The thread for Ruud Gullit

Section management of KNVB stands in front of a tour de force
[...]
POZNAN, 18 NOV. The players of the Dutch national team carried out their assignment properly last night. In the coming weeks and months, the KNVB professional football section board will have to follow up on this. Now that qualification after the 3-1 victory over Poland is a fact, the still fairly fresh board of chairman Jos Staatsen is facing a feat of strength. After all, the almighty Johan Cruijff must be reminded of the promise he made two years ago that he would take charge of the final round.

Within the foreseeable future, it should also be clear who will lead the Dutch national team to the European Championship in England from September 1994. The first task seems rather simple at first glance, but the actual execution will put the section board to the test. Current national team captain Ronald Koeman predicts about his trainer at Barcelona: “I think Johan Cruijff will do it. He also sees that this team still has a lot of quality. But Cruijff will make demands about the organization around the Dutch national team, and the entire KNVB. He has a certain way of working. And for that he chooses his own people. Some things will have to change when he arrives.”

The Dutch national team assumes that the former world footballer will act as national coach during the World Cup. Last night, in a truly atmospheric hotel in Poznan, where the section board, sponsors and the team gathered for a joint dinner, two prominent internationals, Jan Wouters and Ronald Koeman, dared to speak out in favour of Advocaat if Cruijff does not go to the US for whatever reason. Incidentally, both are also in favour of Gullit's return, and see the World Cup tournament as the end of their international careers. Jan Wouters: "It seems logical to me that Advocaat will do the final tournament if Cruijff does not go. The section board will have to arrange this. I will no longer vote on a coach like I did in 1990. I am looking forward to the collaboration with Cruijff that I of course experienced at Ajax (Wouters even owes the transfer from FC Utrecht to the club in De Meer to him, ed.). But that does not mean that I did not enjoy working under Advocaat. I think he did very well, after he was thrown in the deep. If you have three points lost after two matches in the qualifying series, you have to win almost every match. Moreover, Advocaat was soon no longer able to count on Van Basten and was further cornered by the Gullit affair.” Ronald Koeman also broke a lance for the little general from The Hague. “If for whatever reason we do not go to America with Cruijff, it is obvious that we simply continue on the path we have taken with Advocaat.”
[...]
There are also internationals who have no preference. Like Ronald de Boer, who performed excellently on the half-frozen pitch of the Lech Poznan stadium, partly due to his strong cutting of the ball and turning. He also prepared the second goal (with a pass to Roy) and scored the third. In the last minute he had a great opportunity to make it 1-4, but then his effort ended up on the crossbar. Later the Ajax player said that he should have actually 'chipped' that ball. De Boer: “I don't care who travels to the World Cup as national coach, as long as I go myself, after all that work I have put in. With a selection of 22 men I naturally have a good chance, but you can assume that Van Basten will be there again.” Ronald de Boer made his debut for Ajax in 1987 under Cruijff. That was at home, in a match against PEC Zwolle when Ajax lost a 4-2 lead, but he scored the winning goal. “Cruijff later often let people know that he was charmed by me. So I would benefit from his arrival. But Advocaat also sees the ship sailing with me on board.”
[...]

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03/11/1993

Arguments in the media between Van Basten and Bergkamp

From our correspondent MILAN — The city derby between Milan and Inter is already casting its light far ahead in Italy. Almost a week before the meeting, the Italian media managed to pit the two Dutch stars of both teams, Marco van Basten and Dennis Bergkamp, against each other.
Van Basten allowed himself to be tempted by the media last week to make negative statements about the choice his former teammate at Ajax made. "He clearly made the wrong choice. He is playing for the wrong team. He should not have chosen Inter. That team plays exceptionally defensively, does not know their formation, and it will take a long time for that team to abandon that idea," said the striker, who is recovering from an ankle operation. Bergkamp reacted to Van Basten's statements. "Inter has at the moment a better attacking line. In front of goal, we are stronger than Milan. We will prove that in the derby on Sunday afternoon."

