The best Dutch Footballers of All Time - recalculated

Thanks. It is almost done but then I switch over to the interview.

For a long time I did not believe it was possible to head a ball with bad sight, even in case of complete darkness. He said a few times that some players can do it flawless with a blindfold, with no eye-sight at all. I thought he was doing an 'act', until I saw an excerpt of Cristiano Ronaldo doing exactly that, heading balls in complete darkness. Accurately.

 

Host: "The sensitive chord. In 1978 Willem goes not to the World Cup. The national team manager Ernst Happel cannot guarantee a starting spot to him."
Kraaij: "That was a disenchantment for him. I saw that famous interview then, with Kees Jansma. And I saw disbelief and disillusionment."
[images of the interview]
Gene: "For his feeling it was a lack of recognition by his team mates. He wasn't sure of a starting place, but Willem was a honest fan of the game and wanted to go, even with this prospect in mind. He wanted to go, sure, but found internal divisions within himself."
Derksen: "It was downright nonsensical what happened there. The player Van Hanegem still played excellent at that age and would have been a good addition."
Interviewer: "But why did Happel this?"
Derksen: "The world of football is full with amateur psychology. If a sometimes half drunk alcoholic from Vienna starts to apply psychology, it can occasionally lead to casualties. Maybe he had the plan to stimulate Willem, activate his senses into high alert. It is not precisely known what he wanted or in what way he intervened, but it completely developed in the wrong way. And we played eventually a World Cup with Jan Poortvliet at midfield. With all due respect for the qualities of Poortvliet, but something went wrong here."

Host: "Later on, Willem started to accept Happel his decisions."
Kraaij: "When Happel passed away, or was very ill, Happel his close environment saw a very emotional and attentive Van Hanegem. When he saw him for the last time, a few hours before his death. And yes... That is also Van Hanegem at his best."

Host: "Hurt prowess, fear for oblivion. It are feelings that become visible at the autumn of his active career."
Gene: "Willem wants to put on his boots today. He would like to put on his boots, participate. That is the feeling that dominates all other feelings after his active life. It was fantastic, the most beautiful thing to experience. And that will never return."

 

Host: "For one final time De Kuip stadium fills for Van Hanegem. Friends, including Hans Kraaij, organize a farewell game. Because football has provided a lot to Willem, but certainly no wealth."
Derksen: "The man was so popular, it was sold out within a blink of an eye."
Kraaij: "The stadium was completely filled, overcrowded. It is no small stadium but demand far exceeded the capacity."
Derksen: "And all other players understood his situation. They arrived for free from all corners of Europe. Everyone worked as volunteer."
Kraaij: "It became a fantastic evening. We collected a lot of money. And the tax authority was very generous."
Derksen: "Based on the understanding of his situation, the merits and importance for his country to the outside world, he received - as rare exception - the money tax free. Thanks to the government."

Interviewer: "Do you have an idea how much they collected?"
Wijnstekers: "No. I never had a understanding about that. I was not that close to the organization. Years later you hear it was a few hundred thousandths."
Derksen: "It was 900000 Dutch Guilders."
Interviewer: "That was tax free, say the documents."
Wijnstekers: "Oh, that was a fine number for him."

Kraaij: "Yes, I was part of the organizing committee."
Interviewer: "Did he say afterwards something to you or the committee?"
Kraaij: "No.... Willem rarely says 'thank you'. That is a typical side of Van Hanegem and his cohort. Say 'thank you', or receiving 'thank you' is something difficult. Honours are hard to give and accept."
[images of farewell game]

Derksen: "This was also the last public showing of Truus. She said goodbye too. A week after the lawsuit took place."
Interviewer: "The divorce."
Derksen: "The divorce, and Truus came with three lawyers and Willem arrived alone. And then he lost everything."
Interviewer: "All his property and wealth went to Truus."
Derksen: "Yes, the estate and money went to Truus. Everything. But Willem also wanted that, we should not overlook this. He did not want a fuss. In his opinion Truus and the kids needed to be left in a decent manner, and he could take care of himself. He walked out of the courtroom without a Guilder, and had to wait whether he was able to find a place to sleep."

Host: "His path as trainer and pundit is an idea of his second wife Marianne. Who stimulates him and manages his life."
Derksen: "People who have to negotiate on behalf of firms or media outlets go with mild fear and shivers to..."
Interviewer: "Literally?"
Derksen: "Yes, yes. And those negotiators are in need of aspirin at the evening."
Marianne (archive image): "Willem never had someone for this. So I do everything for him, also that."
Derksen: "His life as football player was over. He had no money and what he could do was starting as chimney sweeper again. He had no education. But then she [his wife] said: 'You should go to the trainer courses of the FA.'"

