JackanorySFC Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 “I played under great coaches like Guus Hiddink and Rinus Michels, but Cruyff shades it for me. An inspirational figure, he always wanted something more from his teams – for him, it wasn’t enough just to win; success had to be achieved in a manner that would be remembered and discussed for years” - Ronald Koeman Anyone on here lucky enough to see him play? I grew up watching his Barca side (including our own RK) play football exactly the way it should be played, an absolute joy. I can't think of a European player better/ more influential than him (as a player and as a manager)? Eusebio, Ronaldo, Best, Charlton, Baresi, Puskas etc one of those maybe close? RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pass the Dutchie Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 "Deeply saddened by the death of my best coach and good friend. Thanks for everything. Forever in our heart." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pass the Dutchie Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 I only saw Cruijf play in a benefit game in 1999, alongside old players like Ruud Krol, Johan Neeskens, Piet Keizer and Marco van Basten, but sadly never in his actual days as a player. He's an absolute legend in the Netherlands, and his death comes as a real shock today, even though we knew he was sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaMarlin Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 The best player I have seen in my lifetime. Never mind Pele, Maradona, Messi or Ronaldo, Cruyff the player most able to take your breath away. He glided over the pitch, made everything look so effortless and nobody could hurdle tackles like him - and he needed to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadoldgit Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 The three best players I have ever watched are Pele, Cruyff and Maradona. He was pure class and how Holland never won the WC in his era is a mystery. For a time they were just sublime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shance Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 He's one of the all time best and the best European ever. Rip Cruyff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eurosaint Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 Not only saw him play (awesome) but actually met him (just shook his hand) and he came across a lovely fella ! RIP Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Luke Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 Saw him and his Netherlands team take England apart at Wembley around 1976. Cruyff, Johnnoy Rep, Neeskens etc. My first ever England game - school trip. They did them a lot then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackanorySFC Posted 24 March, 2016 Author Share Posted 24 March, 2016 Cryuff passing away must be similar in the Netherlands to a national treasure I'm sure? Personally I've never known a sporting team as well revered for being the "best team never to have won the" as the Dutch side of the 70's. They set new standards, did things the right way and refused to compromise, even if that meant they didn't win. A lesson to the current "win at all costs" attitude that money has ingrained into football. When Big Sam says "fans only care about winning" I look at the teams Cryuff was part of, managed and influenced and thank **** that there is more to our sport than winning at all costs. We pay to be entertained, Cryuff did that and was an influence on a whole generation to do the same, fair ****ing play mush. His comments on the Bert van Marwijk were refreshingly non partisan after the 2010 WC: "This ugly, vulgar, hard, hermetic, hardly eye-catching, hardly football style... If with this they got satisfaction, fine, but they lost." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulwantsapint Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 The man who left his old mate Alan Ball a gift in a hotel lobby call Ronnie Ekelund Rip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toomer Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 They have just shown some clips of Cruyff on the news which ended with one of Ronald Koeman's trademark free kicks whilst playing for Holland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey_saint Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ac3S5jtG4 Definitely something no saints fan that was about then will ever forget. Two football geniuses probably having a kick about up in heaven right now. RIP Bally and Cryuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 I remember watching the Dutch 1974 World Cup side (albeit only on TV) but they were the most skilfull side I recall watching in a World Cup playing 'total football' and Cruyff the absolute maestro at the helm. Brazil in 1970 won many admirers but the Dutch in 1974 seemed more entertaining to me. Cruyff always came across well when interviewed as a decent man as well. A great loss from the football world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonist Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 Cryuff passing away must be similar in the Netherlands to a national treasure I'm sure? or any other nicholas cage film for the last 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuncanRG Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 It's interesting that he was rarely mentioned among the best of all time until today. I'm too young to have seen him or recognise the context of the trail he blazed, given so much of modern football follows and has developed it. Did Pele or Maradona have the same influence on how the game is played? Will Messi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Chalet Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-ac3S5jtG4 Definitely something no saints fan that was about then will ever forget. Two football geniuses probably having a kick about up in heaven right now. RIP Bally and Cryuff. Always loved that story, didn't know