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Dutch national team advances to World Cup via extra home game

POZNAN, 18 NOV. The supporters legion knew no fear, the legion knew only courage and sang their hearts out whatever the result will be.
[...]
The Danish referee Mikkelsen was favourably disposed towards Dutch football that evening in April [against England on Wembley]. The football association officials would do well to thank the Dane for his mercy. But there is a good chance that such events of great importance will pass by those involved in commercial football.
[...]
As convinced as the Oranje supporters had been of a good outcome in the last match, national coach Dick Advocaat has always been equally convinced of the chances. Perhaps he had doubts. But he remained tough, strong and determined. Just like he used to play football. Fighting for every meter, fighting for every chance, never giving up courage, certainly not giving in to the intrigues Gullit-Cruijff launched to his feet. As a coach, always convincing his players that the battle is only decided in the last minute. A striking, conscientious attitude for a coach who knew from the start of the qualifying series that he would not act as coach in the final round. Such a coach deserves a large following like he had yesterday in the stands of Poznan.

Advocaat said afterwards that he had not regretted his decision to step down on 31 May for a minute. It sounded tough again. He preferred not to talk about prospects for the World Cup. But he could not ignore the fact that of the four Dutch attackers who played yesterday, the oldest (Bergkamp) is only 24 years old. A team with prospects, he thought.

The question arises whether there is still room for the thirty-something Gullit among all that youthful talent. No matter how well and consistently he currently plays at Sampdoria alongside stalwarts as Mancini and Platt, it is unclear whether the vulnerable, power-consuming attacker will be able to keep this up until the end of the tough Italian season, whether he is capable of playing in a title tournament and where he should play in the Dutch national team. At number 10, the place of Bergkamp, who has now scored 16 times in 25 international matches?

There is still life after Van Basten. Certainly still hope for his recovery. But are there still chances for a successful World Cup without him? The Dutch selection as it manifested itself in the last matches offers more work ethic than football talent.
[....]



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PSV assistant-manager Willy van der Kuijlen thinks Advocaat should do it
[...]
Willy van der Kuijlen (46) was a footballer with poems and gunpowder in his shoes. He played in the starting line-up for PSV for no less than seventeen years without interruption, scored 308 league goals. All-time top scorer of the Netherlands. Poland-Netherlands was his seventeenth international match at the time. He came back to his thank-you for Oranje, but in eleven years he only managed 22 international matches. "Mainly of course because I was only asked when Cruijff was unable to play." He is surprised when he is asked for an interview.
[...]
Van der Kuijlen listens to it with a smile. He is not resentful when it comes to Cruijff, he says, but believes that not everything has changed in 20 years. "Cruijff is still just as straightforward and rücksichtlos as he was then, I think, when he has something fixed in his mind. Anyone who doesn't want to go with him will be pushed over the sidelines." Aad de Mos his assistant believes that Cruijff would be better off leaving the Dutch national team to Advocaat. "He did it and he should finish it. At least I can't imagine that they'll give it up in Poland now. By the way, I have really nothing against Cruijff, certainly not personally. But Cruijff is coach of Barcelona, he should go on holiday next summer and watch the World Cup on television. He really needs his rest. Because doing a World Cup as a coach or watching it on TV is something different. By the way, I don't think he'll do it either. And what I hear from the internationals is that they're not all exactly jumping for joy about Cruyff as coach either." It is better for Cruijff to stay home, Gullit definitely too, Van der Kuijlen thinks. "Gullit declined and retired himself, easy enough. But yes, now that there's something to harvest, they're reporting back."

https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010637719:mpeg21:a0536

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15/11/1993: Here someone of the previous KNVB board (who made the agreement with Cruijff) says Cruijff made the agreement when Van Basten was still fit and Gullit had not retired himself yet. He suggests this plays a part in the 'delay'. On top of the already 'known' things like that Cruijff-Gullit and friends simply want to have the keys of the KNVB.

https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010866547:mpeg21:a0118

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Here an interview with George Gullit, his dad (also about that "at Ajax they brainwash children"). I cannot manage to translate this so quick (weird format) but here the link below. For the ones who are curious.

http://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010623086:mpeg21:a0533

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18/11/1993 - Algemeen Dagblad

Arnold Mühren: "I don't understand why really everyone is so critical and negative of the Dutch national team. We do have some talents that are, can I say, finger-licking good. Gullit and Van Basten are not there at the moment, but a newcomer like Overmars is playing effortlessly for a while. Frank de Boer has made a good breakthrough, Bergkamp is scoring his goals, Winter is raring to go and Roy is back."
[...]
Willy van de Kerkhof: "If you look at the individual qualities, they are definitely in the last four. It will be very important whether Van Basten is there or not. If you miss him, you lose ten to fifteen percent. Bergkamp should compensate for this and make amendments. I doubt he can go to the distance."
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBPERS01:003118016:mpeg21:a00240

