RIP Johan Cruyff

les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,236
3,964
Wisconsin
Sad day. Cruyff will always be one of my favorite football people. I'm too young to have seen him play much less appreciate it or remember it so I've only ever had the luxury of Youtube videos. Still I've found myself viewing them from time to time and wishing we had a Cruyff in the side today. His approach to the game wasn't just as a player though, but as a manager as well and he always wanted to see it be "the beautiful game."

What he did for Barça is probably impossible to quantify and realize. I'm sure if I gave an example many would ask "how is that down to Cruyff?" He just did so much for the club and one can only dream that every signing would have such an impact much less half the impact that he did. For example without Cruyff La Masia isn't what it is today assuming it's around at all. And to think that he could have easily gone to Madrid as they wanted him and Ajax wanted to sell him to Madrid, indeed the deal was already agreed, but Cruyff wanted to go to Barcelona and then some. Barça should never forget everything that Cruyff has taught them over the years.

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Very telling there is nothing of coincidence here.
 
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Alklha

Registered User
Sep 7, 2011
16,875
2,751
As others have said, I think it's impossible to quantify the impact Cruijff had on football, not just Barcelona, over the past half century.

Comparing players across generations is a fruitless task, but I think it's safe to say that the 70's were his decade. As a coach, he was even better. Players with even a passing resemblance to his talent rarely make good coaches, never mind great coaches.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
Guardiola said on Cruyff, “Johan is the most influential person in European football in the last 40 or 50 years there is no single person who has changed the mentality and style of play of two impressive clubs such as Ajax & FC Barcelona such as him. Johan made as massive contribution as a player and manager at both clubs.”

”The current Barcelona team that has dominated European and World football the last 15 years cannot be separated by the arrival of Johan Cruyff.

“Would we be able to understand the current Barcelona style of play without Cruyff? Impossible. Naturally we have players such as Messi , Xavi and Iniesta but they are attached to the idea that Johan Cruyff set up.

”There is nobody who has given so much as a player and a manager Johan changed the mentality of Barcelona and Catalonia and the Spanish league. He helped us to understand the game more.

”Yes we appreciate him for the trophies that he won us and there are also other managers that have won more in their career than him for example me, Capello, Sacchi and Mourinho we become judged on the trophies that we win but for him it is his legacy with his style of play that he set up.

”You come somewhere and introduce an idea and maintain it for 20 years that can only be the work of an absolute genius with a strong idea of where you want to go and even in the bad times to continue to play the same way.

”It is thanks to Johan Cruyff that Barcelona are where they are today also the influence that he had on me in my career as a footballer he was one of the most important people in my life on a professional level.

“He was generous in about thinking of others and dedicating his time to them in terms of his knowledge and opinion. I have been very lucky to have him as my manager and a friend ”.

Interview with Pep, on Cryuff.
 

JaymzB

Registered User
Apr 8, 2003
2,858
127
Toronto
Nice tribute during the Netherlands-France friendly. Stopped the game during the 14th minute, and the crowd have a thunderous applause.

Also seeing talk of Barca renaming Camp Nou to Johan Cruyff stadium.
 

sr edler

gold is not reality
Mar 20, 2010
11,845
6,289
I liked when he called out the Dutch team for their disgraceful tactics after the 2010 WC Finals against Spain.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...diola-exclusive-interview-johan-cruyff-unique

“I would not be able to do what he did. You hear all these people saying, ‘Oh Pep, what a good manager he is.’ Forget about it. Cruyff was the best, by far. Creating something new is the difficult part. To make it and build it and get everyone to follow? Amazing. That’s why, when I was Barcelona manager, I went to see Johan many times. I made especially sure I went a lot in my first year when we won everything, absolutely everything.â€

At the end of that 2008-09 season, when Guardiola was 37 and after he had spent the previous year, his first as a coach, looking after their B team, Barcelona completed the treble of the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the Champions League – beating Manchester United 2-0 in the final. Guardiola’s reputation was sealed during that extraordinary managerial debut but he stresses that: “I always went that season to see Johan to try make him feel how grateful I was to him. Of course I wanted to talk to him about new ideas, but the main feeling I always had when I said goodbye was that he might feel how pleased I am and see how deep my gratitude goes.â€

Great interview.
 

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