The thread for Ruud Gullit

Never realized this but Gullit his famous Milan performance in 1993-94, with Sampdoria against former team, ended a period of 72 matchdays where AC Milan led the table on their own Milan fell to third.

 

I am speculating now but his extravert personality, character and linguistic skills maybe helped (I didn't know he could speak Brazilian but you showed this).

His style of play has also something Brazilian in a way (also in many ways not... I am speculating). The stopovers with his long legs.

Maybe if Gullit had come back to the Eredivisie like Rijkaard (or later Cocu) you get a different appreciation in his own country. Or him winning UEFA trophies with native teams like Van Basten, Bergkamp have done too.

The end of his national team career and how his private life has been covered doesn't helpt either. The quality and controversy of his punditry.

Funny thing is PSV won the treble directly after Gullit left... PSV almost repeated this in the first season after Robben left (in 2004-05).

 

In phases I'll complete the thread then... and limit myself to this thread... I know some would like.

This is what is said in the video above:

"[starts in middle of a sentence]".... since the Holland super trio fell apart. Rijkaard left, Gullit left and today Gullit played with Sampdoria against his old Italian love Milan. You will see the images next. Milan is still without Marco van Basten, who principally refuses to name a date of return."

Local narrator: "In technical expertise Brian Laudrup can certainly measure himself with Van Basten, who is still not able to train [...]." (@PDG1978 was/is correct the Laudrup brothers were liked here very much, maybe a bit more in the west?)

(I transcribe here what the subtitles say; my listening to Italian is not good enough)

Capello: "Hopefully Van Basten is recovered soon. It doesn't matter when he comes, only that he comes back."
Interviewer: "What do you hope, sir?"
Capello: "What I hope is not important, only the facts count."
Interviewer: "Also Gullit provided your game a certain creative impulse. Is it not strange to see him play so well at Sampdoria?"
Capello: "No, we already knew he is a good player. Like he plays now he can still play at Milan. He preferred to play at a club where he can play more often. Such as Sampdoria, which has a less heavy schedule."
Interviewer: "Berlusconi says the departure of Gullit is a mistake. Would you agree?"
Capello: "If the chairman says this, it has to be."
Interviewer: "What do you think of Gullit as opponent of Milan?"
Capello: "We know him extremely well. He is of great class. We will see whether we can stop him."

(in a different video Capello shows his respect for the interviewer speaking in Italian to him; notice how Capello isn't standing in front of a billboard with sponsors or so; it was often like this)

---------------------------------------------------------

Ruud Gullit can dethrone Milan
"Extra incentive to end the record"

GENOA (by Jurriaan van Wessem) - The beautiful autumn of 1987 reflects in the Mediterranean Sea. As strong as Gullit played football then, the star player has started this season as well. Never before has he scored so many goals (six) in Italy during the first two months of the season. He is now even the top scorer in Serie A. The figures speak for themselves: just like at Feyenoord, PSV and AC Milan, Ruud Gullit makes a resounding entrance at Sampdoria. The supporters of the Genoese club are lyrical about him and even the previously critical press runs out of superlatives. The Gullit-mania reaches a new peak on Sunday with Sampdoria-Milan. It will be something like Feyenoord's Cruijff against Ajax.

"Ruud, are you going to take revenge on Milan?" The journalist should not have asked the question. "Me taking revenge? Stop it. And why then?", Gullit answers slightly irritated. After a week in which he had to explain to death why he chose Sampdoria over Torino as his new employer, the press now asks him about his past. "Milan is the highlight of my career. I owe a lot to that club and I also think the club had my help. I may be gone, but Milan, from the players to the fans, will always hold a special place in my heart. That's logical. On Sunday I'll play against my old mates. That's part of football. I have other interests, but I don't have to take revenge against them."