Host: "He becomes a manager, but without a note-block."
Interviewer (archive image): "How can you know that one pattern wasn't right because Jan..."
Van Hanegem (archive image): "That is why I am looking and hearing right?"
Interviewer (archive image): "Can you remember this all?"
Van Hanegem (archive image): "I am not a moron."
Interviewer (archive image): "Why needs Van Gaal a note-block then?"
Van Hanegem (archive image): "That is what I do not understand. Because if you write, you cannot observe."

Interviewer: "Thus he reads a match in a different way as we do?"
Gene: "Uhmmmm.... Peculiar is, certainly when I just got to know him, the first few years... What he did was demonstrating with glasses and salt & pepper shakers how a match situation developed. He replayed the situation in front of us. He said: 'Do you remember? In the third minute Witschge was unable to play the ball well because Witschge was not turned yet to the right direction. He had to take one look too many.' And then he did this... He moved all glasses. And I was thinking, because my memory is also better as many others. What does he mean? Oh yes, now I remember that moment. And in this manner Willem was able to replay a full game. I was looking at that and thought: How is this possible? This is insane. How can you accurately replay all the match situations and positions without audiovisual aid, when all screens are dark? It was all correct, without making notes. And re-arranging all those pots time and time again... This is absurd. I also thought: who cares? But the enthusiasm and sharpness, with which he can bring back things is really peerless."
Interviewer: "He said once that he fears insanity. Becomes insane from football."
Gene: "When he was manager at AZ, he also did a few things for television. And sometimes he was looking at 02:00 hours, in the night, recorded tapes of Dundee United - Falkirk. Because maybe it had a good player. But he watched the full game during the night. I said: 'Willem, everything has an end.' Very unusual."

[Documentary also shows images of him when he was assistant-manager of the NT in 2004. When Dick Advocaat subbed out a very young Robben, it caused a big uproar, because it changed the outcome of the game. Van Hanegem answered the questions at the following press conference, and when asked what he would do if Advocaat subs Robben out again, he said: 'I will knock him out.']

Host: "At the moment he is the manager of FC Utrecht. He has arranged that he is not obliged to talk with the press. This is for his assistant John van Loen."
Derksen: "That is laughable."
Kraaij: "Strange."
Derksen: "Willem doesn't like the idea of justifying his choices against some brats who have just finished the School of Journalism. In some ways I can understand this."
Kraaij: "It just belongs to the job of manager. That you talk to the press after a game."
Derksen: "He doesn't like that. And then he is interrogated by kids who could have been his grandson. With a cap placed back to front and a backpack. And those start to disagree with the formation and whatever. That is how Willem sees this and that is why he backs off."
Kraaij: "I also know some people at Utrecht and not everyone likes this."
Derksen: "Van Loen does this, he himself steps in the car and sometimes he says it on other places. In some instances for a good fee of course, in case Marianne did not fall asleep."
Kraaij: "Willem can get away with this. For everyone else in Dutch football it is a guaranteed no go. It will not be accepted and damages the image permanently."

And this credit has been built throughout the years. I do not say systematically, but intuitional and instinctive... Yes. He has created this. Whether is was conscious or subconscious, I think for the most part the latter thing. Willem has created a lot of things around him. With or without purpose, I don't know, but it has happened."
Interviewer: "For a part he has established his own image."
Kraaij: "Yes."

Gene: "After all these years I think Willem wants to be immortal."
Jacobs: "I have some fine curly hair but unfortunately I become balder and grey with the years. And his hair only becomes darker."
Wijnstekers: "I will ask him the next time. He is very good in taking care of himself now, I think."
Interviewer: "Nowadays you dare to ask him?"
Wijnstekers: "Yes. I see him regularly and I am also more audacious now. That is right."

This was the last part. Next the interview.

 

A part is taken from this right?
http://www.breskens.com/senioren/dir/oudeverhalen/willem.html

The famous Marseille rejection was in 1972, not in 1976 (check in newspaper archives).

Around the same time (in 1973 and 1974) he also refused a move to FC Barcelona, who made him an attractive offer on paper too.

Later in 1977 also Valencia, or various clubs in France (Nice, Paris, St. Etienne). Or the United States (most attractive offer financially).

Germany was never an option for him of course and he did not rank the English game very high, for whatever reason (Manchester City made an offer in 1979; probably higher as what he earned in the USA back then). And Italy was closed.
Belgium was also an option (who had, if I might say, in terms of financial incentives a developed black money circuit and attractive taxation for footballers).

 

Before I move over to the long interview I will post some interesting excerpts from his praised biography (winning many awards because of the great quality - Van Hanegem cooperated and his wife provided many photographs and information for the creators).

When this was published, he didn't have many interviews around this time to promote the book. Maybe it was not necessary anyway. He had one interview though in NRC, the largest quality paper in the Netherlands (not a semi-tabloid like my beloved *cough* Telegraaf).