there was a video. RIP legends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 It's interesting that he was rarely mentioned among the best of all time until today. I'm too young to have seen him or recognise the context of the trail he blazed, given so much of modern football follows and has developed it. Did Pele or Maradona have the same influence on how the game is played? Will Messi? He was always named third best behind Pele and Maradona when I was a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnersaint Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 He was always named third best behind Pele and Maradona when I was a kid. A true artist right up there with those two. Make no bones about it. Only one missing from that group was probably the Best that these islands will ever produce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The9 Posted 24 March, 2016 Share Posted 24 March, 2016 A true artist right up there with those two. Make no bones about it. Only one missing from that group was probably the Best that these islands will ever produce. I'd add Zidane, Platini, Messi and Ronaldo now, but at the time they were the ones people talked about - I was too late for Cruyff really, but he was still recent, whereas no-one was talking about Di Stefano, Eusebio etc in the 80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van Hanegem Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Cryuff passing away must be similar in the Netherlands to a national treasure I'm sure? Personally I've never known a sporting team as well revered for being the "best team never to have won the" as the Dutch side of the 70's. They set new standards, did things the right way and refused to compromise, even if that meant they didn't win. A lesson to the current "win at all costs" attitude that money has ingrained into football. When Big Sam says "fans only care about winning" I look at the teams Cryuff was part of, managed and influenced and thank **** that there is more to our sport than winning at all costs. We pay to be entertained, Cryuff did that and was an influence on a whole generation to do the same, fair ****ing play mush. His comments on the Bert van Marwijk were refreshingly non partisan after the 2010 WC: Though being a Feyenoord fan (hence my nick) I can only admit that Cruyff was the best player I've ever seen on a pitch. True: Messi, Maradona, Best, Pele, Di Stefano and so on are at the same level when it comes to skills (and in some ways even better) but Cruyff added much more than just scoring goals, technical skills etc. He directed the whole team wether it was Ajax, Barcelona or the Dutch National team he was playing for. He was the man with the ideas and the creativity on and off the pitch, deciding which player should play in which position and doing so he changed the way the game was played. There has never been a player as complete as Cruyff was and I doubt there will ever be another one like him. He played his last season for Feyenoord, the arch rivals of his so beloved Ajax. Why? Just to take revenge at the idiots at Ajax who told him he was too old instead of letting the decision to quit to himself. Cruyff made Feyenoord the champions and cup winners in his last year when he was already 36 and way past his best years. See him play here next to a young Ruud Gullit and enjoy his still phenomenal passing skills... [video=youtube;T3-_Z4Rolx4] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alehouseboys Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 There has never been a player as complete as Cruyff was and I doubt there will ever be another one like him. He was a fantastic player, as was that Dutch side in the mid 70s. Despite England painfully missing out, I loved the 1974 World Cup, Boland with the likes of Cruyff, Neeskens, Krol, Rep et al...not forgetting the wonderfully named 'van de Kerkhof' brothers, particularly Willy! Great memories.RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alehouseboys Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 "Boland" *Holland* - f**kin predictive text! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david in sweden Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 . [video=youtube;T3-_Z4Rolx4] and this was only in his LAST season. Only saw him play in televised matches, but was always impressed by the range of his individual skills. Probably the best all-round player I've ever seen. The concept of Academies was almost unknown at that time in England, when the average player didn't debut until he was 20 and teenage players were rare. I remember being shocked to hear a commentator saying that Cruyff had been at Ajax ....since he was 12, (which sounded shocking at the time). He still looked like a skinny kid - even when he was well into his twenties, but ranked as a world-class player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalek2003 Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Cruyff was genuinely ahead of his time. A sublime footballer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolution saint Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 As a player Cruyff was outstanding, such an entertainer, and brilliant to watch. Impossible to put the greats in any kind of order but he's certainly right up there. When you consider his contribution to football as both player and manager then he stands out even more - his philosophy on the game and the way he made his mark on it must be unrivalled? Funny thing is that looking at those clips made me really glad we had MLT. I'm not saying MLT was quite as good as Cruyff but he did similar things and wasn't far off that standard - makes you cherish those memories and really appreciate the truly great players. Anyway, RIP Cruyff, thanks for the memories and thanks for your influence - still felt today and all the better for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Remember watching this on telly. Ronald belted in a winner https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_European_Cup_Final