Johan Cruyff 1947-2016

Before sailing home on a unsinkable sink

I can't remember ever seeing him play so I'm no getting too misty eyed about it. Terrible shame for those that knew him of course.

Originally Posted by Baron

Big JC was the %@#$&!s & the single most important person in football ever in my opinion. A wonderful player, & a free thinker.

Nqat.

What a legacy to leave

Originally Posted by dodger

I can't remember ever seeing him play so I'm no getting too misty eyed about it. Terrible shame for those that knew him of course.

I can, just about; the 1974 WC is perhaps the first major football thing I recall properly - was gutted when Holland lost

Can also recall Pele playing come to that (in the US admittedly, not "proper" football)

https://twitter.com/bondvigilantes/s...37110115241984


A fitting tribute to the man I'm sure you will all agree.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

I can, just about; the 1974 WC is perhaps the first major football thing I recall properly - was gutted when Holland lost

Can also recall Pele playing come to that (in the US admittedly, not "proper" football)

How old are you Riccers? Just as a point of reference? A mate of mine has described him as a childhood hero which sounds like revisionist %@#$&!s to me.

Originally Posted by dodger

How old are you Riccers? Just as a point of reference? A mate of mine has described him as a childhood hero which sounds like revisionist balls to me.

when i was a kid i had cruyff stuff out of cereal packets. there was a sticker that i stuck on the pantry door, and there was one of them ones that moves when you wobble it of him doing the cruyff - think it was out of shredded wheat

Originally Posted by dodger

How old are you Riccers? Just as a point of reference? A mate of mine has described him as a childhood hero which sounds like revisionist %@#$&!s to me.

Born in 1966 - thought you were about the same?

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Born in 1966 - thought you were about the same?

1966 was a great year for English chess

Originally Posted by dodger

How old are you Riccers? Just as a point of reference? A mate of mine has described him as a childhood hero which sounds like revisionist %@#$&!s to me.

Doesn't take much to be a childhood hero though does it? He retired before I was even born and I grew up doing his skills, fully aware of where they came from etc

Popped his clogs

LvG didn't get on with him did he? Certainly his somewhat perfunctory tribute suggests as much

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

LvG didn't get on with him did he? Certainly his somewhat perfunctory tribute suggests as much

Do any eccentric Dutchmen get along?

They had footballing disputes, but when LvG took over Ajax intent on inplementing his own vision, he was always going to bump heads with the Big Man

Wasn't there sone story about LVG leaving a dinner party at Cruyff's house early because his wife was ill and Cruyff never forgiving him?
Or am I getting mixed up with a 1989 episode of Neighbours?

Originally Posted by Zorg

Wasn't there sone story about LVG leaving a dinner party at Cruyff's house early because his wife was ill and Cruyff never forgiving him?
Or am I getting mixed up with a 1989 episode of Neighbours?

LVG was having dinner at Cruyffs and got a phone call telling him his sister had died, so left the dinner party. Cruyff took offence at this.. Mad moody bastard..

Originally Posted by ziggyman17

LVG was having dinner at Cruyffs and got a phone call telling him his sister had died, so left the dinner party. Cruyff took offence at this.. Mad moody bastard..

Or at least, LvG said that Cruyff took offence to it. £#%&! knows with these lads. They don't need much of an excuse to dislike each other. Of course when Van Gaal took over Ajax they initially resented him for not being Cruyff.

One world is not enough for two such overpowering ego's to co-exist without friction.

RIP

Loved that Dutch team 74-78 and rooted for them both tournaments

Since then they've always been a sort of second international team for me

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

LvG didn't get on with him did he? Certainly his somewhat perfunctory tribute suggests as much

Bit harsh btw pal:

On hearing today's news, United manager Louis van Gaal told ManUtd.com: "It is a very sad day for the footballing world, to lose one of the true legends of the game. My thoughts are with Johan's family at this difficult time."

Originally Posted by Tiberian

One world is not enough for two such overpowering ego's to co-exist without friction.

Especially treading the same Ajax-Barca paths in the '90s

When LvG was at Barca he couldn't exactly count on Cruyff's public support

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Bit harsh btw pal:

On hearing today's news, United manager Louis van Gaal told ManUtd.com: "It is a very sad day for the footballing world, to lose one of the true legends of the game. My thoughts are with Johan's family at this difficult time."



Especially treading the same Ajax-Barca paths in the '90s

When LvG was at Barca he couldn't exactly count on Cruyff's public support

The Dutch, their excessive mardiness is really part of the charm.

There was a piece on here recently about their different approaches, both influenced strongly by Michels, but while LVG interpreted it in a very systematic way, Cruyff was more about individuality and expression. The latter is much easier to love of course, no doubt contributes to the chip on the shoulder