Legends of the game part 4: Johan Cruyff part 4
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Article part 4 of 10
"In Spain all 22 players make the sign of the cross before a game; if it worked every game would be a tie." - Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff joined Barcelona in 1973 for a world record transfer fee of around $2m, of which his agent (and father-in-law) manage to negotiate a cut of around 25% for his client. Cruyff had threatened to retire unless Ajax sold him, so desperate was he to leave the club and the Spanish FA had to give special dispensation for the move to go through, as the Spanish transfer deadline had passed before the move was complete. By this time the Dutch public were firmly of the belief that Cruyff was just a money grabber, a mercenary looking for a payday, but Cruyff did reject a better offer from Real Madrid saying he could never join a club "associated with Franco."
He later said: "I remember my move to Spain was quite controversial.... The president of Ajax wanted to sell me to Real Madrid.... Barcelone weren't at the same level as Madrid football wise, but it was a challenge to play for a Catalan club. Barcelona was more than a club." Cruyff endeared himself even more to Catalans when his 3rd child was born in Barcelona, as he flew the family back to Holland to name his son after the patron saint of Catalonia, St. Jordi. They had to return to Netherlands to register the name as General Franco had made all symbols of Catalan nationalism illegal.
Cruyff had little need of any gimmicks to get the love of Catalans though, his first season was all he needed as he helped Barcelona to their first league title since 1960. Even more love was generated as they beat Real Madrid 5-0 in the Santiago Bernabeu to spark mass street celebrations in Barcelona, one NY Times journalist commenting that Cruyff had done more for the spirit of Catalan people in 90 minutes than many politicians in years of struggle. Cruyff became the first man to receive three Ballon d'Ors, when he was awarded it in December 1973 and 1974. Though the rest of his time in Spain was not so successful with only a Copa del Rey win in the 1977-78 to show for Cruyff's brilliance on the pitch.
In fact, other than the first season title, Cruyff's time as a player is known for his moments of genius, rather than the team's quality. The moment that probably sums it up is his famous 'Phantom Goal' against Atletico Madrid, where Cruyff leapt into the air, twisting his body to connect with a ball, that had already past the far post, with his right heel. At neck height. Miguel Reina in the Atleti goal could do nothing against a moment of sheer brilliance. Only a genius like Cruyff would have even considered it possible before making it so.
Which made it all the more shocking when Johan Cruyff announced his retirement from playing in 1978, just 31 years old, after 143 appearances and 48 goals for Barca. Looking back now, with the knowledge of the kidnap attempt the previous year, it is understandable that the great man just needed a break. At the time it was a shock of seismic proportions.
"Never in my life have I seen a player like Cruyff rule matches. He was the owner of the show. Much more than his team, the referee or the fans. His grip on what was happening on the field was amazing. He was a player, coach and referee at the same time." - Jorge Valdano
Unfortunately for Cruyff, but fortunately for football, his plans of a quiet retirement were dashed very quickly. He had gone into business with a neighbour of his in Barcelona, Michel Georges Basilevich, a very charming Russian-Frenchman described by Johan's wife Danny as "the most beautiful man in the world." Basilevich was granted control of the Cruyff fortune and burned through it at a vast rate, investing heavily in businesses that failed, in particular a pig farm that lost millions, much to the amusement of the Dutch public, who were utterly convinced by now that Cruyff's sole interest was money.
Cor Coster, Johan's father-in-law and agent, announced that Basilevich was a fraud (as he had suspected all along) and that "Johan has to get back to work." Cruyff himself admitted "I had lost millions in pig farming and that was the reason I decided to become a footballer again." However being Johan Cruyff there were options open to him to step straight back in. Despite the money grabbing image he rejected an offer of $2m to return to Barca. He had decided he wanted to go to the NASL after playing a couple of exhibition games in the USA for New York Cosmos. He wanted to bring football to the States, but he did not want to play for the Cosmos, even though they would offer him the most money.
Unfortunately there was a hitch as the contract signed when he played in those two exhibition games gave Cosmos first option if he changed his mind about retirement. There was a buyout clause of $1m to any team that wanted to take him to the NASL. Franz Beckenbauer had warned him that Cosmos would enforce all their clauses and, if he signed for them, force him to go to all sorts of promotional activities, as they had with him and Pele. Cruyff had made up his mind though, he wanted to be on the other side of the country saying, "Cosmos drew a lot of fans with Pele. Even after he left they drew a lot of fans. So I thought my job should be on this coast."
As so often happened Cruyff got his way and signed for Los Angeles Aztecs, who agreed to pay Cosmos $600k spread over three years to take Johan to the west. With the NASL seen as just a holiday retirement home for Europeans, Cruyff's reputation was even worse back home in Netherlands, but he once again denied it was about money saying: "I'm only doing things I am excited about, and this is what I am excited about." There is reason to believe he was being honest as, not only was Rinus Michels coach of the Aztecs, but his conduct while in the US was almost that of a missionary zealously trying to convert the heathen hordes to his religion - soccer.
Aztecs owner Alan Rothenburg remembers: "Johan had the intensity of the best kind of development worker. He was willing to drive for hours to talk about soccer for 10 minutes on TV for nothing." Cruyff was also happily giving free coaching clinics to local children and doing all the promotional work Beckenbauer had warned him about. All this while Barcelona were busily changing La Masia over to follow the recommendations Cruyff had made. While the general public were of the opinion he was nothing but a mercenary, Johan Cruyff was busily working on producing future generations of football players and fans on two continents!
Written by Ed001