awesome players and manager on show here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pass the Dutchie Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 It's interesting that he was rarely mentioned among the best of all time until today. I'm too young to have seen him or recognise the context of the trail he blazed, given so much of modern football follows and has developed it. Did Pele or Maradona have the same influence on how the game is played? Will Messi? Reading all the pieces in the newspapers yesterday, all seem to agree that he was among the best players of the world, but that, unlike for example Pele or Maradona, he actually had a huge influence on the game besides just being a spectacular player to watch. Most great players entertain, stop, and stop being important. His legacy lives on. His philosophy (and especially his work as a coach with Barcelona) had a huge impact on modern football, and that's why he's still held in such high esteem by many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambosa75 Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Don't doubt he was a great player but leave off with the comparisons with Messi and C. Ronaldo. They have raised the bar so far with regard to professionalism, consistency and performance that nobody in history can hold a candle to them. Show me anyone with career figures (goals and assists to games ratio) that compares favourably whilst consistently playing in top divisions and we might be able to have a conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyboy Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Don't doubt he was a great player but leave off with the comparisons with Messi and C. Ronaldo. They have raised the bar so far with regard to professionalism, consistency and performance that nobody in history can hold a candle to them. Show me anyone with career figures (goals and assists to games ratio) that compares favourably whilst consistently playing in top divisions and we might be able to have a conversation. Well done [emoji849] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambosa75 Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Well done [emoji849] RIP though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dangermouth Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 I like his balance, quick feet and even quicker brain. We should have more players like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dronskisaint Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Like MLT I feel privileged to have been around to see him play - RIP Dutch Maestro - thanks for the legacy we are now still enjoying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADutchSaint Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 Don't doubt he was a great player but leave off with the comparisons with Messi and C. Ronaldo. They have raised the bar so far with regard to professionalism, consistency and performance that nobody in history can hold a candle to them. Show me anyone with career figures (goals and assists to games ratio) that compares favourably whilst consistently playing in top divisions and we might be able to have a conversation. Total different times. You cant compare figures, **** even the players itself from now and the 70's/80's. The Messi's and Ronaldo's from this world have a long way to go before they reach the legacy a Cruijff leaves behind. Messi for example already said it himself, without Cruijff, Barcelona wouldnt be the club it nowadays is without him. Not to mention all the things he has done outside of football with his foundation and institutes. You have too look further then just career figures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockportsaint Posted 25 March, 2016 Share Posted 25 March, 2016 "There is only one ball, so you need to have it." The philosophy that inspires Allardyce & Pulis. A sad day. 1974 World Cup final is the earliest match I remember, so a bit too young to really appreciate his genius except from retrospective highlights, but his work at Barca speaks for itself. More Pulis-inspiring quotes here http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2015/02/25-johan-cruyff-quotes.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van Hanegem Posted 28 March, 2016 Share Posted 28 March, 2016 Total different times. You cant compare figures, **** even the players itself from now and the 70's/80's. The Messi's and Ronaldo's from this world have a long way to go before they reach the legacy a Cruijff leaves behind. Messi for example already said it himself, without Cruijff, Barcelona wouldnt be the club it nowadays is without him. Not to mention all the things he has done outside of football with his foundation and institutes. You have too look further then just career figures. Indeed, you have to look further and then you can conclude that Cruyff changed the game. Not only in the seventees as a player for the orange squad, Ajax and Barcelona but later on as a coach also. Besides, Messi and Ronaldo are fantastic players and a joy to watch but put them in a mediocre team and I believe their star won't shine so bright anymore like it doesn't when they play for their national teams. Cruyff was capable to make any team competitive and not just by being a player who made the difference on the pitch (like Maradona did with Naples and Argentina) but by coaching his teammates on and off the pitch and adjusting the tactics during the game. This is what Koeman said last year in may when things turned ut well for him at Southampton: "I've had some great years with Rinus Michels as a manager but Cruyff was the coach in my career, he was the most influential person for me. The fact that I got the chance to be part of his Dream Team is without doubt the very height of my career as a player. Not just the successes but also the beautiful way we played: Cruyff made it all possible..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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