Why Teófilo Gutiérrez is not summoned to the Colombian National Team: reasons for Reinaldo Rueda | Colombia selection

The Colombia selection very important things are at stake in the South American Qualifiers to try to seal his classification to the Qatar World Cup 2022. The matches against Peru (January 28) and Argentina (February 1) are crucial for Reinaldo Wheel and their leaders.

The National Team coach made his call and has had to make changes to it, since he had to call off Luis Fernando Muriel and Jefferson Lerma due to medical problems. And at each new call, many wonder if he will call Theophilus Gutierrez, an experienced attacker who was a World Cup player in 2014 and who has just become champion with Deportivo Cali.

‘Teo’ will always generate division, so there are those who want to see him return to the National Team, as there are others who think that the cycle is complete.

And what are Rueda’s reasons for not summoning Teófilo Gutiérrez? There are many versions, rumours, and the only one who has the answer is the coach. His most recent statement, why he did not even call him for the friendly against Honduras, left doubts as there was no clarity in his response.

“’Teo’ has had extraordinary games. In previous months, even before arriving at Deportivo Cali, I was in that permanent evaluation, but the times did not coincide in the comparison with other players, that is my job: to select among the best. I did not want, at a certain moment, to disrespect a great player like ‘Teo’, so that’s why I didn’t consider it for this call”, was Rueda’s explanation.

However, the versions are extensive: the first is about Theophilus personality, who showed precisely this Sunday that she is still aggressive on the field, when she was sent off in the match that Cali lost 2-1 to Jaguares. those attitudes, at his age, speak of a player who has not finished maturing and who it is explosive, something detrimental for the Qualifiers phase and for what it can transmit to the group of companions.

Other versions speak of a kind of veto against Teófilo Gutiérrez, who has not played with the National Team since 2017. There are versions, not verified, that speak of a confrontation with the directors of the Federation, but that rumor does not have much force.

On the other hand, there are those who remember that Teófilo Gutiérrez was in the remembered Instagram ‘live’ in which James Rodríguez claimed that Reinaldo was not called to the Copa América 2021. That day, ‘Teo’ prodded James and showed that he did not agree with Rueda’s decision.

And why did he spare James and not Theophilus? Because James is more important, young and even media. While Gutiérrez is more veteran and other aspects are added, such as the one already mentioned about his personality.

Finally, there are those who say that Rueda formed an idea after consulting with various trainers and reports on Gutierrez. The concept of Alexis Mendoza would enter there, who was Junior’s coach and there he would have had problems with ‘Teo’.

Mendoza is very close to Rueda, as he was his assistant in the first cycle with Colombia (2004-2006), in Honduras (2007-2010) and Ecuador (2010-2014).

They are all rumours, versions, explanations off the microphone and away from reality, which only Reinaldo Rueda knows.