The title of the interview was, how peculiar: 'Just as useful as a waste collector' (December 2007).
http://vorige.nrc.nl/nrc.nl/fans2007/20071208/pages/01013/articles/NRC-20071208-01013004.pdf

"

On Thursday the first biography appeared about Willem van Hanegem (63). Nice, is the opinion of the former star player. But not more as that. 'I did nothing special in my life.'
[...]
'When I received a large candy, I was very satisfied. Nowadays the sky is the limit. Children seize and seize endlessly. They call it ADHD. But I know this better. This is what we all made of it. And that is sad.'
[...]
They are used that everything is done for them. When the players arrive at the club the shampoo, hair-drier and towel are ready to use. 'When I was as old [as my players now], I thought at home what I would take with me to the training. With chilly weather I travelled with long shorts and a woolen hat to the training. And please do not think I had it bad. On the contrary, I was in ecstasy. I was allowed to do what I always wanted in my life, playing football. Then almost every other effort is a minor cost.'

After more than 40 years involvement in football you receive tomorrow your first biography. Don't you think, that could have been done at an earlier moment?

'No. Such a book is nice. But also without a book my heart survives. That Cruijff receives a biography when he turns 60 is understandable. But me?'

Your wife Marianne said: 'Willem is naturally humble. That the biography waited for such a long time fits to him'.

'I did nothing special in my life. I played football, but nothing more than that. I also say that towards my players: "I place every Wednesday my garbage outside. Tuesday evening even. Then I hope the man will arrive for emptying the bin. In case he ain't there, the pile will start to stink. So this man is as valuable as me."'

Footballers are nowadays placed too much on a socle.

'Exactly. And not only football players. Also trainers/managers. Those usually think they are very decisive. They create complicated talks. And they stamp their players full with apparently important information, which does often more harm than good. I do not want to undermine my own profession. But is is a fact: if the players do not want, the manager is nowhere.'

Is this the reason why you do not give press conferences? You do not want to make your job more important as necessary?

'No, that has a different reason. At press conferences the journalists expect managers who talk everything towards their own person. Like: if the referee didn't whistle, we had won. The worst thing is, they [the journalists] even type this nonsense down. They expect I provide the ingredients for their story. I pass for that. It is no problem to answer questions, even if they make little sense. I do not feel too big for engaging this discussion, we all become wiser through this. But I refuse to create their own report.'

[...]

'That is what I try imprint to the guys: you have a fantastic life. You are allowed to play in front of 20000 people who know your name. You travel all around the world. The gap with laying in your bed isn't that big. Or the gutter - because that is what you see increasingly more often right? So go for it.'
[...]

Fear has crowded into [domestic] football

'True. And that is because coaches think in particular about their own interest. Observing a player with honest interest - it is a rarity. If I see that one of my boys do not move well, I think: something is going on. And after some questions it appears how his grandma is dying or his father terminally ill. 'Move away', I say when I hear something like that. 'And come back when the time is right.' The fine thing is that such a boy is the next day the first to appear on training.'

With some empathy you can achieve reasonable success in modern football

'Sure. Maybe you can remember how a while back an entire family jumped in front of the train. When they asked the neighbours how that was possible, the answer was: "We did not see it coming." No, is that strange? If you do not show interest in your environment, you will not see it arriving. We all walk with headsets on our heads nowadays. We barely talk with each other in this era.'

Your former manager Ernst Happel was also known for his engagement. Is he one of your examples?

Van Hanegem jumps. 'Yes! Happel learnt me how you can give confidence to the people you work with. He had a great knowledge about people. Within a few minutes he was able to dissect the strengths and weaknesses of an opponent. Long stories wasn't his style. When I sat recently in 'Holland Sport' [television programme] and heard his name, it became too much for me. Within a few seconds his whole life was back on my eyes again. From the first encounter to the last time I saw him. That does something.'

People see you at times as a negative person. But secretly you are a very emotional man.

'Yes, I do not try to hide this too much. My engagement is sometimes seen as negativism. That is not right. I express myself when I find something not good. I am entitled to do so isn't it? If someone who I love is not doing well, I feel concerned.'

[...]
[When asked whether he ever wanted to be national team manager]
He looks to the ground. 'No, No. That is not up to me. It is strange, but I never was very ambitious.'

[...]

You made a plea for pleasure in football and also the mentality to win. They can use that in the national team.

'That is right. When Orange plays, rarely a smile appears in group. I do not understand. Still, I maintain that I am not the right man for the right position. It is not my strength. Who is? Even with help from God I don't have a clue.'

Back to the book. You receive the first print from Ben de Paauw, the man who was saved by your father during the bombardment of Breskens. What does it mean for you?

'Nineteen years ago Ben entered my doorstep for the first time at my current home in Haarlem. Shaking. 'Every time I saw you play, I thought about the bombardment', he said (when the father of Van Hanegem, bowed over the little baby Ben, died through grenade splinters, NRC). I answered that it was very bad. But it had been even worse if I had heard later how my father walked past him. Ben looked at me very surprised for a while. Then the relieve came. Professor Ben - he is oncologist nowadays - is the only person to who I can give the first print.'

