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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No worries Bendigo.
Hail Hail mo chara.
Laters.
Hey Celtic !
WHAT’S GOING ON !
Setting the bears free
for Paul not to express an opinion on something as huge as this is extraordinary !
16 roads,
No probs pal.
I know ye have no time for politics in Ireland.That’s fair enough.
Just a wee reminder though that Sinn Fein MP’s and TD’s only take an average wage and the rest of their money goes to the party.
Unlike the rest of the parasites.
Take care bud.A swally is coming shortly mate.Anywhere does me .
Matt, lol.
One mate, now dead, loved Laurel & Hardy.. the interviews with them are fascinating.
Other mate Abbott & Costello, “Hoos on 1st base etc”
Mad/mental, miss ma mate, the other ones a Mummys bhoy!
a “what’s going on” banner ?
Paul’s got nothing to say or is being prevented from saying something on Resolution 12?
Seriously?
People on here post this stuff?
Ask BRTH or Auldheid if they share that opinion. Or if anyone has a ticket for the now sold out 20th Anniversary Dinner for the Tommy Gemmell CSC on 8th April, come up to the CQN table ( also featuring the likes of Doc, Cowiebhoy and 3 Lions TG, Charlie Gallagher and big Yogi) and ask them in person.
AOW
Ach here we go for you and yer mate..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkgyvNi0Fyw
Hail hail
Matt
GG and big George,
Sorry lads,was aff oot all day.
Two of the lads from Plains were Peden and Gilmour.
So my young fella tells me.Was well oiled so to speak.;-)
Interesting read apropos earlier discussions?i thought so.
https://twitter.com/irlpatricia/status/714280492842008576
Good night Timdom
HH jamesgang
Interesting
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/president-higgins-time-to-reassess-britains-imperial-triumphalism-727140.html
Matt, thanks. Sang that at karaoke circa 1986 in the Western Bar on the road that is great and western.
Complete with wee regular knocking me on the head to go falsetto..
Remind me to tell you of Bobby the boxer.
Paul will undoubtedly have an opinion .
And is smart enough not to express it.
1996 ffs
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 28th March 2016 11:05 pm
That’s all fine and well and I agree with you to a certain extent.
However, the history of Celtic at the beginning of the 21st century some things will be remembered. Some more than most. In my opinion it may look something like this:
The rise of Celtic as a European power again.
Seville
The decline of Celtic as a European power again.
The rise of the Internet Bampots.
The galactically criminal exposed behaviour of the huns and their ultimate liquidation.
Celtic Board struggling to find a raison d’etre with no Old Firm.
Celtic in cahoots with Scottish corruption to rebirth the Old Firm.
Res 12.
if neither Celtic PLC nor our beloved King of the internet bampots have nothing to say on res 12 then so be it. Lets move on. I am.
Never a problem TCR.
Said earlier on the crew were all asking about ye in Dubs chieftain.
Derry for the next hootanney was the shout.
There was some whiskey flying in tribute to all the crew who couldn’t make it, but where there in spirit.
Celtic is our team.
Oiche mhaith.
HH.
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 29th March 2016 12:04 am
Since 2013. Maybe. Now its dumb.
WITS
Very.
Good night
HH jamesgang
http://www.derrydaily.net/2016/03/28/picture-special-thousands-attend-biggest-ever-derry-easter-rising-parade/
Easter in Doire.
What is the Stars on 29th March 2016 12:04 am
Just on my way out, however……..
Interesting.
And highly regrettable.
What was his motivation ?
Jamesgang
Yes, good night
Liked your post earlier about the celebration, no triumphalism etc, forward looking.
Couldn’t agree more.
Talk soon
Macjay
How long have you got? ?
In a nutshell
Post colonial self loathing has caused various irish historian’s to re examine, revise the attitude of the irish people towards 1916.
So the initial attitude of the new state that these men were glorious heroes was challenged with” they were an anti democratic cabal” etc and the peaceful constitutional route would have worked.
The peaceful constitunional route of course would have involved commiting hundreds of thousands of irish men to fight for Britain’s imperialist army.
So why not reexamine that
Wits 12.04
Read that earlier mate, interesting over here I thought that was the tone -.triumphalisrt empire wheeeshts neighbour for wantin to rid itself of its benevolent tyrrany and nobody was thankful ex our friends in carson!!