17/11/1993 - Parool

Yet he [Bergkamp, not Gullit] is slowly but irresistibly advancing in the hierarchy that prevails in the Dutch national football team. His name has never been mentioned in that context, but in the disagreement that arose between Advocaat and Ruud Gullit, Bergkamp certainly played a role in the background. "It may have been about me, but I had little to do with it." Gullit no longer wanted to be riveted to the right side of the field and wanted a more liberated role at the center. Exactly on the position that the national coach of The Hague has assigned to Bergkamp. If it pleases Gullit, the new star Bergkamp sees no issue to play as a right-sided midfielder or right-back himself, but is strongly objected here by his other Oranje colleagues. Advocaat as likely an outgoing manager has limited appeal in the discussions.

There is great confidence in the 25-time international, who scored his fourteenth goal for the Dutch national team against England. The way in which Advocaat was critically examined for the Netherlands-England match also bothered Bergkamp. In such cases, he is not the man to verbally intervene and to attack. He prefers to respond with his performances on the field, to indicate how he assesses situations. "At such moments you just go the extra mile on the field for the man who is sitting on the bench." Bergkamp has rarely seen so much attention on him as on the eve of the Netherlands-England match. With his goal he met expectations and he reaped the appreciation of the people who had expressed their doubts about him beforehand. These are things that Bergkamp cannot appreciate. [...] Given his development, Bergkamp seems unable to avoid being a leader of a team. "That depends on where I am at the time. Whoever performs the best and is important has the most say in a team. But the question remains whether and how I want to use the influence that I may be given in the future. I have also seen some things in the recent past that are, I think, harmful and not well-thought. When I retire myself this has changed for the better, I hope. When I close the door I hope to have played a positive part."

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Predictable draw at Parma-AC Milan

ROTTERDAM, 29 NOV. In the Italian Serie A, yesterday's top match between Parma and AC Milan resulted in a predictable draw. Both teams stuck to their tactics, which were geared towards a strengthened defense, very well. Colombian Asprilla had the best chance for home-based Parma in the second half. He was stopped by goalkeeper Rossi.

Sampdoria defeated Cremonese 3-1 and now has the same number of points as Parma and Milan. Ruud Gullit scored twice, once from a penalty. The theoretical top match between the illustrious clubs Inter and Juventus ended in 2-2. Ruben Sosa provided the equalizer for the home team Inter just before the end, after Dennis Bergkamp had subtly and skilfully earned with his dribble a penalty.

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Sampdoria joined the leaders by denying Cremonese. Platt opened the scoring for the home side with a header, but Cremonese levelled again just before half-time through Argentinian Dezotti. In the second half, Gullit took his team in tow and dragged them forward. He made it 2-1 after hitting the woodwork. Shortly before the end, he secured the victory by converting a penalty.

edit: Gullit taking a penalty was a real rarity! He has only four, if I am not mistaken.

 

Yeah, I don't know exactly. Few times close, sometimes maybe unlucky (2004, 2006, 2010, 2020) or unfair (2000, 2002, 2022, 2024) with the officiating. In semi finals since 1974 only Germany is ahead. The Elo rating is consistently high. Maybe a fairer UEFA doesn't give you three times in a row the same German referee (just like you do not put England on Argentina). It can also be just an unhappy coin toss.

Why does Brazil win so little the last 50 years? In many years they are the best or thereabouts, the only team always among the top favorites, really, but it doesn't become a win so often. Low scoring sport; tiny margins and unfortunate calls can make a big difference.

For Oranje it would help if there are some good forwards and/or those don't leave too early, before 16. As I said, in terms of internal 'feuds' there has been a marked improvement over the last 25 years. I really think so. This despite, or maybe because of this, that there are no real club cores any more (like Germany leaning on Bayern; golden Spain on Barcelona/Real). All that dispersion across so many different clubs and countries doesn't make it easier to gel and create a system.

As I said, many would like to put us as an underachiever or underperformer, but it is genuinely more like the opposite. Which the Soccernomics book shows, even for the 2010-2019 period well into the top 10.

Here we are 10th or so. Is that flopping? You are not USA no. Is that realistic? It is basically the only country to be in the running for top 10 overall and top 10 per capita, for many years in a row. In a for us 'strange' sport as cricket, with just 5000 members, we are something like 10th-12th in the world too now?
https://greatestsportingnation.com/

Performing better at penalties will help too. It is something awful across all team sports, I saw in the newspaper. Handball, hockey, football, waterpolo etc. is all the same. All dreadful.