Milan president Silvio Berlusconi recently admitted that he parted ways with his 'black tulip' too soon. "I thought he would never reach his very best level again and would peak like yesterday a few times a year at most. His strong performance surprises me. It was a mistake to let him go. For me he remains a Milanista, even if he wears a different shirt. Every time I see him in action, I hope he wins. Except on Sunday." The media tycoon revealed that Gullit did not keep his word: "Ruud assured me that he would go abroad, because he could never bring himself to play against Milan. That's why I let him go, ha, ha. Gullit against Milan, it takes some time getting used to." Many Milan players feel the same way. Franco Baresi believes: "Ruud has left such a mark on the club, that much in this place still remembers him and echoes further. It will be a bit strange on Sunday, but I have played against good friends more often in my career. We'll keep an eye on him." This summer, Sampdoria and Milan met at a tournament in Udine. Gullit scored within a hundred seconds on an assist from Evani, another Milanista in Samp clothing. "That didn't count. There's really something at stake on Sunday. That goal was very bizarre. But I believe it was also for my former teammates. Afterwards, a few of them wanted to swap shirts with me."

By popular demand, Gullit explains once again why he turned his back on Milanello: "I was ready for something different after six years, a new challenge. I couldn't really live anymore. When I went into a restaurant in Milan, everyone looked up at who I was going out with and what I ordered. Here I can walk around anonymously. Not always, but sometimes. People don't look up when I order a pizza. I also played too little, so I couldn't get into top form consistently. Last year I scored a lot (seven times in fifteen matches - ed.), but that wasn't enough to get a permanent place. I felt like I had to take an exam every time, passed and yet failed, I couldn't do that anymore. Now that I play every week, I feel fit again. I've always believed in myself, that sometimes selfish belief is important for a top athlete. At Sampdoria I come into my own. It's nonsense that I have a free role. Eriksson really gives me orders and instructions that I have to stick to." Gullit praises the Swedish coach. "He coaches us fantastically. We know in advance exactly how the opponent plays, he explains it so well. And if he is wrong, like on Sunday in Turin [against Torino], he corrects us in time. A special coach and above all a really pleasant person to work with. There is a good click."

Eriksson does not understand the scepticism about Gullit: "Ruud is a top athlete. A player like that always has something to offer. I assumed that he would still be as physically strong as in his prime. I am only surprised that he scores this amount of goals. I told him that he might become the top scorer". Ironically, Sampdoria of all teams could knock Milan off the top spot on Sunday. That would mean an end to 72 match-weeks of dominance by the red-black club. Gullit remains laconic: "It is an extra incentive to end the record, nothing more. A week later, Milan could be back in the lead. But if I score on Sunday, don't call it my revenge on Milan, because I don't have to take revenge. If I go crazy, it is because the first goal in front of your own crowd is always very special".
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011020401:mpeg21:a0375

 

Nice link!

I said it before but it's typical how lukewarm 'World Soccer' is (compare: the title for the 1988 winners on the frontpage, with the title for the 1990 winners on the frontpage). Their very first article - I think by Radnedge and Kuper - starts with how bad the Dutch league is, and a (strange) reference to West Germany their move to professionalism in the 1960s before mentioning 'Holland' professionalized in the 1950s. The majority of the headlines on the pages mention Germany and/or Beckenbauer, not Netherlands. The winners.

The 1988 winners received an unfavorable comparison next to France 1984, the previous German euro winners, Argentina 1978 (really...) and also Netherlands 1974 (which, at the time, they didn't rate either, with their premier voice putting zero of our players in for 1974; of course we see the same in 2012 with Falcao instead of RvP and then at euro 2024 or World Cup 2014, euro 2000 again with only Davids in and Bergkamp excluded from their wider list of 40 players). Sofascore really shows otherwise: the euro 1988 winners had the highest margin in euro history. Maybe the money forces should buy that one too - then they can do what they like. That tidies up some loose ends for the Coxes, pushing the 1988 class back into the "maybe best team" winners and no match for Germany 1972, France 2000 and France 1984.

