I find it terrible when talents are rejected based on computer stats. Based on the criteria at Ajax now I would have been rejected. When I was 15, I couldn’t kick a ball 15 meters with my left and maybe 20 with my right. My qualities technique and vision, are not detectable by a computer.
Players that aren’t true leaders but try to be, always bash other players after a mistake. True leaders on the pitch already assume others will make mistakes.
It is better to fail with your own vision than to fail with another man’s vision.
Technique is not being able to juggle a ball 1000 times. Anyone can do that by practicing. Then you can work in the circus. Technique is passing the ball with one touch, with the right speed, at the right foot of your team mate.
I’m ex-player, ex-technical director, ex-coach, ex-manager, ex-honorary president. A nice list that once again shows that everything comes to an end.
Every disadvantage has its advantage.
If you have the ball you must make the field as big as possible, and if you don’t have the ball you must make it as small as possible.
Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest thing there is.
In a way I’m probably immortal.
The difference between right and wrong is often not more than five metres.
Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins.
If you can’t win, make sure you don’t lose.
In my teams, the goalie is the first attacker, and the striker the first defender.
Playing against 10 is harder than playing against 11 players. You know why? The team with 11 will think “ok, we can take it easy now”, while the team with 10 will think “We really have to work hard now.”
You have got to shoot, otherwise you can’t score.
In small space a player has to be capable of acting quickly. A good player who needs too much time can suddenly become a poor player.
He deserves ten out of ten for doing what he does. He is a sensation, but still he can improve. He must know when to move the ball on quickly and when to try the impossible mission. When he learns this, he won’t win a single Golden Ball, but an entire collection.
Italians can’t win the game against you, but you can lose the game against the Italians.
If you want to play quicker you can start running faster, but it’s the ball that decides the speed of the game.
Football is a game you play with your brain.