The footballer arrived first, then the coach. Johan Cruyff (Amsterdam, 1947-Barcelona, 2016) transformed Barça and then changed world football. The difficulties of each hiring were largely compensated by the incalculable, priceless benefits that both the first stay (1973-1978) and the second (1988-1996) provided.
Cruyff’s appearances in the culé universe represent what a turning point truly means. Both. In 1973 it was about the acquisition of the best soccer player in the world, leader of a consecutive three-time European champion Ajax and double Ballon d’Or (The third was obtained already dressed in Barça). He was a signing that Real Madrid was pursuing, negotiating with Ajax behind Cruyff’s back, who reacted with the rebellion that characterized him.
Ajax negotiated with Madrid behind Cruyff’s back and Johan threatened to withdraw and not go to the World Cup if they reached an agreement.
He did not sign for Barça due to refusal to join the club of his life or out of spite for Madrid. Johan sympathized with the Barça club for several reasons: he had had as coaches Vic Buckingham and Rinus Michels at Ajax and had been to Barcelona several times.
Months before its acquisition, Barça invited Cruyff to visit the Camp Nou. He was guided by Carles Rexach, who was the same age as him, was a footballer known for being international with Spain and spoke some English. From there their relationship was born, which was strengthened after they later shared a room. Not only did their friendship begin. Carles became Charly.
The contract was signed on August 13, but ‘bureaucratic problems’ delayed the official debut until October 28.
the country of traps
But in the offices a game of intrigue was played. The Barça initiative had begun despite the fact that the signing of foreign soccer players was prohibited. Only natives, presumed descendants of Spaniards emigrated to South America, and the traps in the country of Lazarillo, Rinconete and Cortadillo were the order of the day. The Roca Junyent Report exposed the forgery network of Spanish football, the possible threat of FIFA, and the borders were opened for foreigners.
Barça, without winning the League since 1960, launched themselves in search of the best. And the best was Cruyff. There was another connection critical to the company’s success. The club’s negotiator was Armand Caraben, manager. A man ahead of his time, intelligent, cultured and polyglot. His wife, Marjorie van der Meer, was Dutch. “My parents knew the Cruyffs since before they arrived in Barcelona; They met through the Vilaseca office & rdquor ;, recalls David Carabén, his son, the voice of Mishima and commissioner of the 125th anniversary of the Barcelona club.
“My parents knew the Cruyffs since before they arrived in Barcelona; they met through the Vilaseca office & rdquor;
David Carabén / Singer of Mishima
As the legislation did not provide for the signing of foreign soccer players, the club requested permission to pay with foreign currency, alleging that it was going to buy a semoviente (meaning: entities that have the property of moving by themselves).
more difficulties
The human factor prevailed over money, although Madrid never equaled Barça’s figures. The operation with Ajax was agreed with a payment of 60 million pesetas and a three-year commitment to Cruyff. The contract, signed on August 13, was not completed that day. Not much less. More difficulties remained. In the Netherlands and in Spain.
Jaap van Praag, the president of the Dutch club, delayed the delivery of the international transfer as long as possible, angry with Johan because he had threatened to withdraw from football and refuse to attend the 1974 World Cup in Germany if he held talks with Madrid. Nor was there any predisposition in the Spanish organizations. No hurry. Barça had in the chamber the signing of the German Gerd Torpedor Müller, from Bayern Munich, the other ‘nine’ of the moment but who did not look anything like Johan. Neither the number, since this one was wearing 14.
Since permission from the Foreign Currency Institute (IEME) to import products and that the legislation did not provide for the signing of soccer players, he had to seek bureaucratic influence and an imaginative solution. Barça requested authorization to the purchase of a livestock: a term that is applied to cattle but in reality, according to legal terms, they are entities that have the property of moving by themselves.
4-0 and two goals in the debut
Cruyff, naturally, was unable to start the League on September 1. He was late in making his debut. until October 28 on the eighth day. Meanwhile, the team fell eliminated in UEFA with Nice and became penultimate three weeks. The star he debuted 4-0 against Granada and scored two goals. On matchday 13, Barça was already the leader and was crowned five-day champion end. So imperial and fast was the trajectory of the livestock.
A League (1974) to start and a Cup to finish (1978) were the scant balance of titles collected by the footballer for five years, although Cruyff left something more valuable than great football afternoons, the unforgettable 0-5 at the Bernabéu and the recovery of the self-esteem of Catalans, among other benefits. He left an unforgettable memory: the seed of a football philosophy.
The first call to return as coach was in 1987. “Don’t even think about it,” Rexach advised.
