Newcastle’s Argentinian winger Jonas Gutierrez is prepared to go the distance in his bid to impress for club and country, as Matt Leslie reports

IT HAS been a dream start to the season for Newcastle left-winger Jonas Gutierrez, but the Argentine ace is bracing himself for the challenges ahead.

Gutierrez has been one of the key components in United’s high-flying start to the season with a number of impressive displays – including last week at Molineux when he left the Wolverhampton defence trailing in his wake as he went on a mazy run to bang in a superb goal.

Not surprisingly, he has been catching the eye of many an observer in England and those back home in Argentina, who have selected him for international duty this week.

Argentina take on Chile at home on Friday before flying to the top end of South America as they visit Venezuela on October 11.

Throw in the long-haul flights and Gutierrez has one heck of a schedule before reporting back at Newcastle’s training camp in Benton in preparation for their home match against Tottenham a week on Sunday.

However, he knows all of that comes with the territory of impressing your national side while with your club.

Indeed, the prospect of long flights and jet-lag appear to be easily shrugged off, and Gutierrez is looking forward to impressing in the famous blue-and-white shirt of Argentina.

He said yesterday: “I have to focus on Argentina.

“It is always really hard to be in the squad, so you have to do your best whenever you get the opportunity.

“First, you have to do it for your club, and you do that game by game.

“Then, when you have the (international) games, if you play one minute or 90 minutes you have to be really good because you know that when you get an opportunity you have to impress.” Much was made of Gutierrez’s sublime goal against Wolves last week.