"

He indeed lives in Haarlem for some while now. He regularly watches at the amateur club EDO. In this way he also helped a current Feyenoord player since this player was six years old. Van Hanegem is a friend of his father. This player is Jordy Clasie and has a chance to make the 2014 World Cup squad.

 

Happel was known for using his own unique language. A mixture of Viennese dialect, German and Dutch. And shortening words or sentences.

I remember even HSV players (Hrubesch, Magath) mentioning this. And Netzer says it literally in the Happel documentary. 'I thought I mastered the German language...'

But in principle he was able to write in Dutch, because also his assistants at Feyenoord, Brugge and Dutch NT had to see what he wrote and noticed...

EDIT: it is at 25:00 of the previous page. In the three minutes between 25:00 and 28:00.


He had already this strange mixture of languages before he moved to Feyenoord, when he managed Den Haag.

 

I said it maybe before but for 1974 not Michels but Happel was on top of the list to lead the national team. An idea the leading players liked (thus also Cruijff, Neeskens). Happel also made it very clear in interviews that he aspired the job and said things like that (I cite) "if no strange things happen, the Netherlands will wave with the World Cup." He even went as far to say that Rinus Israel was in totality a better player as Franz Beckenbauer. So it was a very clear hint he wanted to have the job.
But then suddenly a second interview came where Happel started to say a wide array of strange things within that interview. About sex and cannabis use. The directors of the Football Association could not swallow this, and Happel tried to correct his mistake, but it cleared the road for Michels.

 

From Van Hanegem his biography (20o7). The first chapter is a long interview.

"

'A ball with outside left is no art. Look, you stand correctly in front of the ball. If I have to play it with my instep, I should make two moves to stand in the right way behind the ball. A waste'

'One English commentator said about this ball [a pass in the 1974WC versus Bulgaria] that it was the best pass of the World Cup. I played this ball, cross, over a distance of about 40 meters, at the sweet spot with outside left. True, forty meters with the outside, not many did that. Cruijff could play very well with the outside of both feet, but he restricted it to the final third of the pitch, outside the penalty area. On the other two-thirds he mostly played it 'clean'. But al right, that ball, arrives precisely on the good side of Rep, with the right spin. He could walk through on speed. Yes, that was a delicious one to give. The strange thing maybe, is that such a long pass wasn't any effort for me. As if you are drunk, in that relaxed way you should kick the ball. Go. With loose legs and loose foot. Then the ball will flow with a great pace. Preferably I played on a dry field, on dry fields the ball absorbed everything what he needed to absorb.'

'The finest state was when one can see what would happen. In my time at Feyenoord I knew Moulijn walked at the left in front of me. I tried to place myself in the thoughts of the opposing defender and full-back.
[...]
Playing without looking is the best. Ronaldinho also tries it at the moment at Barcelona, but that appears as a bad act. He already played the ball and only then he flashes with his head around.'

It is interesting who could keep pace with Willem, and the many options he had inside his head for playing a match. Wasn't it a fruitful condition for misunderstandings? It is after all lonely at the top, also on the field.

Willem: 'I could always deal with Piet Keizer very well, he saw the game. Cruijff in essence too. It matters here that you understand of each other what you are able to do. That is why Ove Kindvall was a good striker to play with. I knew he was quick and he knew: Willem delivers it at the right place. At Feyenoord Moulijn was fine to play with, although we had reappearing disagreements about the timing of my passes.'
'Now we talk about it, Marianne showed me recently a picture of a world team I played in. I saw Eusebio standing next to me, and Pelé played too. Nervous? No. It is not hard at all to play within a team of only elite footballers. The game was probably nice, but I don't remember how I played with those men.'

'With Maradona I had wanted to play for a moment. And talked, about his mindset. In his Italian period at Napoli the whole team was built around him to highlight his qualities to the maximum. In essence he said: 'Give me the ball, I will do something good.' That is how they became champion.'
[...]
'Maradona was of the outside category. That is then maybe really art [...]. I think Maradona had always two or three options in his mind and made continuously a quick decision between those options. That was his big strength.'
[...]
'I was once allowed to train goalkeepers. Joop Hiele stands in goal. I stand on about 18 meters diagonally, perfect for a right footed player. But I tried it with left. Theoretically you cannot score. I pulled the ball first with my feet in the sky, hanging backwards with my body to give the ball height, and then I provided speed and curl, while with free kicks you cannot touch the ball twice of course. It was not possible and still the ball landed behind the goalkeeper. I found that funny, to imagine this on a training. Comes Cruijff standing next to me. He says: 'Hello, the goalkeeper was not positioned in the right way of course.' I said: 'Oh really? You can stand in the goal yourself if you want.' Cruijff in the goal, at the position he thought it is possible to stop any ball shot with the outside left. I shoot the ball in the same manner, and the end of the story was the same.'

