Defining Cruyff is not easy but there are some objective facts to assist: three times European Champion, three times Ballon d’Or winner, voted Europe’s Player of the Century in 1999, and third place in the World’s Player of the Century at the same time.
On the field, the most damming criticism of him is that he wasn’t Pele or Maradona, both of whom won World Cups, but neither changed the direction of travel in the game as Cruyff did. Pele’s Brazil seemed out of sight as they strutted their stuff at the 1970 World Cup. By 1974 the Dutch, with Cruyff pulling all the strings, had tactically moved the game on a generation. It would be decades before Brazil won the tournament again.
The Dutch know all this and, rightly, place Johan at the pinnacle of the game, but there was more going on in the Netherlands at the time. Feyenoord beat Cruyff and Ajax to the European Cup by 12 months as a generation of players matured together.
While the Netherlands took hosts Argentina to extra time in the 1978 World Cup final, Cruyff was watching on TV. Of course they would have won had he played, but that they came so close without him is a testament to the rest of his Dutch generation, forever in his shadow, but great nonetheless.
So would the Dutch revolution have happened without him? Something would have happened, Luxemburg would not have beaten the Netherlands in the 1970s, as they did in the 60s, but it would have been a revolution you might not have noticed. Ajax’ European Cup adventures may have ended with the 1-3 home defeat to Benfica in the 1969 quarter final. Feyenoord may not have edged extra time in the final the following season.
Allied to his skill, speed and strength, Cruyff opened the eyes of all who played with and against him. After Cruyff, opponents knew the old rules didn’t apply anymore.
Yesterday’s story in the Guardian, citing “sources at a major Premier League club” would signal the end of the last pretence of meritocracy in football, where the most wealthy will only play each other in European competition.
Resist of wither like Miss Havisham.
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Sipsini
I caught 10 minutes of the West Ham game at the end of the first half. Three things I noted:-
1) Di Canio still had a football brain and a pass that can make things happen
2) Christian Dailly tried to join in the exhibition football of tricks and flicks, and fell on his arse- would be great to see a clip again.
3) Unfortunately, Carlton Cole, a current player in the All Stars ranks looked like he had been retired longer than anyone. 2 years ago, the boy could play (6 goals in 26 appearances for West Ham, most as sub). Today he looked like he had no touch and no fitness at all.
just talking to my pal there re Jarob in the Irish National
The horse will run but the ground is not ideal and they would have preferred drier good ground
their other horse Futuramic will cope better with the ground but hasnt got the same speed as Jarob
I have already backed Jarob last week so will have a small each way on Futuramic also
best of luck
This Little Bird fallen out of its nest
Lawell doesn’t give a flying fig about celtic And it’s supporters. .. only the plc and it’s business
Glasgow celtic are dead … much like glasgow rangers
Only the sharp suits remain. .
Petec
George Bowie is a poor mans Joe Deacon
Sipsini
Watching TB’s team was a pleasure, Ronny will be remembered much the same when he gets us to 10
Tbj
I know you don’t believe that, Mr Lawell is doing what his paymaster wants, I will do the same tomorrow, principles don’t pay the mortgage (or heat the driveway) by the way I don’t drive and live 1 up in a block of flats in case you think my driveway is heated
If Celtic keep winning titles I will go to work happy
SIPSINI
If thats true…that PL supported Dave King as fit and proper.
He will surely regret that.
Not the kind of people Celtic should be associated with…in any way.
This whole thing stinks like rotting fish.
PL im afraid….has a lot to answer for, and his credibility is rapidly decreasing.
This wont end well…thats for sure.
HH
Ah another Easter another season. Whats the latest on Resurrection 12?
Margaret McGill
Hows it going, hope you are well.
Check out that character JJ’s latest..scroll back a bit.
What do you think?
HH
Oh well, you know you’re getting old when your son gets home on a Sunday afternoon and tells you he was in the savoy last night!
He said it it was full of woman my age?
Cheeky bassa.:)
sipsini on 28th March 2016 4:11 pm
Oh well, you know you’re getting old when your son gets home on a Sunday afternoon and tells you he was in the savoy last night!
He said it it was full of woman my age?
Cheeky bassa.:)
……………………………….