Just my view but they cant help rhemselves and the belief ireland couldnt org a brewery do still farts from them(uk establishment)
Ps any tips on when I will spot one o your tips :-)
Belated birthday wishes to your lass
!:-)
HH
Hope macanbheatha and proudbhoy are well..
Huvnae seen them post for a while.
A wee mention too for coorslad.Saw him and his missus resplendent in 1916 garb yesterday.
Get posting wee man.
TAL.
An tearman
I believe you are taller than jamesgang
I was given desoto county in the 510 at fairyhouse tomorrow
Hello again all you young rebels.
Just back from the Celtic peninsula and our wee rebel stronghold
of Mornington, what a weekend with the legend Willie wallace, he
had us all in stitches at our tribute dinner when regaling us of his
escapades with some of the lions notably Bertie and Jinky who else.
He also joined us in our club hotel on the Sunday when we had a
Glasgow band called Captain Spalding performing and of course
with everybody hungover from the night before it soon turned into
another Celtic day finalised by a wonderful rendition of the Bonny
Bonny banks of Loch Lomond which our Aussie friends went mad
for.
Managed to have a few private words with him after i’d prised him
from Paddymac’s manacles, Willie must have been plying him with
Guinness lol, and he was very fulsome in his praise for two of our
bloggers, WINNING CAPTAINS for his efforts on big Tommy G’s
behalf and BRTH for all the help with his book which sold a few
copies on the night the money went straight to charity, what a
legend a true lion heart and great ambassador for our club.
I have not read back yet so i hope all you ghuy’s and ghals who
attended the Dublin event loved it and everyone got home safely.
H.H Mick
Just so you all know. W.B. Yeats read out on American national television tonight. 4 National channels and counting.
“the unprecedented brutality of the British response ensured Irish Independence”
Margaret McGill
Time drags slowly in Scoddoland, might take a while before they are to digest Yeats, as they are still on John Knox at the moment:)
HH
WITS is an exception but I have had a unfortunate time talking to Celtic supporters from the Republic. The Norn Irn ones get it. The majority of free-staters are not free thinkers (the ones I met anyway) and have nothing but contempt for Scotland, Scottish things, Scottish people, and anything Scottish about Celtic. Most of the ones I met considered Celtic as an Irish outpost in the Northern British isles and most of them had either Liverpool or Chelsea as a “first club”. IMHO they can GTF!
The Green Man says SACK THE Board on 29th March 2016 1:17 am
..and Ireland too.
MARGARET MCGILL on 29TH MARCH 2016 1:04 AM
“the unprecedented brutality of the British response ensured Irish Independence”
======================================================================
Not unprecedented.
British army ” deserters ” at the front were treated in exactly the same way.
Firing squad.
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 29th March 2016 1:24 am
Yes but the whole-scale murdering by the Brits turned the tide.
Margaret McGill
You would not believe the arguments ive had with ‘objective’ Scottish and British historians over the years.
The total failure to understand, what they dont want to understand.
Some really good scholars…but who have a weakness due to their inability to see ideology for what it is.
When you challenge their motivations…you get branded.
Its fecked up.
Hidden and destroyed sources….unavailable source material…private collections, and so on.
Its like banging your head off a wall repeatedly:)
Easier.
HH
Mags,
I’ve lived in Ireland for 20 years and I am surprised by your experiences. I can honestly say I have never experienced ‘contempt for Scotland, Scottish things, Scottish people, and anything Scottish about Celtic.’
What kind of experiences have you had of Irish people showing contempt for Scotland, Scottish things, Scottish people etc?
Heading off I’ll catch up later.
I will probably abandon work ive been doing in the last few years.
And just publish a comic.
It least i will be able to throw a few gags in:)
Knowledge….There is no value in it these days.
HH
clogher celt on 29th March 2016 1:36 am
I am a very Pavlovian individual. I am sure if I had been exposed to more Irish Celtic supporters I may have a different opinion. However, the Irish guys I have met in Germany, Scotland, England, Sweden, Ireland, USA and Canada. The Norn Irn Tims were ok. The republic ones were mostly Celtic frauds. I apologize but that is my experience.
MARGARET MCGILL on 29TH MARCH 2016 1:25 AM
macjay1 for Neil Lennon on 29th March 2016 1:24 am
Yes but the whole-scale murdering by the Brits turned the tide.
=======================================================================
Don`t think there is much doubt that the British response unified the Irish against them.