"



His pinnacle is maybe the role he had at the 1974 World Cup. As known, the preparation was not good with Van Hanegem himself tired/injured after the season and anyhow not in great shape. Same for Cruijff ofc and the defence. During the tournament he said this (source is biography): 'I play in a new role. I make myself Cruijff his subordinate. Logically, many do at this World Cup. Wim Jansen and I do a lot of defence, because Johan Neeskens plays the most attacking role. I do not mind. Yes, there are nicer jobs, but this World Cup is not organized for Van Hanegem.'
Quote is a bit longer than this though, with him saying that for a long time he regarded Cruijff the best player in the world, but that he is wrong and thinks he is the greatest personality there is.

A sport magazine had a standard question to footballers, the "most favourite players to play with". When asked to Van Hanegem in May 1971 he answered: Jansen, Israel, Cruijff, Keizer.

 

Before I start with the long interview (and that will be the end too), I was looking for players who were 'adopted' by 'Willem' in the biography. Interesting cases of those instances are Hugo Hovenkamp (addicted to alcohol, problems with his wife and always sleeping on a different place), who has more than 30 caps for the national team.
Van Hanegem also seems to have taken care of a young Hans van Breukelen.

 

A brief summary of what is said between 25:00 and 28:00:

As bridge a quote of Happel after the lost 1978 final is used. Happel said in his typical style that the match would've been extended for a further 10 minutes if Rensenbrink had scored the goal (attempt on the post). It is a moment where Happel does not try to speak a 'proper' language.

Then the narrator mentions literally how Happel has developed a language style with Viennese, German and Dutch influences. Netzer was impressed with what Happel did tactically at Brugge so he tried to bring him to Hamburg, successfully of course.

Then Netzer himself starts to talk and said how Happel was very hard to understand, esp. in the first one or two years.

A former player, Thomas von Heesen, provides a number of examples of non-existing words. For 'corner-flag' Happel had created his own word. There are more examples like that. Words that do not exist in any language.

Narrator makes a link with the implementation of Happel his ideas about how football ought to be played.

But Netzer, he himself says, was impressed with how rapidly Happel was able to introduce the concepts of offside-trap, zonal marking and forechecking (pressing, I assume) to the club; and those tactical changes all at the same time. Netzer emphasizes how these were alien concepts for German football in general, and thus also the Hamburg players did not grow up with these plans. They were not used to the execution of these concepts. But despite this, and despite initial misunderstandings, Happel was very quick in successfully implementing this. Netzer concludes that this underlined Happel his management skills; he attributes this fairly swift change to Happel his craftsmanship.

 

Just realized that it was maybe a better idea to look in the Feyenoord Centenary Book (2008), which has a condensed version of the biography, basically. Much easier as flipping through a (well-written) book of 300 pages. Apart from the earlier mentioned things, this are I think the most interesting pieces of information:

Van Hanegem his profile in the book starts with that it is difficult to typify him. If it is asked to himself he mumbles : "No idea, you can ask to others."

Rinus Israel: "Within the field Willem was a beast. Outside the field too good. When he had 25 Guilders, he gave away two 'tenths' [20 Guilders] when someone asked.'
Peter Houtman: "He was in the team absurdly dominant. The uncontested leader. Though still a boss who always had the cap on of a blue collar worker.'
Coen Moulijn: "Also against me he always wanted to win, also with card games in the train. But if the match did not develop in the way he wanted, he started to scoff. It did not always land very well at his team mates."
Johan Cruijff: "Willem had the mentality of a fighter. For this reason he never played bad, his lowest level was high. Because if his trickery with the ball departed him, then he fought even harder, through which he maintained his importance for the team."
Ben Wijnstekers: "He was like a chess player. He thought two turns ahead. He could think for others and only the best of his era could do that."

Ernst Happel, a month before his death: "Wiellem ist ein aparte. Uniek foesballer, uniek mens."
["Willem is an unusual. Unique footballer, unique human being."

About the lost 1974 final he said that it still annoys him. Because they had a team that was "two classes better as the team that became European Champion in 1988". He says his team made a big mistake after the 1:0. "I could not talk for a few days. I felt really sick. Everyone of the team went to the city in the evening, but I didn't as you know, I locked myself in the hotel room."

Also interesting is that after 1971 Cruijff became his room-mate during away games of the national team. Also again another nice anecdote of the 1983-84 season, when Van Hanegem was assistent-manager of Feyenoord and Cruijff played his last season there.
It is confirmed that Cruijff held once, aided by a whiteboard, a talk about how hard it is to score through a corner kick. And there is even a danger of a counter-attack. Thus after a long talk about how it is the best to pass the ball to the nearest player instead of crossing it to the goalmouth, Van Hanegem said: "Lovely Johan, now I have heard how tricky corner kicks are, maybe it is the best to immediately kick the ball behind the backline..."

Also funny: ten years after 1974 there was a rematch between both teams. A reunion. This time the Dutch 'oldies' won with 1:0. Was Van Hanegem a little bit happy? Not at all, he was heavily disappointed in his once great team mates. "Playing with trainers, that is awful."
Profile says that he didn't want to become a manager. In 1970 he said: "Imagine that I have to work with so many difficult people? No, no. Never." But as stated above: his second wife Marianne changed his thoughts...

Finally, this short profile also states something that isn't in the interview I'll translate and not mentioned above. In 1968-69 Van Hanegem plays his first season at Feyenoord. They won the championship, but it was without Happel (Happel came in the summer of 1969). Van Hanegem laments the change to 4-3-3 and said around that time how his former club Xerxes played a more attractive version of football. Not everyone appreciated this remark, but this also helps to explain his immediate enthusiasm for Happel, who intended to use a slightly more attractive version of 4-3-3 in his eyes...

 

Wasn't sure about fore-checking because here some would make a difference between pressing and fore-checking.

Yes, when Netzer explains his understanding of man-marking, he talks about 'abwehrspieler' [defenders] who follow their man, "no matter where he went. And there was zonal marking, but also forechecking [...explanation what it is...]. Where everyone moves forward and plays the opponent offside."

So, with man-marking he refers to the defence. And he referred to the implementation of all these things together, as well as the idea that players did not grow up with the execution of these concepts. Like the national team played with a libero until the early-00s and playing with man-oriented stoppers was the standard for a long while (if I'm correct it was propagated by the DFB until the early-00s as well for the youth level). It doesn't mean of course that nobody knows what happens abroad.

In a literal sense he doesn't use the word 'alien' (or 'unfamiliar') as far as zonal marking is concerned.

If I translate the start of his talk literally, it becomes this:
"In Germany we scarcely [kaum] introduced [eingefuhrt] zonal marking. There was only [es gab immer] man marking, where the defender runs after his direct opponent, no matter [egal] where he moves to. And you have zonal marking. But [aber] there was [es gab] fore-checking. On every place the team moves forward in a nature and manner that was for that time [damalige Zeit] not seen anywhere else [nirgendwo]. The offside-trap, that went along with these tactics; and that all was for this team, Standard Liege, a self-evidence. That is what he brought to the team and observed as sensational. Then I said: 'Who is able to implement such a thing to a team, then he can only be a great manager.'"

Etcetera, etcetera (plus how there were no players around who grew up with this). The big word "revolutionary" is reserved for two things: the introduction of offside-trap in Germany and the closing down of the ball-possesing player [ball-fuhrende spieler] at their own half from the very start.

 

This was a summarizing article I read a while ago. Google translate can help.
http://www.rund-magazin.de/news/919/23/Themenwoche-Taktikreport-Abwehrspieler

 

Here I will start with the interview:

"

The older generations talk about Lenstra and Wilkes, and the younger ones mention Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten. And now Van Persie and Robben. But the two best footballers that have been gifted to the Netherlands are Cruijff, with Van Hanegem tight in his wake.

Van Hanegem and the beginning

Interviewer: "It started quite dramatically. At 11 September 1944 your brother, sister and father died during the bombardment of Breskens. You was born a half year earlier. That had in many ways a huge impact on your life. In any event it resulted in a huge dislike against Germans.

Van Hanegem: "Yes, that... It has lessened a little bit. But it was like that. Everyone thought it was related to football, but that wasn't the case. They had simply some quality. And some... Yeah, whether it is a German, an Italian or Spaniard or Englishman. If you regarded him as an arrogant chap, then so be it. Indeed, I often saw with Germans that they walked and behaved more arrogant as another country."

Interviewer: "It changed a bit when you talked with Wolfgang Overath [who lost one brother in a similar way, PvH]. Because he had experienced something that was similar. Right?"

Van Hanegem: "Yes, and the strange thing is that later this feeling became stronger. It was also related to... It sounds very strange but it was related to Claus [von Amsberg]. I regarded Claus as a kind and atypical royal. A great and sympathetic man through the years. And he was before... yeah."

Interviewer: "A pity he was a German."

Van Hanegem: "He was a German [with a history; Van Hanegem doesn't say it but maybe he means this]. Thus... But yeah, that was nevertheless something... Yes. Through this I developed multiple perceptions, and also the meetings with Overath like you say. He experienced essentially the same as me, yes."

Interviewer: "Your mother went in 1946 to Utrecht. And there you had to deal with your second father. But he never was the classic annoying step father."

Van Hanegem: "No, no. In contrast even. He was a fantastic 'father' to have. The man worked and worked, did everything for the kids. Because yes, in those days it was only poverty and such."

Interviewer: "Did you truly experience poverty as kid?"

Van Hanegem: "Well... In those days it was the case that without good shoes you could not come everywhere, you could not go outside. 'Sunday shoes' were that. We had often jackboots or cheap gym shoes. And that was not really beneficial for getting sent outside by your mother. It laid in that way, simply."

 

Part 2:

"
Interviewer: "Your step father was DOS supporter. He took you with him to the Galgenwaard where you idolized Tonny van der Linden. And he even took you with the moped to a match against Enschede. Where you even met Helmut Rahn. But that was like a world tour on a shabby moped your father fumbled from somewhere."

Van Hanegem: "On that moped it was. It was I thought a very old Avaros. And with Ries van de Boogerd, who sadly died at a very young age... an accidence."

Interviewer: "Yes."

Van Hanegem: "We went to Enschede indeed. But we went to the Volewijckers at the moped, to Volendam on the moped. It was an awful sight because the thing had no real buddy-sit. The complete journey it was one big shake and when you stopped you was dizzy for some more minutes. That were very long journeys."

Interviewer: "But arrived back at home safely."

Van Hanegem: "It look a long while. Later you think: 'How on earth was it possible to do this?'"

Interviewer: "With the car it is even today quite a travel."

Van Hanegem: "Yes, but I also saw people coming from Tilburg to DOS in Utrecht on the bicycle. With the bicycle to see their club 'Willem II' from Tilburg. That was perhaps the standard of that time, a different idea of time and space."

Interviewer: "Your step father was supporter of DOS, the befriended general practitioner was for Elinkwijk."

Van Hanegem: "Elinkwijk yes."

Interviewer: "But you went to Velox. How did you end up standing at those training fields?"

Van Hanegem: "Well yes... I initially wanted to try at DOS. For that I had to play a test match, to get accepted in the amateur youth ranks. But yes, evidently I never had or used football shoes. Thus that was the end of the road. Then the general practitioner said that I can try at Elinkwijk, without shoes.
This doctor had also a governing function at the club. I went to Elinkwijk but I wasn't accepted. [I was] a strange guy and not good enough.
So I kept on playing at the 'playground', as we called it. Somehow we formed a good team with those chaps and at tournaments we became champions. And a part of that, a few were part of DSV, from those a share of about 80% went to Velox. Thus I travelled along with them to Velox. Not for playing football, but to look and support them for making it.
There was one big guy, a professional fireman, and he was only shouting and acting like an army leader. I imitated him from the sidelines. He came to me with: 'Go away now!' And then I went to the next field. There was Van Beek with Henk Ledde doing their things.
I stood behind the goal and kicked a few balls back. After the training Van Beek approached me. 'Do you play somewhere?'. I said no of course. 'Yes, only at the playground.' 'Well, here you can try.' I said: 'It costs money.' But no, that did not matter for him. He would arrange it. He said that he can fix it."

 

Part 3, Van Hanegem continues with his story:

"

Van Hanegem (as late addition to the explanation at part 2): "After a few months I received a contract."

Interviewer: "Do you remember how high that was?"

Van Hanegem: "Yes, it is not too long ago we searched. It was 1250 to 1500 Guilders a year."

Interviewer: "For one whole season?"

Van Hanegem: "Yes. A victory was 50 Guilders. And when we went to Veendam or Enschede we received one Guilder for consumption. In the train. In the past people walked in the train with carts as you know; coffee and breads."

Interviewer: "Bob Jansen saw something in you and took you to Xerxes. Together with Cobus Lissenberg, another player of Velox."

Van Hanegem: "I was taken to Xerxes, the first year. And Bob left the club. Bob convinced me but Bob went to NAC. And then I got my 'friend' Kurt Linder as trainer. He was a German trainer."

Interviewer: "Yes, we know him. Someone educated at a Sport School and a man emphasizing discipline."

Van Hanegem: "True. And a lot of running. Too much, so that was immediately a 'friend'."

Interviewer: "You are a type with prejudices, thus when you heard Linder was a German it was already a lost cause. But did you ever built a good relationship later on with him?"

Van Hanegem: "No. The second year it was often... I thought it was after an away game against Twente. We did not play good anyway. It was half time and Linder stood on a elevation, shouting... Even more shouting. We all had to sit in line. And then... Maybe it was wrong to say, but I did say it. Things happen. I said: 'The years 40-45 are over, chief.' We ignored each other for three months, at the very least.

So every time with post-match talk we ignored each other. And I did not feel the need any longer to say anything back. Thus..."

Interviewer: "No. I see. In 1968 Ajax had minor interest in you. But Michels overruled and did not let you pass during one test training. You was too slow."

Van Hanegem: "Rightly so [smile]."

Interviewer: "Was you pissed off?"