An edition/issue later a Keir Radnedge take on tactics since the war. "Holland's wonderful total football of the 1974 World Cup was less a tactical movement, more a diversionary tangent [as opposed to Alf Ramsey and previous teams...]. Watching the European game week in, week out, it is clear that there are no major alterations in tactical approach. Merely variations on a theme. The Dutch have developed an attacking sweeper. But that is hardly new. West Germany's manager, Franz Beckenbauer, was the first [sic!!] of that breed in the late 1960s and the 1970s. He was also the best and it was ironic that "his" West Germany should have been beaten in the European semi-finals by a Dutch team inspired by Frank Rijkard [sic!] and Ronald Koeman - who centre-back styles owe everything to Beckenbauer himself [...]. If there is any new tactic, it is the tactic of surprise."

The thing is: they dispute what we are doing but then happily claim Beckenbauer was the first attacking/cultured defender or so. That's also a contentious claim.

For me it is really an antagonistic publication, an The Establishment pravda Horst Dassler publication, while at the same time they cannot get enough of the Hungarians.

Indeed, the Hungarians who were themselves well-enmeshed into FIFA and had notorious (match-)'fixers' like Solti, Ostreicher, Szepesi - among many others - around. The Hungarians with many more FIFA honorary awards bestowed upon them ('we' have only one, Cruijff in 2010, long after other great players and contemporaries) and also way ahead in IOC Olympic Orders (our athletes have literally zero, and is also way behind in 'administrators' btw). Make no mistake; integrity in football is worse in every country as in general society and business in the same country, thus also in Holland.

The others know we are often (definitely not always) a credible threat, so they collude and plan in advance. As I said, the European Commission clearly communicated in 2004 that a Portugal vs Greece final is economic destruction. They really stated this.

I've already said enough about 1994 in previous posts on this thread; I have more problems with 1998 personally. I also think the German football elite - 'the elite' is not the whole of Germany - once again tried to screw us in the 1993 qualifiers (that 1985 play-off game against Belgium? Also a German and the KNVB surely didn't ask for this - though Belgium an incredibly poor record when officiated by Germans too!).

These officials put on the match-form Koeman was suspended for the next game (just as Rijkaard), but the FIFA itself had to say days later it was a mistake and UEFA rules became confused. This referee team also had some incredibly poor offside decisions, including that Rijkaard goal (onside by meters!). Then that Koeman free kick that really could have been a penalty as well - where the contact or foul ends (no contact is even needed!) is relevant, not where it starts. But most attention of World Soccer et al. (or The Athletic this year) is about Platt-Koeman.

Our lack of diplomacy often does not help. Not in sports and not elsewhere. But I think some also see a certain level of sportsmanship. Example from yesterday Olympics: bronze at the 5000 meters (with Kenyans and Ethiopians packing up front and causing a blockade, which is legal - you have to start the punch and sprint from very far back). But there was a DSQ, so silver and *maybe* even gold. The winner of bronze said (and wrote on the form) to the jury this is not desired thus, for a major part because of this rebuttal, the original result stood. That's decency and a certain sense for fairness (where is The Athletic now? typically they fail to mention; even the NBC did).

And of course you have football players from 'secondary' football countries as Litmanen, Stoichkov, Finidi George, Hagi, Laudrup (Figo? Suarez?) saying 'we' helped them quite a bit to become good/great. So what's diplomacy?

 

How L'Equipe covered it is already on page 2 and page 3 of this thread.

There is a difference, yes....

 

The book came on my doormat this morning. This "a literature study" (not: the literature study).

Very interesting and thorough indeed. The inspiration was Van Hanegem his book (which the author appreciates; Van Hanegem his statement was "total football" is nonsense, it was an agreement between the players 'you do a bit of this, I do that' etc. "if you want to call this total football..."). One key to understanding is that it is not so much about formations and blueprints, but most of all certain game principles and concepts. To play with two ball-playing defenders at the highest level, in a quasi-zonal approach, might be such concept to use or not use.

