There is little doubt but that Johan Cruyff, described in a list of the greatest-ever Dutch footballers as “a man beyond words”, was also one of the greatest European footballers of the past one hundred years. It has even been put out there that he invented modern soccer. I had the great privilege of meeting and talking with Mr Total Football — not once, but twice.
The first time was on the seafront at Manhattan Beach in California. Cruyff was with the Washington Diplomats at the time. My agent and friend, the late Paul Harris Junior, arranged the meeting.
It was one of those typical California days, a hot sun shining out of a clear blue sky. We sat down and chatted about (what else?) the game of football. One special topic that we were totally in agreement on was that all players should work to become two-footed. He said many memorable things during our half hour together.
One thing he said in particular that has always stuck in my mind was:
“Every disadvantage has its advantage.”
Before he left to re-join his team (they had an evening match against Los Angeles Aztecs) we posed for some photographs. Then he shook my hand and said Goodbye.
Cruyff was a man who changed the history of football, as we know it. Both as a player and as a manager, after he went to Barcelona in the 1970s he made a gigantic contribution to that club. He changed it from being just another Spanish Football club to being the fourth most valuable sports team in the world.
He transformed it with his own brand of total football style of play, and as manager he insisted on the entire team playing total football. The second time we met was in a London hotel a few years after our California meeting. Spurs legendary double-winning manager Bill Nicholson brought us together. To my delight, Johan remembered me. It was Bill who took the photograph, and Johan then took one of Bill and me. A couple of days earlier I had spent over an hour with Bill in his White Hart Lane office. But that’s another story — scéal eile as they say in Irish.
But those 45 minutes in the London hotel with those two legendary figures of the game constituted a highlight that will stay bright as long as I live. I’ll leave the last words to Johan Cruyff. He had many wise and insightful things to say about all aspects of the game, at least one of which I have stuck to right up to this day:
