Legends of the game part 4: Johan Cruyff part 7
If you want to write articles for this site or already have a football article to send to us, please paste your article or your name and email address into our contact Form
Image from: varzesh11.com
Article part 7 of 10
"Every disadvantage has its advantage." - Johan Cruyff
It was now time for the return of the not-quite conquering hero to return to Europe, playing three friendlies for FC Dordrecht in January 1981, before finding out that the Diplomats were no more. Offers were not slow in arriving, Leicester City manager Jock Wallace spending three weeks trying to set up a deal to sign Cruyff. Despite Cruyff expressing a desire to play for the Foxes, no deal could be agreed and he ended up joining Spanish 2nd Division team Levante. His spell at Levante was short-lived and marred by injuries and disagreements with the club and ended after just 10 games.
In May 1981 he appeared as a guest in a tournament for AC Milan, but injury scuppered his chances of any long term deal with the Italian giants. Former club Ajax stepped in with an offer and he returned to the club, winning the Eredivisie in the 81-82 season and the league and cup double (again) in 82-83. He also scored one of the most memorable goals of all time against Helmond Sport in 1982. Lining up to take a penalty, Cruyff nudged the ball to the side, instead of shooting, where Jesper Olsen ran onto it and knocked it back to Cruyff to slot it home. Everyone was caught unawares by the move, including the referee, who had to ask Johan if it was legal!
Despite the two titles in a row, Ajax decided not to offer him a contract at the end of the season, leading him, in a fit of pique, to sign for bitter rivals Feyenoord. In Rotterdam, where Feyenoord are based, he lined up alongside a young Ruud Gullit and claimed another Eredivisie and KNVB Cup double, as well as his 5th Dutch Footballer of the Year award. It was Feyenoord's first Eredivisie title in 10 years. It was to be Cruyff's last title as a player as he retired at the end of the season, his final match was versus PEC Zwolle on 13th May 1984.
This time there was to be no money issues to reverse the decision, partially helped by the fact that his Feyenoord deal paid him a guilder for every spectator that attended over and above the average gate from the previous season. It was time for Cruyff to look at coaching: "I wanted to get my coaching badges after retiring, and I asked to take the exam, but they told me I needed to study for four years. I told them they were crazy. Who is going to study for four years? How is someone going to teach me technical things when I know more than they do?"
"Choose the best player for every position and you'll end up not with a strong eleven, but with elevens strong ones." - Johan Cruyff
Cruyff took charge at Ajax in 1985 and led them to second in the Eredivisie behind a Jan Reker's led PSV Eindhoven, despite a goal difference of +85, 120 goals scored and 35 conceded. They did win the KNVB Cup and then retained it the following season, along with lifting the UEFA Cup Winners Cup, but it was more about the football played, which was glorious at times. So good were they to watch that Cruyff was awarded the World Soccer Awards Manager of the Year for 1987, but it was nothing compared to what was to come, as once more Barcelona beckoned for the Dutchman.
What changed everything was the 28th of April 1988 as twenty one Barca players and head coach Luis Aragones gathered in the Hesperia Hotel to speak to the press. At 7pm club captain Alexanko read out a prepared statement: "President Josep Lluis Nunez has deceived us as people and humiliated us as professionals. In conclusion, although this request is usually the preserve of the club's members, the squad suggest the immediate resignation of the president." The club was once again at war with itself over money. Barca had won just 2 league titles in 28 years, they were in debt as well as in crisis. Results, performances and atmosphere were all terrible and attendances were down.
What had caused this latest crisis was the Spanish treasury who had investigated every Barcelona contract believing tax was owed because each squad member must have separate playing and image rights deals, which none had been given. Barca told the players that any difference owed to the taxman would be down to them to pay, which led to what later became known as 'The Hesperia Mutiny'. Luis Aragones was to leave at the end of the season, suffering from depression and Nunez was on the verge of losing his presidency, so he played his trump card. On the 4th May 1988 Johan Cruyff was duly announced as the new Barcelona coach.
Written by Ed001