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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Tell you what
I’m aCeltic Fan born and raised mini is a Celtic fan born and raised
PL maybe a Celtic fan born and raised but he has cash in his heart not Celtic
Remember, cheating is a hun tradition….something they are proud about, always have been, heard them crow about it enough.
Those bigots will be rubbing their hands with glee, now that they have the Celtic PLC….looking the other way.
Its an absolute insult to all Celtic fans.
Something that needs to be resisted.
HH
Mags
Am confused….(doesn’t take much) one minute 5.14pm you want to know how many voted ala sleekit then it doesn’t matter….. Roll on Saturday when Ronnypicks are. To beat the jambos
Tricoloured Ribbon on 28th March 2016 10:19 am
Marrakesh,
Ye forgot aboot Alan Hutton..50 caps eh?
*As much as we deride the fact the he managed to acquire 50 caps, he held bader tae ransom when he first tried tae sell him demanding a million before he would leave, which he got I believe.
Also, don’t think he was like a lot of the land that time forgot brethren as I believe his maternal grampa could be seen at last Mass on a Sunday.
TGM
I detest them , their hatred and the fact that our money loving board want their hatred, bigoted scum pound back
But guess what ?
Celtic is only interested in the bigot pound .
The bigot pound which cost the fans years of abuse and the club millions in pounds
Oops
That’s in the past before ole pistol Pete made millions from the same fans who have/are cheated
The vote ?
http://johnjamessite.com/2015/11/11/are-the-sfa-fit-proper/
“A poets dream had sparked that flame
A raging fire it soon became
And from that fire of destiny
Arose a nation proud and free”
I first heard that song on Holy Week at a Clancy Brothers concert up the toon.
I was in my folkie spell at the time, Dylan, Baez, Simon and Garfunkel, well my Columbia Records/Bleeker Street version, when in walked my brother with the “Live at Carnegie Hall” album. It wisnae the Arran sweaters or banjos that grabbed me as much as Tommy Makem when he said “and in Armagh where I was born and raised thanks be to God…”, for this wee bhoy whose paternal grampa came fae south Fermanagh this was heaven sent, shortly after they are scheduled to appear in Glasgow.
Now for all you younger Tims out there this was pre-Tones and other like groups that have followed, the Clancy’s were all we had so “O’Reilly’s Daughter, Maid of Fife and the Leaving of Liverpool” could be tolerated as long as we could hear “Johnston’s Motor Car, Patriot Game and Up The Long Ladder”.
In comes ma da fae work, ‘there’s a bus running up tae see the Clancy’s, want tae go”, “aye aye aye”, and so he gets us tickets. That night me and my Carolina are in a quandary, its Holy Week and we don’t want tae drink, but its theClancy’s FFS, uch it’s only Monday so we’ve got the rest of the week tae abstain, excuses excuses excuses.
So here we are at the Fountain in Alexandria with a bottle of Lanny ready tae board the bus which I believe is being run by the Renton CSC.
Once on the bus all these wee women are chatting tae me. FFS they know and work with my da, so the kerry oot is kept in the pocket for the trip which had stops in Renton and Dumbarton.
Once in the hall we’ll tan it. Awe naw we’re sitting beside the same people on the bus, what is a young teenage Tim tae dae, I know we’ll go tae the lavvy at hauf time and hope for the best.
The intermission arrives and we head off tae the lavvy. Open the door tae be met with ‘there were men from Dublin and from Cork…” it was like the Jungle, saw a plumber fae Hamilton that I worked with up in the holy village of Duntocher, everyone was drinking, singing and dancing, this was a great time to be a Tim, Tommy sang that night “and from that fire of destiny arose a nation proud and free” and from the fire of a Burnbank miner a team was arising proud and free.
Mibbees no that season as a result of out and out cheating by a ref who proclaimed he didnae gives us the tie winning goal as he was intimidated by the crowd, or a big blooter by a player who was getting the sugar lump at the end of that season but would become a cult hero by bigots in blue, “kai yai yippee the pope’s an effin hippy” they would sing, that is until he missed a cup winning penalty 16 months later.
I still have the Freedom’s Sons” album in the basement along with the “Carnegie Hall, First Hurrah, Live in the Ulster Hall and Isn’t It Grand Boys” ones.
more
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3093620/Did-Scottish-FA-break-rules-process-granting-new-Rangers-chairman-Dave-King-fit-proper-status.html
Not been on checking out football past week but caught 2 minutes of total guff there on Clyde
Basically whole top league suffering not having bigots in league whereas all lower leagues have enjoyed a renaissance due to blue pound.
The whole myth will be known for evermore as fact in this country, Davie Hay was correct in 1986 and TBH things have got a whole lot worse,
2 minutes of that shite on Clyde is enough for a life time, the baw is well and truly burst in this rancid country.
BT
Its a brave man who will betray Celtic supporters
PL must have taken leave of his senses.
The PLC are not concerned how many Celtic supporters get injured in sectarian attacks…shame on them.