It tabulates the input for the 1988 win. Siekmann his take is that it was most likely Gullit his decisive say to play 4-4-2. Gullit was present throughout, and that cannot be said about all players.

There is a special mention for inspiration from Brazil, and how Brazilian football already entered the living rooms in the 1960s (including the infamous ship bombing of 1971; the crew was watching the 22:30 highlights and update on Brazilian football). @Wiliam Felipe Gracek

He has questions for the popular (by David Winner) idea that the tiny size of the country produced an unique interpretation of space.

More logical is the (long) historical past of sailing the open waters, as well as Michels and Cruijff being alive at the same time on the same place.

I will definitely read it in full. Is no very easy read, I see.

 

I have that book by Van Hanegem too. That's a much lighter read.

I remember posting his personal choices for each decade. For the 1980s era Van Hanegem placed Gullit on 7th. Ahead are Maradona, Van Basten, Valderrama, Falcao, Baresi, Socrates. Below Gullit are though Zico, Platini, Rijkaard, M. Laudrup, Scirea, Di Bartolomei.

That 'a literature study' book has also a chapter on the "football is war" thesis (the famous Michels mis-citation), including whether 2010 (with the moments of the better lumberjack work) was a break or continuation of earlier decades. Was the 'trigger' a different one? Was this unlike the previous decades now the 'default mode' to use? It's quite 'structured' and you can see the author has seen and read a lot.

The next post will be about the famous Milan game, with Sampdoria. You can say this has become his marquee match. Not the 1989 final or, later, the Manchester United game when he was with Chelsea. I think also here that the 1993 vs Milan match has become his most famous game, yes (maybe that needs a thorough and tabular literature study too, haha).

It's peculiar Sampdoria switched here in the second half to what Gullit called (for a quick summary) the "Swedish-English style". Long balls, opportunistic, physical - "a modernized interpretation of kick and rush".

That's when Sampdoria won but there was debate about all three Sampdoria goals, and that wasn't missed here in the media (also that, irrespective of the three goals, Gullit played really well of course).

 

The Koeman-Rijkaard pairing in defense was by Italian handbooks also put down as a "double sweeper" or "double libero" approach, by Russians/Ukrainians too. In fact, and I remember this listing earlier, Ukraines/Lobanovsky possibly did this earlier (but maybe not at the highest level?).

That looks weird, but yes, if you are (maybe) not fully familiar with a quasi-zonal approach to defending then it looks as if both defenders have no one or nothing to mark or (directly) defend, so they are both libero or sweepers. Or something like this.

Typically, the above mentioned World Soccer and Radnedge didn't have a clue or did not want to have a clue (also a real possibility). With their 'nasty' World XI selections.

 

The Berlusconi television channel (already mentioned on the previous page) below:



This one was in charge:
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcello_Nicchi



There are some comments below that video, such as (by an Italian?): "I was the biggest Milan fan growing up. Only twice I supported their opponents. This was one time. The other is when they played against Ajax in the Champions League...I was protesting the way the club treated Gullit and showed solidarity with Rijkaard when he left in protest as well."


Gullit shines but doesn't think about the title

ROTTERDAM, 1 NOV. Ruud Gullit felt misunderstood in his last two years at AC Milan. He felt that he was not allowed to play enough and that too little thought was given to the great services he had rendered to the Italian championship team. Chairman Silvio Berlusconi kept saying that he wanted Gullit to stay, but according to the player that did not sound very convincing and he decided to leave for Sampdoria. Yesterday, the 31-year-old Dutchman played for the first time with his new club against AC Milan and personally scored the winning goal, 3-2.

It was the 78th minute in the sold-out Stadio Luigi Ferraris. Gullit, number four, received a perfect pass from captain Roberto Mancini on the right side of the pitch. He caught it on his thigh, took two steps, let the ball bounce twice and fired a low, diagonal shot with his right foot from just inside the penalty area past debuting goalkeeper Mario Ielpo, replacing the suspended Rossi.

