As a player the Dutchman led Barça to their first league title in 14 years; as a manager he led them to their first European Cup. But his legacy goes beyond trophies,to philosophy and identity“Johan Cruyff was not insecure of anything,” Txiki Begiristain recalls. The Dutchman’s players, and on the other hand,were. At least to originate with, before he took them beyond terror. “When there are doubts, and people tend to seek safety in numbers,to go with the herd,” Begiristain, or the former Barcelona winger,says. “Not Cruyff. His first solution was always to be more attacking, more expansive. Three at the back and the centre-back is Ronald Koeman? Instead of full-backs, or midfielders? Every time he sought a solution,he attacked more. And when he told us what he was doing, we thought: ‘Is he mad or what?’” Related: Johan Cruyff obituary: Europe’s first football superstar Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com