Holland’s biggest name but not their biggest fan.

July 10, 2010

Everyone knows a certain old man or woman who likes to reminisce how everything was good in their day. Whatever our generation achieves, their generation it seems did it better. Football apparently is no different, this week while the whole of Holland have been celebrating their success of getting to a World Cup final, Johan Cruyff, ironically one of the most adored sports men and the man every Dutch man and woman look up to has claimed that Holland do not deserve to triumph in Africa, in a matter of fact Cruyff fells so strongly against how the 2010 Holland team play he wants Spain to be champions. Cruyff is quick to explain that he is not trying to alienate himself from his country but is simply a fan of beautiful Football and apparently admires the Spanish style of play.

This is not the first time that Johan Cruyff has been critical of the Dutch in the past month. He has criticized Van Marwijk for not sticking to Holland’s values of playing a beautiful game. While no one can argue Holland have not been overly exciting to watch, which team has at this World Cup? As greater footballer as Cruyff was I think he is the one who is showing naivety not Van Marwijk. Van Marwijk has realised how the game has evolved over the last few years, how frustratingly more teams these days set up defensively, he’s recognised that the days of playing all out attacking football, does not win you trophies anymore. He has been wise enough to choose two defensive mid fielders to do the “dirty work” and tell Sneijder, Robben and Van Persie to then go and win the game with their flair. More importantly he has become frustrated, as we all have of how many Dutch teams you can count over the last few decades who have wowed us with (Cruyff’s favourite word) “total football” without any silverware to show for it. If Holland beat Spain tomorrow night do you think you will find anyone in Amsterdam who will care one little bit that they did not do it beautifully. Maybe that is what is really bothering Cruyff.

Cruyff, and rightfully so is viewed as one of the all time greats for his contributions in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals, Cruyff’s performances in the orange shirt have made him a legend in the game, which no one will ever be able to take away from him. Legends/ heroes come out at the start of every world Cup and European Championships, as well as when their national team is under achieving to give their views and opinions. A high percentage work in some capacity with the media, radio, television and of course news papers. What I am trying to say is someone like Cruyff makes a lot of money for himself by putting himself forward to talk about Holland’s World Cup chances. Here is my theory. Could it be possible that Cruyff is threatened that this time next week he will not be referred to as Holland’s most successful World Cup performer. Obviously it is not a money issue for Cruyff; it’s that world renowned large Dutch ego. My comments may be controversial and disrespectful to one of the all time greats but when you look at some of his comments you can’t help but sense a bit of envy. For example take his earlier statement about admiring Spain because they play the game in the right way. Here is the actual truth, Spain have scored a total of 7 goals in the tournament compared to Holland’s 12, only Germany have scored more. Then there is Cruyff’s theory that Holland has had an easy route to the final. Didn’t Holland beat that little nation called Brazil? You know Mr Cruyff the team who has won the World Cup more than anyone else, the team who a month ago was labelled second favourites to win the whole thing.

If you didn’t know anything about football and just listened to Cruyff’s comments you would have never guessed that he was one of Holland’s own. It’s a shame, a shame because so many of the players look up to him, a shame because knowing of this comments Van Marwijk still speaks fondly of him and is still happy to take his advice.

Holland’s players have shown their respect to Johan Cruyff and his achievement of getting to a World Cup final, don’t they deserve exactly the same.

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