Gullit seemed to be in a trance for a moment, his mouth remained open for a long time, he waved his arms wildly and he looked up at the sky. Afterwards, Gullit did not want to talk about revenge or retaliation against Milan. “Revenge is negative. That can never be my motivation.”

Milan coach Fabio Capello thought all of Sampdoria's goals were questionable. According to him, the first was offside, the penalty was not a penalty and Gullit's shot was allegedly handled by Mancini. "We were robbed."

The blow of the first away defeat since 19 May '91 (against Bari) also hit Milan hard. The title holder, also without Papin, was dominant in the first half and led comfortably 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals from Albertini and Laudrup. "We wanted to play like Milan. That was wrong. We didn't get any usable balls up front", according to Gullit. At half-time it was decided to play differently. Gullit: "A bit like the English, long balls, fighting."

The cautious Gullit, however, is not thinking about a championship for his team. "You have to know your limitations. We were outplayed by Milan in the first half and we lost big to Juventus."

-----------------------------

Other newspapers:

Gullit punctures Milan with the winning goal

From our correspondent GENOA — Ruud Gullit received the greatest compliment in the dressing room yesterday. After the top match between his new club Sampdoria and his old employer Milan (3-2 for the team from Genoa), his former teammate Marco van Basten and Milan manager Braida came to him. "That made me very happy," said the attacker who, after initially being 0-2 behind, scored the winning goal. "Van Basten and Braida are people with character. People like Simone, Savicevic and De Napoli also congratulated me in passing. I was extra stimulated for this match. I was sharper and of course extra motivated, because it concerned my old employer." Gullit was riled up by his new teammates. "We talked about nothing else for a week." Milan will soon regret selling the dark-skinned Dutchman, who is described by the Italian press as the best foreign star in Serie A. In response to the assertion he's perhaps the best Dutch player in history, he refers to his own playing experiences with Van Basten and Johan Cruijff. "How good was Johan when he was twenty-four?"

Gullit's goal meant that the Italian champions had to give up (shared) first place for the first time in 73 matches. Milan chairman Berlusconi had previously acknowledged that his club had made a mistake by letting Gullit go. However, coach Capello refused to capitulate after the match yesterday. "All three goals by Sampdoria were undeserved. The first was offside, the second came from an undeserved penalty and the third was preceded by a handball. Samp has benefited from poor management by myself." The outstanding Gullit was hardly affected by the words of his former coach.

He once again placed an open application to Johan Cruijff, intended manager of the Dutch team at the World Cup in the United States. "I hope that Cruijff can no longer ignore me, because everyone knows that it is my dream to go to a World Cup," said Gullit. "And of course it is ideal to end my career well with Johan. He can do the impossible and create miracles. Whether Johan or Dick Advocaat will go to the World Cup? There is no point in talking about that. As for the match against Poland, I am clear. I am not available for the match against England, just like I was then. I just wish the team a lot of luck. Because I really dream of the World Cup as the end of my career. Then you can call me." Gullit would not turn down a championship with Sampdoria either. "I think that despite the victory, we have to keep our feet on the ground. We are not thinking about a title here for a long time."

----------------------------------

Drama for Cruijff, a dream for Gullit

AC Milan is back among the 'ordinary' clubs in Serie A. After almost two years of uninterrupted first place, the club of the wealthy Berlusconi was knocked off its high pedestal and by none other than his most famous former employee. Gullit proved, for the umpteenth time this season and now more clearly than ever, that the critics had written him off too soon. The 'Black Tulip' blossomed at Sampdoria and personally inflicted AC Milan's first defeat of the competition: 3-2. The 31-year-old Dutchman not only inspired, but also scored the winning goal. Initially, there was no indication that Capello's team would lose an away match for the first time since 19 May 1991 (Bari). Thanks to Albertini and Laudrup, the national champions took a reassuring 2-0 lead within half an hour. It remained that way for almost twice as long.

