Guti leaves Real Madrid. For the casual fan, the question is: so what? Guti played the part of supersub for 15 years but little more. His record – most sub appearances in La Liga history – does not place him on the same pantheon as Di Stefano. But in a club that routinely ships their cantera players to mid-tier clubs, Guti was the exception. His leaving is a loss more in emotional terms than futboling concerns. So indulge us in some word-association games to commemorate the occasion.
First, for those who doubt the role of the homegrown talent that plays the part of supersub, let’s re-live a classic moment of American cinema. We shall call it the “Guti-Rudy Moment.”
Guti did get considerably more minutes than Rudy, but the effect was always the same – despite concerns over stamina and his first step, the Madrid faithful knew the blonde boy wonder was a wizard with the ball at his feet. Take a walk down memory lane and drool at the array of fake shot/slide rule passes.
Of course, in addition to the vision for the game, Guti was quite adept at using both sides of the foot. From taconcitos to taconazos, Guti unlocked defenses with cunning and guile. His first touch was impeccable, and one could see him tap-dancing the night away to this Little Richard’s classic “Tooty Fruity” (which happens to rhyme with Guti!).
So there you have it – Guti is gone. The Mourinho era has begun, praising defensive diligence and work rate over creativity and vision. Or perhaps this is just the sands of time running out on a fabled career, a 33 year old recognizing his legs can’t compete with players half his age. Either way, there’s no reason to be snooty or engage in cruelty when reflecting on Guti. He was Madrid’s super sub for many a reason, a role he played well and willingly.
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