A League (1974) to start and a Cup to finish (1978) were the scant balance of titles collected by the footballer for five years, although Cruyff left something more valuable than great football afternoons, the unforgettable 0-5 at the Bernabéu and the recovery of the self-esteem of Catalans, among other benefits. He left an unforgettable memory: the seed of a football philosophy.
Ten years later, in 1988, the second turning point occurred. More influential, longer lasting and more successful, to the point that it still lasts. Cruyff received an offer to return to Barça as coach after the dismissal of Terry Venables in 1987. From Josep Lluís Nuñez, the still president of Barça, who had started his mandate coinciding with the departure of the Dutchman. ,”What would you do?” Johan asked his friend Charly. “Don’t even think about it & rdquor ;, he replied.
The second signing of Johan required the club to settle the debt with the Treasury that had been pending from 1978.
But the hypothetical return remained in a latent mode. The second call, months later, found a different response. The situation was dramatic at the club (35 players on the payroll, sixth in the League, 23 points behind Madrid when the victory was worth two points, the Hesperia mutiny that demanded the resignation of Núñez…), but that did not deter him. Neither Cruyff nor Rexach, who was acting as assistant of Luis Aragonés.
In January 1988, Cruyff had broken with Ajax. One of the possible obstacles, which was negotiating again with the Amsterdam club, disappeared. That did not imply that Nuñez could save a transfer amount. Absolutely. He paid it. But not to Ajax or Johan, but to the Ministry of Finance. Some taxes that Montal, Núñez, and Cruyff had taken charge of in 1978 had remained pending payment.
direct information
PERIODICO DE CATALUNYA witnessed exception of the signing process. Joan Patsy, then editor of this house, traveled to Amsterdam on Three Kings night in search of a first interview with Cruyff. She cost him.
But over time, he reported the progress of the negotiations in real time and became their spokesperson. He began to frequent Amsterdam. He brought news from Barcelona and videos of matches. Patsy also collaborated with TV-3. Some looked at them Johan and others Tony Bruins Slot, his faithful assistant.
Joan Patsy was the first journalist to travel to Amsterdam, he brought videos of players and at the presentation he was already considered a “friend”.
That relationship bordered on rupture. Someone in bad faith called Cruyff informing him that El Periódico had published something that did not correspond to the text. And it was true. A command wanted to go further in a headline. “They told me that you have released this & rdquor ;, Cruyff snapped at Patsy. “I have not put any word that you have not told me & rdquor ;, he replied. “Bring me the newspaper and when I see it, I will believe you & rdquor ;, he concluded. “The newspaper of El Periódico reprinted that page with the original headline and I took it to Amsterdam & rdquor; explains Patsy, who happened to be the “friend & rdquor; officially against Barça on the day of the team’s presentation.
They were both in the bar of the Hotel Princesa Sofía, on Diagonal, next to the Camp Nou. Ricard Maxechs, then the club’s director of communication, went in search of Cruyff to go up to the suite and explain the development of the presentation. “Let’s go upstairs & rdquor ;, he says, but Maxenchs corrects: “Joan can’t go upstairs because she’s a journalist & rdquor ;. “She is my friend & rdquor ;, cut Cruyff.
Núñez loved Clemente
That was not the sign or a reason for the tense relationship that, at various times, the future coach of the dream team with Núñez and his board. The relationship was born and grew in mutual mistrust. “Núñez loved Clemente, but he was afraid that Cruyff would be the coach of the opposition and end up losing the presidency & rdquor ;, Patsy recounts.
“Núñez loved Clemente, but Javi, in a gesture of honesty, told him no. ‘The Barcelona press wants to kill me with what happened with Schuster and Maradona and you, who are not stronger than ever, will not let me fall. That’s why I don’t want to sign’, reasoned Clemente & rdquor ;, corroborates Anton Parera, then CEO.
“The contract was signed at the Le Richemond hotel in Geneva. I only know it was Easter because I went with the contract signed to Gstaad to meet with the family”
Joan Gaspart / Former Vice President of Barça
Untitled Coach
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Cruyff signed, endorsed by the conquest of two Cups and a Cup Winners’ Cup at Ajax in two and a half seasons, although he lacked the official coaching card. “The contract was signed at Easter in the hotel Le Richemond in Geneva” explains Joan Gaspart. “Johan, his mother-in-law, and I met from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon & rdquor ;, says the former vice president of the time, who called Núñez to inform him of the agreement. He doesn’t remember the day. “I only know it was Easter because I went to Gstaad with the signed contract to meet with the family & rdquor ;, he underlines.
Cruyff spent eight seasons as coach. The club won four consecutive Leagues for the first time (from 1990 to 1994) and the first European Cup (1992) and the first European Super Cup (1993) between the 11 titles obtained. Barça adopted a style of play that has been maintained over time. The cruyffismo it `s a religion.