Just when the spectators were sullenly considering accepting Milanese hegemony, the unexpected explosion came. Gullit had pleaded for an 'English' or 'Swedish' approach during the break; early disruption, long strokes towards the goalmouth. He enabled Katanec to head the ball to make it 1-2. Captain Mancini made it 2-2 from a penalty kick, after he himself had been brought down. The former captain of the Dutch team scored the winning goal twelve minutes before the end. He shot the ball diagonally into the corner of the unfortunate debutant lelpo, the replacement for the suspended goalkeeper Rossi.

Gullit was happy with the victory, although he expressed himself in a subdued manner. "A good result. During the break we decided to focus everything on the attack, Milan can pass the ball around nicely. We had to break that down. That made it a great match." He said he was quite worked up by his new teammates. "We talked about nothing else for a week."

The win put Sampdoria in the lead with Juventus, who defeated Genoa 4-0. Inter also did well with a 3-2 win over Parma. The total Inter production was due to Uruguayan Ruben Sosa, including two fantastic long-range shots from free kicks. Bergkamp and Jonk were in the starting line-up and provided foundational work for the victory. From there on, captain Bergomi disappeared to the dressing room with a red card (two yellows).

---------------------------

Gullit his ruling verdict on Milan in emotional duel


GENOA - Ruud Gullit has won the 'duel of love' and satisfied Italy. For the first time in 72 competition days, the Serie A rankings are not headed by the all-powerful AC Milan. After the 3-2 defeat suffered by the national champions at Sampdoria, Berlusconi's million-dollar team must temporarily settle for a 'modest' position. Equal with Inter Milan and Parma, one point behind the leaders Sampdona and also powerful Juventus.

The encounter between Sampdoria and AC Milan was hyped by the Italian media as 'the duel of love'. With AC Milan, Gullit won eleven titles and one European Cup for national champions in six years. His name is forever etched in the red and black of all Milan supporters. But at Sampdoria too, the Amsterdammer has acquired the status of a saint within a few months. Especially after yesterday afternoon's match, in which the 'Black Tulip' had a hard time getting started, but on a pass from Mancini made the decision after 78 minutes.

Marco van Basten had come to Genoa especially yesterday to see Ruud Gullit in action for the first time since his transfer from AC Milan to Sampdoria. "I wanted to talk to him, ask how he's doing," Van Basten said during half-time. "I've gotten used to seeing Gullit in a different shirt by now, but I've only seen him score in a few clips on television so far. This is the first time this season that I've seen him live in action. And I have to say, Milan in blue isn't playing badly," Van Basten said with a provocative smile.

At that moment, Milan deservedly took the lead 2-0, thanks to counter-goals from Albertini and the Dane Brian Laadrup. Van Basten said about his injury: Things are going a bit better, but the recovery is progressing very slowly. I'm not training at full capacity yet. I occasionally play a positional game or a small game, but that is not going as planned at all." "It is all taking far too long for me and the annoying thing is that I have no prospect of full recovery for the time being. I am in the dark about my future." "I am still far too limited in my possibilities in training. What I am currently doing in Milan is essentially not that different from what I was doing a few weeks ago on the training field in Amsterdam." In the second half, Van Basten's satisfaction with Milan's play also disappeared. Ruud Gullit later said that Sampdoria thought they were a kind of 'Milan' in the first half and therefore started the match with misplaced arrogance.

Gullit: "We thought we could tick them away in midfield, but Sampdoria doesn't have the team for that and Milan is clever in their duels and fouls. We had to fight harder, a bit like the English, otherwise you'll never reach Milan's goal. Don't forget that Sampdoria basically has a limited team. Tactically and technically we are a lot less than the best Milan. We shouldn't suddenly consider ourselves the main title candidate." In the second half, which was very lively by Italian standards, Sampdoria fought back doggedly. Was Van Basten still happily clapping along to the rhythm of the songs in the stadium, which was sold out with 40,000 spectators, he gradually turned pale during the second half. Sampdoria's catch-up race was started by Gullit, who skillfully got rid of Laudrup and allowed Katanec to head in the 2-1. The numerous Italian television channels exhausted themselves in replays from various angles to determine whether Gullit was offside. However, the images did not provide any clarity. The only person who saw Gullit 'one hundred percent' as offside was Milan coach Capello, who would also contest the next two goals from Sampdoria. Milan friendly journalists pointed their fingers to FIAT and Juventus.