The Truth hurts ;))
Gerry
The corruption stinks like rotten fish …. and celtic are part of that corruption
What do the sfa have on celtic that prevents them from demanding justice … title stripping … sfa heads to fall … gasl and Murray to be barred from the game .
Skeletons the plc do not want revealed
The old firm. .. two cheeks of the same arse
Margaret McGill on 28th March 2016 4:06 pm
Ah another Easter another season. Whats the latest on Resurrection 12?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
I’m wondering as well.
FIFA/UEFA exposed.
whats going down town?
The Savoy on a Sunday bank holiday weekend….canny beat it
Best ever (obviously still single) …. Got a wee lumber in The Savoy and the lassie was quite tidy, she then said “you are about 10 rows behind me”…….it was during the close season, season ticket holder at paradise, never met her again
SIPSINI
It is hard to believe that comes from a Rangers supporter. If so he has a higher moral character than 45% of Celtic supporters.
If the citing that Lawwell approved King as fit and proper that…that…that…surely must be the final nail in the coffin of any pretense that the board are in it for anything but themselves. No Celtic supporter would do that. Now if its some business acumen that PL did that because he had some far flung vision that “them” would implode because King was at the helm then thats not his PL’s MO. More like he’s hedging Old Firm bets.
Amazing.
Can you provide the link please?
Petec…
I’m a jealous bassa :))
The Gymnastics are immense.
At least everyone knows the game is FIXED now.
Mags just google johnjamessite.
I’m not sure what side of the fence he sits on but the hunmedia had a thread on him disclosing he was a Tim.
To be honest from reading his blog, my take is he has a point to prove on king.
sipsini on 28th March 2016 4:20 pm
Petec…
I’m a jealous bassa :))
………………………………………………
That is the last thing you are.
Margaret McGill.
Mags, I will be sorry to see you leave the blog after 31st March.
I hope everything works out for you in the new chapter in your life.
TBJ
no trust in the plc…..
No arguement from me, no Celtic fan should ever trust any board, they will never be normal fans because their jobs depend on not having our emotions, Corkcelt & Lennybhoy have both more or less said what I think……… We have always been cheated but doesn’t change our love of the team, challenge the cheats by all means
By the way for others who might use the term of back if the bus, away and gie me peace, that term should only be attributed to the people who actually did…..pretty poor analogy when it comes to football
Sipsini.
I read a lot of the John James stuff.
No doubt in my mind he is a hun.
Some of the stuff he says a Celtic fan would never say, even at the wind up.
McMurdo was /is a good friend of his and J.J. was upset when McMurdo gave him his character on RSL. I don’t think McMurdo would say he knew him and attended games with him if it wasn’t so.
Gerry…
I know who you meen :))
MORAVCIK on 28TH MARCH 2016 3:38 PM
Good article from John James today, but in this blog he states that our CEO Peter Lawell voted with Regan, Doncaster and Ogilvie to pass Dave King as fit and proper.
Can anyone on here confirm this ?
If this is true the game is up, our club will continue with the embarrassing silence with regard to the cheating and corruption in our game.
The cheating must be addressed.
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/resist-of-wither-like-miss-havisham/comment-page-40/#comments
========
In the absence of knowing if it’s true the question is why would PL expose himself to such a charge?
If it was a majority vote but PL still wanted DK in then he had no need to show support by voting for. All he had to do was to vote against to keep himself from the exposure JJ is trying to open up. It makes no sense to me that a guy who is reputed to be smart would expose himself to such a claim.
Perhaps JJ senses the strength of feeling being generated against PL and is giving it a wee push for his own ends?
Perhaps Res 12 is being hi jacked by those who have grudges against the man and let those grudges affect their thinking?
Res12 is only about SFA accountability not PL’S. If in the fullness of time it can be demonstrated he has made misjudgment he is accountable to shareholders.
Until then can we focus on the SFA to establish what part if any they have played in killing Scottish football?
It would be unforgiveable if in placing our focus in the wrong place we won a personal skirmish but lost the war.
All in my opinion of course.
We are 28 months into Res12, what’s another couple now the support are more aware of the issues?
Jimmynotpaul…
A lot of huns have no time as he speaks the truth, to me, he says it as he sees it.
Just like on here some are castigated for speaking their mind, some I agree with some I don’t. HH
Jiri Ceiver
Christ Resurrected.
