Could Guti be Spain’s World Cup Wonder?

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Bernd Schuster says the concept is âÂÂridiculous.âÂÂ

Vicente del Bosque muses that âÂÂthe door is open.âÂÂ

Sport claim that he canâÂÂt change his ways at 33.

Penelope Cruz screams âÂÂin the name of all that is holy, La Liga Loca! Leave me alone! How did you get my number, anyway? DonâÂÂt you understand that itâÂÂs over between us!âÂÂ

All week, the whole country has been a-buzzin' with the notion that Guti could be the most unexpected of entries into SpainâÂÂs World Cup squad for South Africa 2010.

And all because of a back-heel to Benzema up in La Coruña.


That backheel (click to watch)

Why It's Crazy Talk

1) In GutiâÂÂs 14 seasons as a Real Madrid professional - stretching that term to breaking point - the midfielder has played in fewer than half of the available minutes during that spell.

This stands in comparison with the 78 percent racked up by Raúl, who is just nine months older.

This rather hefty absentee rate has been down to laziness, injuries both real and... (checks law book...) real, falling out with coaches, being suspended, awful form, dentist appointments, christenings, holidays, something good being on TV and offering naff all for much of the season aside from a couple of over-hyped passes the blogâÂÂs dead granny could make given the opportunities Guti has handed to him every year.

Guti would be as committed to SpainâÂÂs World Cup cause as Maniche is to a bowl of Special K.


"Siesta time!"

3) Because he waddles like Liam Gallagher circa WhatâÂÂs the Story, Morning Glory?.

Why It's Perfect Sense

1) When the chips are down, the turnips are up and itâÂÂs all gone Pete Tong out on the pitch, the footballer that Spain really needs coming off the bench is not Cesc Fabregas, but Guti - the only player in the world who can change the fortunes of his team in a split second with a moment of pure genius.*

*Not technically true. Guti generally likes Madrid to be a good two or three goals to the good against beleaguered opposition before making his âÂÂkiller passes,â which tend to be fairly ordinary when taken out of context of the Madridista hype-machine.

2) Spain may well come up against all kinds of dastardly, dark-arts devils during this summerâÂÂs footballing festival.

**Again, a slight white lie. Just boot Guti a couple of times from behind (see Osasuna games) and you can be sure heâÂÂll be sent off after a retaliatory knee-breaker just seconds later.


"Yeaaaaaah!!!!"

3) Guti is better than all of SpainâÂÂs current midfielders combined. And then some. For example...

âÂÂWhoopedy do!â says the blog. Guti can do them backwards. And heâÂÂs a more useful presence in the dressing room when items off high shelves are required.

Iniesta? Forehead too big, scalp too bare and hasnâÂÂt scored for his club this season. Guti? Cool hair and THREE goals.

All Luis Fabiano needs to do in their upcoming clash in South Africa is show the Sevilla man a photo of his house and heâÂÂll be sobbing into the turf and shipped home before you can say âÂÂI should never have left Andalusia.âÂÂ

These are the arguments both for and against GutiâÂÂs World Cup inclusion, plain and clear.

Now it's time for the blog collective to chew over this weekâÂÂs big issue: Guti - should he stay, or should he go?

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