Sampdoria's equalizer was indeed a gift from referee Nichhi. Mancini ran past Costacurta, dropped down and was awarded a penalty, which the wily forward converted himself. Before Mancini converted his penalty, Gullit put his arm around Milan sweeper Franco Baresi's shoulders in consolation. "There was no gloating. I really felt sorry for him."

According to Capello, Sampdoria's third and decisive goal was preceded by a handball by Mancini, but Gullit could not take that into account in his finishing move on the Milan goal. With a hard, diagonal shot, he passed Milan's interim goalkeeper who normally plays the cup matches. What followed was an enormous explosion of joy from Gullit, who sprinted with clenched fists towards the almost equally ecstatic tifosi. Afterwards, Gullit spoke of an exciting scenario. "You can only dream of that." He did not want to know about feelings of revenge against Milan. "Revenge is not a motivator for me. Everything I do has to be positive. That is a golden rule for myself. Feelings of revenge are negative. No, it is not a personal victory either. You could perhaps call it satisfaction."

"Many Milan players congratulated me immediately after the match. That made me feel good. They are genuinely happy that I am doing well. But the real compliment came from Berlusconi, who said he regretted letting me go so easily." Ruud Gullit said on the eve of the emotional match against AC Milan that he had benefited greatly from the relaxation techniques of haptonomist Ted Troost. "Many Italians wanted us to win against Milan. Everyone was waiting for Milan to defeat. That was exactly the same in the Netherlands with Philips and PSV right? The public sometimes wants a different champion, that is also normal. The pressure on me took on great proportions. I have to accept that and still remain calm. For me that is not an art."

Gullit believes he has said enough about his possible return to the Dutch national team. He sticks to his guns: he will only consider a return to the Dutch national team under Johan Cruijff. If Cruijff, for whatever reason, does not go to the World Cup, Gullit will also stay home. Given the form Gullit is currently showing at Sampdoria, that would be completely ridiculous. He no longer reminds us of the international who sporadically tripped over his own feet on the hallowed grass of Wembley during the England-Netherlands match. Gullit feels much freer in Genoa than in recent years and that is reflected on the pitch. At AC Milan, his freedom of movement (and playing time) became increasingly limited; under Sampdoria coach Eriksson, his qualities are once again being fully utilised. Johan Cruijff has already hinted from Barcelona that he will certainly take Gullit to the World Cup, should he feel called upon to take charge of the Dutch national team. Provided the Sampdoria star can continue his good form for the rest of the season, but that goes without saying.
Gullit: "If Johan Cruijff were to take me to the World Cup, I would see a dream come true. That would be a perfect end to my international career. But for now it remains speculation. The Netherlands still have to qualify. Moreover, it is not at all certain whether Johan wants to become the national coach," Gullit knows. "And under Advocaat or any other national coach, my return to the Dutch national team is out of the question. It is Johan or no one."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Gullit ends with his goal the 'Milan dictatorship'
[...]
Sampdoria deserved a special compliment. The 1991 champions fought back after a painful first half. In that half, Milan showed their own class with Donadoni and Laudrup on the wings. The red-black formation did not have goalkeeper Rossi, Tassotti, Papin and of course Van Basten and Lentini. That is why Capello opted again for a waiting tactic with quick counters. In the eleventh minute, Donadoni outwitted two opponents, after which Albertini was able to strike: 0-1. Fifteen minutes later, Donadoni launched Brian Laudrup. The European Championship star made it 2-0 with a controlled sliding shot. Sampdoria had little luck between these goals. Mancini saw an effort cleared off the line and Sacchetti hit the post.

