Cruijff was sometimes asked about Van Gaal. His answer: “We are completely different types. But actually I don’t care that much. It’s more the difference between theory and practice. I’m more practical. Just like me, Van Gaal has capabilities. Absolutely. I’m looking at football, from observing, and then making a player better. I am not from pen and paper. Van Gaal trained as a teacher. Our view on football is different.”
The authors admit that the selection process was tough. They opted for a thematic division, not a chronological one. After all, completeness is impossible. Ultimately, the football icons are compared with each other via eleven themes. In the areas of street football; football player while coaching; football vision; Orange; foreign languages; conflicts with players; rules and arbitration; dealing with the media; belief, disbelief and superstition; illness and health and finally the football mind and the football heart.
For example, in the Orange chapter, a characteristic quote from Gijp is quoted about both football icons. “Anyone who saw Cruyff in his later years knows that he exerted an almost magnetic force on football players, trainers, bobos and other somewhat prominent figures. It is tempting to think that a certain degree of fame automatically ensures that, but That is not true – just look at Cruijff’s absolute opponent Louis van Gaal, who often walks alone in photos, or otherwise only has his wife Truus or Andries Jonker around him.”
It is just one of the enormous number of quotes from the book, which covers more than 250 pages and in which there is a lot of recognition. Many (former) internationals, (former) fellow players and stakeholders speak about the two football icons. The two authors searched through a huge pile of books.
The book Louis & Johan can be won this week via our website. To do this, answer the following question:
Louis van Gaal and Johan Cruijff were both trainers of FC Barcelona. How many times did they become champions of Spain as a trainer?
Send your answer to: [email protected]. Don’t forget to include your address details so that we can send the copy.
Chris Willemsen and Rob Siekmann
Louis & Johan. A double portrait in quotes
Paperback
256 pages
€19.99
Publisher De Kring
ISBN: 9789462972926
