Newcastle: Jonas Gutierrez Will Never Forgive Alan Pardew

Argentinian supposedly speaks out against Pardew telling him to find a new club.

By Simon Gallagher /

A storm that was brewing for some time thanks to mis-attributed quotes and poor translations - as well as a supposition that Newcastle were simply respecting a need to recover - is now about to kick off royally. Jonas Gutierrez has been quoted as saying that he will never forgive Alan Pardew for telling him he had to find a new club after undergoing chemotherapy for testicular cancer last year. According to Andres Cantor, Gutierrez gave an interview with the stark criticism on the verge of his return to the North East next month: https://twitter.com/AndresCantorGOL/status/534079093646852096 The journalist then tweeted a link to the original article which carried the interview on Friday, which was a little more in depth, though the sentiment remains the same:
"A club fans and my teammates are going to be forever grateful for the support they gave me. Anyway, in mid-December, coach, Alan Pardew, decided it was best to find me ... And this club told me I just rjoined me, 20 days after having surgery and when all you wanted was to train and well. Although I knew it was going to cost to earn back a place, I never complained because I did not play. So what he did I will not forgive. Like, I still believe that it was a purely footballing issue rather than anything coming from the other side."
Obviously, dodgy translations are a genuine concern, but it's hard not to agree with how Cantor assessed the quotes, given that he speaks the language. If this interview is an accurate reflection of what he said - and it does look concerning - then the midfielder is going to have some questions to answer when he does get back to Newcastle. And though the emotion of the situation should protect him from any major public criticism, it's unlikely Alan Pardew is going to take this on the chin, considering what it does for his public image. Will the club put out a statement taking issue with the interview? Will he be "mis-quoted" or "taken out of context"? It seems inevitable. Yes, the footballing reasons behind the decision to get rid are undeniable, but you have to take the situation into account as a context and the club should surely have realised that the timing of telling the player he could move - especially if he was told to "find a new club" - is ludicrous. Another day, another PR disaster.