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Cruyff: Ajax keeps me out of everything!

February 18th, 2008 | By: Jan | 6 Comments »

Johan Cruyff’s column:

Everyone is aware how the level of Dutch football is deteriorating. We should be ashamed that only our champions are still in the UEFA tournament. This is not just because the big money is in England, Spain and Italy. Our teams stumbled over clubs from Denmark, Sweden, Cech Republic and Croatia. It is all because of our own failing. Not just the coaches, but also the people who appointed our coaches.

Managers and executives who occupy their jobs for their ego and don’t understand football. While managing a club is a real craft. In my time as a player, Ajax only had five man in the office. Today they have hundreds, but clubs are still being managed by people who see their jobs as an interesting hobby. Look at Heerenveen and NAC, where very well performing coaches like Gert Jan Verbeek and Ernie Brandts are asked to leave, while they’re doing great! In my book, these execs have lost the plot. And the most pathetic thing is, that when a top exec leaves, at Ajax for instance, it still takes months to find a worthy successor. And still they get it wrong.

I’ve been asked to take a seat in the Ajax committee. But I refused and I think that was a wise decision. I have given Ajax many suggestions over the last years and every time they abused my advice for their own agenda. I didn’t want to be used again. They will hold me responsible, but use my reputation for their own good. Some committee members will know exactly what I mean.

Lots of people will think: there is Cruyff again. Why doesn’t he take up the glove. My answer is simple: I wanted to. But there hasn’t been anyone who asked me to solve the problem. Because they are afraid to. Because if they let me, I will solve the problem. Only, my way is not a nice one. And that’s why Ajax keeps me out of everything when the going gets tough…

Tags: Ajax, Group C, Johan Cruyff, The Netherlands

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Comments

By Lerkot | February 18th, 2008 at 7:05 am

If its true like he says, then its not looking too bright. Cruyff isnt getting any younger so if Ajax wants help from him some time, they need to have it soon. And they need to beg and plead for it. I think its worth taking the risk; Michels built this Ajax and its rep, and Cruyff only worked there for a few years, improving the club a bit. But thats like twenty years ago. Barcelona, with fantastic youth developement (the same system that Cruyff put in to the club in the 90’s) and great transfer policy, got his help only little more than ten years ago. Thats some difference. Cruyff probably learned a lot during his time in Barcelona, things Ajax might not know about.

By Caleb | February 18th, 2008 at 11:05 am

I would be willing to give Cruyff a try, but like he says, he would have to have a free hand and I don’t think they want to give that too him.

Posted from Japan

By Jan | February 18th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

The problem with Cruyff is, that he is unique in his vision and methods. And the big question is not: is he capable of solving the problems (because he is), but more: what happens after he’s gone?

Ajax will need to institutionalize and structure for success. JC is a go-getter who will clean up, but he won’t leave a well-defined structure. He will trample on the china like an elephant (Dutch expression, really!!! ).

So I can understand why Ajax is wary of using him. But again, he won’t have any trouble clearing the mess up.

Posted from Australia

By Miguel Rosado | February 19th, 2008 at 1:00 am

Cruyff would clean up the mess but that means he will fire many people. I think he deserves a chance of being free and prove that he can fix Ajax from the bottom to the top (players, coaches, executives, etc). He’d give Ajax a winning mentality and that’s something they’ve forgotten about.

By Jan | February 19th, 2008 at 3:02 am

I agree. There’s a lot of people at Ajax working there for their ego. Office politics. Particularly at Ajax, which has always been a “trendy” club.Then there is the invisible power of the fifth colonne. The Amsterdam corporate world. Lawyers, ad-executives, ceo’s, tv-personalities, singers… Ex-players, sponsors… It’s a tough club to work at. But, JC has a weak heart, he is getting on in life and in particular his wife Danny is not happy with JC taking too much on. JC has his academy and other charitative organisations, he has his work at Barca and the golf clubs seem to have some sort of attraction too… I don’t see him do it. He may want to, but he won’t do it.

Posted from Australia

By Finnster01 | February 19th, 2008 at 7:21 am

There is this saying that “you can’t teach an old dog how to bark”. To me that represents JC perhaps more than anyone. I actually think he would do it, the fact that he keeps talking & kicking the butts of the Ajax hierarchy reminds me of several “older” coaches who can’t seem to stay out of the business for too long.

Yes, he has a bad pump, yes he wife is a nag, golf is all right, but I think the only thing preventing JC from coming back is the fat boys upstairs at Ajax, and not JC himself. JC would indeed clean ship (which is what Ajax needs), but the problem is that he would have to be a Director of Football operations with complete authority on all soccer matters who would live or die by the sword. That is a hard pill to swallow for the hundreds of people collecting questionable pay checks for unquestionable mediocrity.

Bottom line, it is not a very “Dutch” organization model so I think it won’t happen (although I think it is sorely needed), JC would be great for the Dutch game, and above it all, it would actually be really fun to watch.

Posted from United States