Gullit seemed to be in for a painful afternoon. He fell into the offside trap more often than he would have liked, and was tackled and fouled hard in rotation by his former teammates. Costacurta brought him down firmly and was given a deserved yellow card, which will result in a suspension for the derby against Inter. In the second half, Gullit played in midfield. Eriksson opted for a risky tactic. The Swedish coach swapped an extra attacker (Bertarelli) for a defender (Rossi) to put Milan under pressure. The tactic yielded the intended goal. Katanec headed a cross from Gullit beautifully into the goal after fifteen minutes.
[...]

--------------------------------------------------------

One day later;

Coach Gullit: Two referees needed

ROME, Tuesday Sven Goran Eriksson, coach of Sampdoria, who beat AC Milan 3-2 on Sunday thanks to a winning goal by Ruud Gullit, has called for two referees and four linesmen at football matches. A remarkable plea from the coach, because not his team, but that of colleague Capello had to concede at least two questionable goals. "The pace of modern football is considerably higher than it used to be, the players are becoming increasingly clever and some of them are cunning. It is difficult for one referee to keep an eye on everything," the Swede thought. "Two referees would prevent a lot of problems."

 

Gullit was yesterday on the radio (again). This was one of his better outings as a 'pundit' I have to say (not the 3/10 pundit), but maybe I think that, because what he was talking about I don't know (not nearly close to) everything about either. I made some quick notes (somewhat paraphrasing);

On football at the Olympics: "FIFA is afraid it might possibly rival their own World Cup. This is the situation in the women's game. Clubs don't like a further expansion either and it will become denser further with the Club World Cup and everything else. Mbappe was not allowed to play at the Olympics and Neymar had to place it into his contract."

On 'captain' Van Dijk (who might not return): "Yes, I have often been critical but that's just how it is. When I was playing it was the same. Up front, midfield, defense - the same. It has a function. I am not his agent and I am not employed by the Premier League or La Liga hype machine. I have often said as well he is a great player. Believe me, when it is all done he will have his place at the table of great Oranje defenders. Koeman and Krol think he is the best ever, Baresi think he is the best of his lifetime; something circling around that idea, or comparable ideas, it will be."

On other sports during his time when he was a footballer: "I think the athletics federation has now something like four times as many junior members as 40 years ago [30000 now - I looked this up]. In my time you had Olympics or other big events [such as this one?] with 0 zero medals - how is this possible as a speed skating nation? - or just two gold medals. I am that old, yes." [the interviewer mentions 40 years ago you had more younger people as well] "I guess so, if you say it, it is true."

On whether the 'complete footballer' or 'total footballer' is just restricted to football: "When I was young, at my local club DWS, we were often looking to field hockey and vice versa, which you also play with 11 with 11 but if I remember it well it was then with an offside rule, still [correct]. It's a low scoring sport and the best often doesn't win, just like how in football Brazil often does not win. It's a good thing that there you have more than one referee and the captain can ask for a video review. Comparisons with many other team sports don't translate well. Maybe you should ask a real basketball expert. The chief told me here, in gymnastics - not succesful at this edition - they also receive the complete package. In athletics they train for the whole lot as well, especially at underage levels. It leads to situations where you have learned to look over your shoulder and see whether you can pace yourself and roll out to the finish line; can change in stride length, stride frequency, hieght of the knee lift... and many more details in a sport that is not mine. In that sense you can call it 'total' perhaps."

On total/complete footballers in football now: "Football itself has maybe also become just different. Defenders have become attackers and attackers are defenders. They're all midfielders now... to say it a bit extreme. Van Dijk at his best was maybe indeed a total footballer. The free kicks, the runs, the dribble, the variety in passing, the ground game, the game in the air. Reijnders is a total footballer, Wijnaldum was... maybe you are slowly approaching the situation that you have to ask 'who is not?'"

(this is all a bit paraphrasing and based on quick notes I made)