Auldheid
I appreciate everything you and others are doing, I like Peter Lawell the chief executive and understand why he does what he does …….. I think he should stand up more for the rank and file Celtic supporters who follow our team everywhere
in your opinion do you think PL is good for Celtic ?
Auldheid
Isn’t PL an SFA Board member?
Shouldnt PL be accountable in his SFA role as Res 12 is targeted at the SFA?
I think we all need clarification on how the Chief Executive of Celtic PLC in his auxiliary role as:
“Lawwell, the nominee of the professional game board, joins the four SFA office bearers: chief executive Stewart Regan, president Campbell Ogilvie, vice-president Alan McRae, and second vice-president Rod Petrie, on the board along with Barrie Jackson, the independent non-executive director.”
voted on the SFA’s fit and proper judgement.
I’m sure Paul67 could nip this in the bud immediately??
Why wouldn’t PL vote for Dave King to be considered fit and proper?
Well if not immediately at least in the next 4 years. (res 12 speed :))
Auldheid…
It is beyond me that TGSL could have been passed as a stand up man by our chairman as he obviously had a say in it.
I admire all the hard work yourself and others have done and hopefully it will come to fruition.
As for johnjames, he might be throwing a grenade in, but by feck, it’s about time someone did.
Quonno
“After a decade of legal process, including an agreed, but vetoed, settlement,King eventually reached an agreement with the South African High Court whereby he pled guilty to 41 criminal counts of contravening the South Africa Income Tax Act and agreed to pay a fine of 80,000 rand per criminal conviction or 3.28 million rand in total. As part of the deal to drop the other 281 criminal charges he faced, King also agreed that he would pay the Criminal Assets Recovery Account of the South African Authorities 8.75 million rand in compensation. King was originally indicted on 322 counts including fraud, tax evasion and evasion of exchange control regulations, as well as money-laundering and racketeering. Judge Brian Southwood said the court had seen King testify for four days and “are unanimous in finding that he is a mendacious witness whose evidence should not be accepted on any issue unless it is support by documents and other objective evidence”. “It was remarkable that King showed no sign of embarrassment or any emotion when he conceded that he had lied to the (Sars) commissioner in a number of his income tax returns. In our assessment, he is a glib and shameless liar.”
PL’s kinda guy??
Sipsini.
I agree. Two stickies in my work hate him. The truth hurts.!!!!!!.
I agree with Auldheid too, in that J.J. is seeing an opportunity to stir the pot further, he does quite a bit of stirring on his blog.
That’s why I said I will miss Mags, dont always agree with him but he calls it the way he sees it and also doesn’t give a damn about the abuse he gets. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, people shouldn’t be so sensitive, I include myself in that,as I wasn’t too enamoured when I was called a fishwife, for relating the story at the start of the season when Johannsen cemented Tierney. After I thought about it, I realised I’ve been called a lot worse on many occasions and its only a blog, which incidentally Paul’s leaders are more and more like reading articles from The Celtic View. Just thought I’d throw that in.
Margaret McGill on 28th March 2016 4:47 pm
Auldheid
Isn’t PL an SFA Board member?
Shouldnt PL be accountable in his SFA role as Res 12 is targeted at the SFA?
I think we all need clarification on how the Chief Executive of Celtic PLC in his auxiliary role as:
“Lawwell, the nominee of the professional game board, joins the four SFA office bearers: chief executive Stewart Regan, president Campbell Ogilvie, vice-president Alan McRae, and second vice-president Rod Petrie, on the board along with Barrie Jackson, the independent non-executive director.”
voted on the SFA’s fit and proper judgement.
I’m sure Paul67 could nip this in the bud immediately??
– See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/resist-of-wither-like-miss-havisham/comment-page-41/#comments
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If we are to get change at the SFA then I can think of no one right now who is in a better position and with the motivation to achieve it than PL. Can you?
Sips
You ARE getting old … when you think bank holiday Monday is actually Sunday afternoon ;)
Just thinking of some of the past events when some of our work colleagues used to fek up by forgetting to put their clocks forward or back . Wee Matt was classic for it as was big Brendan
Auldheid
To say that Peter Lawell voted in favour of Dave King is exactly as it sounds, a malevolent rumour.
I’m willing to rest on that and categorically deny it.
His role at the SFA is minimal and he’s not part of the cabal and who is to say if he was he’d vote in such an obscene way?
A rumour CSC