Johan Cruyff - The Legend Discussion

[SirBalon]

I thought the thread already existed ( @Panna King ) after the legend's passing away. But no matter what search I have tried to execute, I haven't managed to achieve any results. Maybe it was on the previous forum most of us were a part of.

Anyway... I've decided to create one here and those that find any relevance on anything concerning Cruyff and football can post it here.

 

[carefreeluke]

A snippet I really liked from his recent book where he explains some of the reasons why Dutch football had declined.

 

 

 

 

Quote

Players were also suffering from a lack of individually tailored training, not only at Ajax but also at other clubs, which explains why a lot of Dutch footballers find themselves in difficulties as soon as the plan breaks down and they’re thrown back on their own resources. You see that not just in the first eleven, but also in the youth teams below them, although in the youth team it doesn’t surface so quickly because the play at that level is slower. It’s a different story at the top. Once an opponent finds their weak spot, a lot of players haven’t a clue what to do and they get found out quickly. That was one of the reasons why neither Ajax nor Holland had been at the top of European football for so long.

 

[Azeem]

" A sack of money can't win you games "

" Every disadvantage has it's advantages "

You can do a lot of tricks with a ball, you can go and work in the circus then but football is about passing the ball at the right time at the right place to your teammate on his strong foot (or something like that )

[carefreeluke]

[SirBalon]

54 minutes ago, carefreeluke said:

Jordi Cruyff has said on a number of occasions that there were times where he was jealous of Guardiola because aside from the amount of time they'd spend together at training and everything professional, Pep would then be brought to the house and even on family holidays (this when Pep was young). Johan said many times that Guardiola was like another son...

Pep Guardiola is the closest living encyclopaedic parallel to Johan Cruyff. There is. Total symmetry to the philosophy they believed in, the one they preach/preached and looked/look to evovle.

Johan always said that the total football he believed in wasn't a stand-alone philosophy, it was ever evolving so as to combat negative football and the search to win.

[The Artful Dodger]

Wonderful player, quite an arrogant and commercially minded man if his dull as dishwater book is anything to go by. 

[CaaC (John)+]

I have always said the 3 greatest players in my time to watch were...

1. Pelé
2. Johan Cruyff 
3. Georgie Best

I can just imagine the 3 of them in a team together, it would be total bliss and total football. 

[Smiley Culture]

Don’t like him. I bought his autobiography in audiobook form and while there is no doubting he was a great player, he come across as an arsehole who was never wrong, blamed everyone else and was just better than everyone else. 

[Vegan Kel]

I've always thought he came across as an arrogant wanker. Loved how Milan battered his supposed 'Dream Team' Barca side with about 5 first team players missing too.

 

[Cicero]

I’m inclined do disagree, for the fact I truly agree with almost everything he says. Especially on what makes a player ‘technical’. 

[ScoRoss]