They are deluded if they think this will be accepted…it wont.
Feck their putrid old firm bigot pound.
HH
By the way Shug Keevins stated on Saturday that the Hibees are losing £900k a season and can’t afford not get promoted…….. No mention of Sevcos accounts ?
Gerryfaethebrig on 28th March 2016 6:20 pm
No. i want it confirmed whether PL voted King fit and proper in his SFA role? Simples.
Paul’s article refers too.
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/whitewashing-in-the-age-of-judicial-reviews-fans-united-were-gonna-do-it-anyway/comment-page-3/
BT
Its true PL is a multimillionaire due to his involvement with us. DD is a multi billionaire and he calls the shots. PL is merely a cats paw. DD has publicly expressed his position re Sevco we need them back says he
PL doesnt have a say
Having read johnjames for months, I’m convinced he is a Tim.
Re revelations that PL voted for King to pass fit & proper test, I would suspend judgement until we have confirmation. It’s funny that the vote took place months ago, no journalist or insider broke this story. Now a blogger who is a bit of a wind up merchant says it’s so and everyone takes it as gospel.
I would have thought even if PL wanted King in place, he would be clever enough to at least abstain knowing the vote was a foregone conclusion. PL may be many things but a fool he is not.
There are many here who get off on righteous rage and they are only too ready to believe any tit bit that suits their agenda.
Whether he did vote for King or he didn’t my mantra is the same. I’m bloody sure Kieran Tierney or Scott Brown didn’t vote for King. They are the lads that mean something to me, they and their team mates are the Bhoys I support.
F*ck the Board but support the team.
Thoroughly enjoyed my wee Dublin trip
Tell ye Erin Go Bragh were good last night :-))
Now back to the real world so, FTSFA and games they arrange/organise etc
Pity more of our fans don’t think the same, instead some want to fly into this country to welcome a new team as our opposition – no nae never
TBM
It’s Easter and we have judas
PL imho has sold his soul for the bigot pound, a job in sfa and UEFA
Would he be there without us and will he be there when no longer at us?
The question is does he do it for Celtic or himself
He has been well paid for being my employee because as a minor fan and shareholder he is accountable to us
The Lord shall decide his fate(sorry Petec )
Celtic are a source of many memories for me.
One of my earliest memories was being unable to watch the final few moments in 67 and going outside on my lonesome to play kerbie that was ended by a mass of people flooding the streets in absolute ecstasy.
We had beaten the odds and thats what supporting Celtic meant to me.
I always new that for my team to win required a unifying spirit to unite against the many people who opposed us.
The thought that our own board may have colluded with those same people is heartbreaking.
Oh
And a very very Hooooopy 18th Birthday to miss WHiTS :-)))
If John James is stating Lawwell voted for the GASL then he is contradicting himself.
Jerry
I’m sick fed up of this about pl being a puppet
Is he a puppet ?
Peter Lawwell supported King’s coronation as Heid Hun?
And people are greetin’-faced about it?
Jesus wept.
If that’s Kosher, I’m impressed; I was DELIGHTED King got the Verminous Tramps gig – he’s a shyster and a conman.
Just look at the state of them a year down the line – they’re a corporate shambles, no credit line, no NOMAD (LOL at that ambition), limping along on handouts from gullible moneyed Huns, with a turnover a third of ours and operational debts to eclipse us.
If PL gave the nod to King it would have been in full knowledge of his enemy’s comical capabilities as a straw man – unless of course you consider the Celtic CEO dumber than yer dug, in which case why haven’t you gotten the call from Desmond to take over?
PL makes a lot of PR gaffs, and some questionable decisions regarding the deployment of our power in Scottish Football, but to gripe becasue he helped facilitate King getting the Zombies instead of some capable business head of means and connections?
If Lwwell had resurrected Christ this morning there’s some on here would give him it tight for getting the Son of God up too early.
We would have been better staying outside the tent,pissing in,i think we would be much more together than we are now.
Pretty sure he is. He makes a very good living from us and he does what he is told
Corkcelt
Without going looking for the info
I am sure I read at the time that PL did abstain, or did not participate in the vote for GaSL ?
Is there anyway of ever seeing the minutes from any FTSFA meeting ?
Sandman on 28th March 2016 6:40 pm
I call it depraved indifference.
Analogy?
Sandman, The end of your last post was the first laugh I’ve got out of CQN for months.
Jerry
We live in a country where the rich don’t give a flying feck about the poor
It’s worse to miss a jsa appointment than to go to jail because in jail you are fed
Celtic born out of famine and oppression
Is that our club?
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD on 28TH MARCH 2016 6:12 PM
Tell you what…I wouldnt like to go down in history as the man who allowed the huns to cheat Celtic.
=========
Conclusion of letter sent 11th March via JP Taylor.
“Please convey to CEO.
The conduct of Resolution 12 as just reported on CQN and elsewhere leads me to ask of the CEO :
Do you want to go down in Celtic history as the man who sold the jerseys ?”