Van Hanegem: "No, no. I am not going to annoy myself with assessments like that. That would have been very strange. I was... I was uhhh... The known journalist Dick van de Polder [from Rotterdam, PvH] talked about Sparta. He came to my home and said that I should go to Sparta Rotterdam. That is what I had in my mind... And yes, suddenly a man arrived from nowhere and started to talk about what Feyenoord wanted with me."

Interviewer: "And you jumped in."

 

Van Hanegem and Feyenoord

Interviewer: "The truth is that you cannot complain that much. If you look: Rinus Israel, Theo Laseroms, Coen Moulijn, Kindvall, Wim Jansen... That was a solid base for the team."

Van Hanegem: "I have to say that it was a fine team. But, and that makes me mad at times, some pretend that it was only a team with tough players and hard workers. But in that period they [he doesn't say: 'we'] played state of the art football."

Interviewer: "And in those days there was not a problem with defenders."

Van Hanegem: "No. And that was a lovely feeling as midfielder, that you didn't need to take a continuous look behind. You knew that was fine. With Laseroms and Israel. Jansen as support in your vicinity. Laseroms was very open, very hard. Israel was a great player, honestly among the better defenders I have ever seen. But... It was also an annoying guy to play against. I have to say. That is not nice. And that is what they say. Also with Cruijff even. We stood in the hall and they looked at him and said: 'Johan, listen. If you want to see your wife and sleep in your own bed tonight, do not set a foot in the penalty area.' So... But the mutual understanding was also good. A lot of respect for each other. But those things were said without thinking. It was normal, and the hospital too. It is the way it is. You gave a smash, and after that it was past tense."

Interviewer: "I can remember a photo where Laseroms smashed a gaping hole in Jan Veenstra of Go Ahead. He lost all his teeth."

Van Hanegem: "Yes, I can remember that too. But Veenstra wanted to head the ball very low."

Interviewer: "Was the opinion of Laseroms."

Van Hanegem: "At hindsight Veenstra said that he did it clean and neat. He did it with the inside of his flat hand."

Interviewer: "Willem, was it also an option to kick his head outside the stadium?"

Van Hanegem: "If you really do it with full force... The guy, Veenstra flew in the air and he hit something. I went looking to him, and he had a hole indeed. The defenders went later to the hospital."

Interviewer: "In 1970 you won the European Cup. Did the players realize that you achieved something rare?"

Van Hanegem: "Mmmm. The less pleasant thing was that you had after Milan two opponents, for who everyone not tied to Feyenoord did not care. They were tricky but for the 'outside world', outside Feyenoord, not a priority at that time."

Interviewer: "That were games you just need to win."

Van Hanegem: "Or lose, in case the dice fell differently. Vorwarts Berlin... Yes, annoying match, annoying field, tricky shoes [Ajax played in the same season against Jena, another GDR opponent who played with sharp iron spikes, PvH]. Legia Warsaw; a good team with some fantastic players [Deyna] but also an annoying field away, that can trick you on any day.
But after you win against reigning champion Milan you have to win against those too, was the feeling among us. And then you met Celtic. I thought: 'Their reputation is based on something, sure they have probably a good team.' And I remember they played a good semi-final against Leeds United. But we started to develop disapproval when Celtic did the warm-up. Quite arrogant. I was looking at that with a few guys and I said: 'Those think we cannot play football or so.' And that was the big strength, apart from his vision, of Happel that day. He immediately used that to our advantage instead of that it became a disadvantage. In that aspect he was a master."

Interviewer: "You also played for the Intercontinental Cup against Estudiantes. That was also an adventure."

Van Hanegem: "You show the goal now and the memory comes back indeed. I broke my finger."

Interviewer: "Joop van Daele based his career on this."

Van Hanegem: "The goal and the glasses. But that was fantastic and special, I felt. Look, I am a fan of Argentinians in a way. Great players, great mindset, but also annoying bastards, to put it that way. In that game you move ahead with an attack and suddenly you receive a bang against your face. Then you think later: 'Actually a cunning move.' Smart. At that moment you curse yourself but yes... The Argentinian just waits for you and sees that you are coming his way. I look for one moment where the ball is and bang, a wall, and that was a punch. And then that incident with Van Daele indeed. I actually needed to laugh when I saw that Malbernat took his glasses and stamped with his shoes, to be sure. We were team mates of course and I liked him but I laughed openly. 'What a special bastard it is.'"


EDIT: Van Hanegem is right that the television did not prioritize the games against Warsaw and Berlin. They preferred to broadcast Ajax and others live. Partially because of the opponents (and everything after holders Milan was a downgrade), partially also because of a rotation policy; to equal out things a bit. The newspapers followed this, and had more attention for Ajax and other Dutch clubs.

 

After the match Happel dared to complain about the goal that Celtic scored, despite the for him positive end result

It was a thing he wanted to say, it was for the record.