Kolkata, Sep 1 (IANS) Pleasantly surprised by the adulation of Kolkata’s soccer crazy fans, Argentine medio Jonas Gutierrez is brimming with confidence that Friday’s FIFA Official friendly with Venezuela would help his national side leave behind the disappointing World Cup two years back and begin journey afresh for the 2014 edition.
‘The moment we landed at the Kolkata airport we found people cheering us. This was simply amazing,’ said Gutierrez, who plays for English premier League side Newcastle United FC.
‘The focus is on us for the game. This is the first game for our coach after taking charge of the national team. It is an opportunity for us also to play well under the new coach (Aljandro Sabella).’
Gutierrez, who played in the 2010 World Cup where Argentina lost to Germany in the quarterfinals to bow out of the tournament, said: ‘The defeat last year, that really hurt. It still hurts. But it was just a one-off game. Leading into that match we played some very good football. But in that game Germany played really well.’
However, he said the team was now looking ahead as they play the first game under new coach Sabella and new regular captain Lionel Messi. Sabella has already announced that Messi would be the team captain for the 2014 event.
‘We can’t go on thinking about that (defeat). We have to look forward,’ he said.
The midfielder said he has played once on artificial turf for Newcastle. ‘But that was long back. And also that was not a serious game.’
Asked about his experience of playing with superstar Messi, Gutierrez said: ‘Basically football is a team game. We have lots of good players. But definitely he is special’.