PL has yet to respond.
Big Cup Winners.
John James has since came out and said he got that blog wrong. He has said Petrie voted to find C.C. King fit and proper. With regard Pedro he changes it to suit his agenda.
Corkcelt. I cannot agree, John James definitely a hun, in my opinion, he is quite subtle in his clear dislike of us but nonetheless it is all there in his blogs. As I previously said, McMurdo has confirmed he knows him, I can’t believe McMurdo would pretend that someone was a hun if he knew different.
What is sad is Celtic fans like me, are reading his blog to try and find out what’s going on,as our board appear to be wishing that we will accept the blue pound and move on and Paul is certainly keeping quiet.
Cowiebhoy
We where told on here that he abstained because he had no option
Bollocks
You know it , I know it and Paul knows it
Cqn is the boards blog
Sandman
Lawwell had resurrected Christ this morning there’s some on here would give him it tight for getting the Son of God up too early. – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/resist-of-wither-like-miss-havisham/comment-page-43/#comment-2802135
Too late, surely ?
Sips 4.11
Did he no tell yi wit wan made his breakfast lol
StoapootCsc:-)
Peter Lawell could solve this with one simple statement as to why he did or didn’t vote for a convicted tax cheat with 41 convictions as a fit and proper person to be a football club director.
I won’t hold my breath though.
Just like every other major issue that affects us …….
DOS
EBT
LNS
Campbell Ogilvie
Same club myth
Tainted titles
Biased match officials
Anti Celtic media
He will say nothing.
Stop the cheating !!
Anyway, not long in from an incredible trip to Dublin.
Firstly, can I say a massive thank you to Clogher and Almore. Your organisation, thoughtfulness, humility, decency, kindness warmth helped make the weekend. Wits, I hear good things about you mo chara and how you took care of some of our own in The Gravediggers. I’m sorry we missed you.
To all those we met, including the many good folk from CQN, thank you. You have shown, once again, when we come together it’s something special.
A few great memories.
The function on Saturday night organised by those great fellows mentioned above. I was a wee bitty uptight arriving because of our ‘hazardous’ taxi ride to the venue!! My anxiety dissipated immediately when Martin and Alan greeted us so warmly, to the strains of Viva La Quinte Brigada in the background! A brilliant night in so many ways.
On Sunday morning the main parade passed immediately by outside our hotel. Obviously, this had its benefits but the drawback was that Minx and I were limited in our movements because no one was allowed to cross the road until the entire parade had passed meaning we couldn’t get anywhere near O’Connell St. We resigned ourselves to a bit of breakfast in a nearby cafe which thankfully had one of the giant screens which had been erected for the day just outside. Just as I was cutting into my black pudding the Minx leapt from her seat and ran outside.
As I naturally made my way to follow, I heard the melancholic notes of ‘Danny Boy’, I knew to leave her be. You see her son is named Daniel in memory of her grandmother singing the song when she was a bairn, and of course, Daniel Fergus McGrain, one of our finest.
She returned in her own time with moist eyes and a wet tissue. That was ‘her moment’, that was what she’d come for.
Mine came only minutes later.
As Tri Ribbon mentioned earlier, the sight of the Irish army parading down towards the GPO, left my feeling cold and angry. These aren’t the men and women who carried on what Skinnider and Connolly set out to achieve, and I mean no disrespect to them. I saw armoured cars and tanks and thought of Francis Hughes hiding in hedgerows around the occupied six counties, seeking shelter, comfort and food from sympathetic Republican families, and thought how stark the contrast was.
And then everything stopped, even the throngs around us halted and ceased their chatter.
I was out on the street now, waiting solemnly.
The minute’s silence was announced and despite the thousands and thousands in the surrounding streets, not a sound could be heard. With my hands clasped behind my back I watched the Irish tricolour and the flag of the Irish Republic being hoisted over the GPO, just as it had been 100 years ago.
I cried.
In the street amidst the strangers, I cried.
BT You know better than me that Celtic Fc became a commercial business over a hundred years ago.
The ethos of our founding fathers is carried on by the support and not the Club and it isn’t today or yesterday that happened.
That is what pisses me off about guys that are walking because they feel betrayed by Celtic, they have been betrayed by a few men who work for Celtic. We are Celtic, you and me and all the Bhoys who post here. Yes we should protest against the Board, there are plenty here giving it laldy yet there are no bedsheets on display at Celtic Park calling PL & The Board out.
It’s possible that PL has carte blanche to run the club whatever way he sees fit – just so long as the books are balanced.
Maybe the reason for him seeking alternative revenues when the club fails to qualify for the CL proper.
Those stupid pre-season friendly games, the scatter gun signing of tubes,hoping that one or two turn into good footballers so they can be sold on for a profit.
I haven’t got a clue, however a wouldn’t be surprised if PL wishes to see the Frankensteins in the big league, if that helps to increase revenues also.
Dermot Desmond is the only person who can answer the question.
HH.