Dutch, World Soccer & FC Barcelona Football legend Johan Cruyff has died at the age of 68 today victim of lung cancer. The news has rocked the Football World although he was diagnosed with cancer last October & was under treatment.
The biggest Dutch Football player ever, Cruyff is also placed within the "Big 4" of World Soccer History: Pele, Di Stefano, Maradona... & Cruyff. However where the player made his mark & left his place in Sports History is with Spanish Football Club FC Barcelona. As a Barça player he took the Club out of the shadow of Real Madrid. While as Coach of FC Barcelona he won the Clubs first ever European Cup (now Champions League). Johan Cruyff is also attributed as changing the Football style of FC Barcelona which later influenced the Spanish National Football Team. Possession Football, touch Soccer that was offensive in style, with goal the maximum objective. "Total Football" was the term coined that had Jonah Cruyff´s name & that even went as far as to place only 3 defenders to prize the attacking style. Whole string of later Coaches took on the "Cruyff style", with current Coaches Guardiola & Luis Enrique known disciples. The Spanish National Team under Coach Aragones took on the "Cruyff philosophy" & began the "Golden Age of Spanish Football" You can read more details around the Web, from here we pay our tribute, express thanks for his Football & creativity, & put forth our sincere thoughts to the family & the World Football community. RIP Johan Cruyff (1947 - 2016) Tweet
Football Magazine "World Soccer" has asked the question, which is the "Best XI" of all time & the "Best Coach" ? To get an answer, the magazine, asked all its journalist correspondents around the globe. The answers & voting were varied but there was overall consensus that gave the following players & Coach.
Yashin; Cafú, Bobby Moore, Beckenbauer, Maldini; Zidane, Cruyff, Di Stéfano, Maradona; Pelé & Messi.
Coach: Alex Ferguson. Fabulous & awesome names indeed. I personally miss George Best ( Manchester United ) but this is my opinion. The only player actively playing Soccer professionally is Lionel Messi.
You can see all the names voted with the Magazine. Tweet
Johan Cruyff is much more than a FC BARCELONA ex-player & Coach. Apart from being considered one of the “Greats” as a player he is one of the most influential opinion makers within Camp Barça. The man is sometimes thought of as the “Darth Vader” of Barcelona as he lurks in the shadows exercising his power within the Club. He is the “spiritual” figure & guide to President Laporta & Coach Guardiola, just like the Dalai Lama but without the transcendental philosophy & with a Barça shirt. (photo:AS)
Yesterday, Johan Cruyff made some stiff comments aimed at REAL MADRID & to its ex-President Florentino Perez who is speculated – not by him as he hasn’t said a word – will present his candidacy for the upcoming Real Madrid Presidential elections were it is assumed he will win via a landslide result. The words, published by AS, say that Cruyff mentioned … “I don’t know about construction & Florentino knows nothing about Football”, but continued with … “He hasn’t sufficient Football knowledge to make decisions...." in reference to being a Football Club President. This of course is the root of all problems for the White Club as organization is a top level thing & not from the bottom, the grass roots. Interesting words directed to someone ,as already mentioned above, who hasn’t said a single word on whether he will present his candidacy, in fact its all media speculation & rumour. However, let’s assume for arguement sake that Perez runs & wins to become once again Real Madrid President: does Barça President Laporta know a lot about Football? Does any Club President know about Football? SFS will say that the grand majority are business men with economic & political interests who surround themselves with professionals who do know about Football. Is this why Johan Cruyff advises Barça President Laporta? Perhaps Cruyff forgets that today’s Football & their Clubs have nothing to do about passing a ball around but more to do about money & making more of it.
It’s the ongoing eternal teasing & public relations “War” between both Clubs. It’s like when you go to the pub for a few beers a run into your mate who follows the opposition team, its fun to dig into each other. At the higher level it sells newspapers, keeps the “sheep” happy & with something to talk about, plus reinforces to the World that effectively Johan Cruyff is an opinion maker & stakeholder that has power at Barça & within the Football World. May the FORCE be with you…
What’s your thought, do you think it’s vital for a President to be an expert on Football? SFS hidden CCTV camaras caught this sequence of Cruyff talking secretly & receiving orders from President Laporta. They seem very worried that Florentino Perez, the heritor of the great Santiago Bernabeu may return & REAL MADRID make a comeback ( & win the Liga?):
Putting my grain of sand to help contribute in expanding Spanish Football - Soccer | Sports abroad. An ex-amateur Footballer long ago - alias Striker - is now a fan that has the game embedded in his Football - Soccer Sports heart.
oto:AS)
