in a glowing endorsement from Danny Guthrie.

Argentinian duo Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez have, along with Spanish left-back Jose Enrique, become an integral part of the United side which has moved to top of the Coca Cola Championship with a third of the season gone. And Guthrie is keen to highlight their contribution as he rallied against suggestions foreign players do not have the same stomach for a fight as their English team-mates when the going gets tough. Although all three might have been expected to abandon the club following relegation to the Championship, the Spanish-speaking trio chose to stay on Tyneside and have earned plenty of respect and admiration in the Newcastle dressing room as a result.

“You might talk about the so-called English mentality, about being able to fight when your back is against the wall and showing strength in adversity,” said Guthrie, who hopes the Magpies have learnt how to handle themselves away from home ahead of Monday night’s trip to Preston.

“But the foreign lads have also shown plenty of spirit and that’s really good to see. You sometimes hear stories about players who don’t really fancy a battle when they come over to play in this country, but Jose, Jonas and Fabricio have really knuckled down. It would have been easy for them to fob it off once we had been relegated, but they have stayed and they have got on with it .

“People have preconceptions about what foreign players are going to be like and whether they have the stomach for it, but they have been brilliant and haven’t been fazed by anything this season.”

At times during their spell in England, both Jonas and Coloccini have been targeted by oppositions sides looking to kick them out of games or break their concentration by unsettling them physically.

But, with the benefit of a tough year in the Premier League behind them, they have managed to hold their own in the arguably rougher Championship as Guthrie insisted the pair were far tougher than people have previously given them credit for.