Hockey is in members the #2 sport here (football is twice as big, though not at the underage levels), and also a low scoring sport. The men won for the first time in 24 years gold today, against Germany and after penalties/shootout. Before the game the German captain and goalkeeper said Holland is afraid for mighty Germany, don't win anything and they cannot handle a shootout.

This was the response after the final shot. There was a small fight and brawl too. Maybe because, like football in the 1980s, the amateurs, semi-pros and pros (the best do this full-time) play at different teams and don't mix that much. There is still some (slight) uneasiness towards Germany in the west, yes.

1821620472393740627 is not a valid tweet id

Seemingly, the penalty curse can be broken.

Yes, football is the biggest sport in the world, one of the biggest entertainment industries but if I think optimistic, something like Spain can happen too. Eternal flops at tournaments, people said, and then won three in a row (with Villar as Fifa and Uefa referee and medical chief, yes). And Spain is also a small country compared to Germany, and smaller than UK, Italy or France.

Fixing the penalties had already brought you a few more final places (1992, 1998, 2000, 2014 etc.). With the very same players.

Others would say 'an over my dead body mentality', but I don't agree with this. There is enough competitive drive and there are also times where you need to show sportmanship and kindness. Where you, like even Cruijff did, say 'this was no red card for him' (the opponent). You forego your medal. Something like that.

I found this interesting to read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1998/12/98/review_of_98/newsmakers/233322.stm

 

In that meeting with Mandela he also handed his Ballon d'Or to him - only know that now. Gullit didn't care all that much about his Ballon d'Or.

20/01/1988:

"Ruud Gullit has the most valuable legs in Italy. AC Milan has insured the Dutchman for 16.85 million guilders per year. Gullit is therefore more expensive than Maradona in this sense, who is 'only' insured for 12.5 million."

You've mentioned this first Napoli game a number of times now. This is how it was reported in that Rotterdam newspaper, around that time:

Ruud Gullit honors Nelson Mandela with Golden Ball

PARIS, 29 Dec -- After Johan Cruijff, Ruud Gullit (25) is the second Dutchman who was yesterday proclaimed European Baller of the Year. The AC Milan star topped with 106 points in the vote held by the magazine France Football the poll. The Portuguese Paulo Futre of Atletico Madrid, ex-FC Porto, finished 15 points behind, Emilio Butragueno (Real Madrid and Spain) came third. Gullit dedicated the first prize in the Golden Ball to the leader Nelson Mandela who is still in a South African prison. The Amsterdammer has often stood up as a fierce opponent of the apartheid regime. In the music group Revelation Time he also profile himself as a reggae singer. Gullit has a Surinamese father and a Dutch father.

Ruud Gullit was notified two days ago of his election by the weekly magazine: France Football, which has been awarding the Golden Ball since 1956. The French asked him to keep it strictly confidential. In an initial reaction, after he had visited a seriously ill child in a hospital in Milan who wanted to see Gullit personally, Gullit said: "I am very happy with the prize. I have played well this year and in this way the merit of Mitan is also recognized. Of course the prize was given mainly because of my playing at PSV and the accomplishments in the Dutch team. But if I had not played in a strong team like AC Milan, I would never have received so many votes." Gullit also sees other aspects in his election. "This price means that everyone now looks at Dutch football. Moreover, other Dutch footballers who play abroad will also be in the spotlight because someone from our country has now won the Golden Ball. I am especially happy about that."

AC Mian's coach, Arigo Sacchi, said yesterday: "Who would have thought that I would ever be allowed to coach the best footballer in Europe? Ruud is modest, a professional, he has never been late for training and he has never uttered an unkind word. He is an example for the youngsters, who often only think selfishly. Ruud has always made himself serviceable to the team. That is Gullit for me..."

With the award of European Footballer of the Year, Gullit has reached another mark in his football career. Like Frank Rijkaard, he grew up near the Mercatorplein in Amsterdam. That is why he signed up for DWS in his junior years. At that club he was 'discovered' by Barry Hughes, the then trainer of Haarlem. Gullit turned down an offer to come and play for Ajax and consciously chose the shelter of a modest professional club. On 19 August 1979 (he was only sixteen at the time) he played as a libero in the match Haarlem - MVV (2-2) for the first time in the Eredivisie. He later moved to Feyenoord for three quarters of a million guilders and left De Kuip in Rotterdam behind after three seasons for the same amount to play for PSV for two seasons. After weeks of unsavory situations at the national champions, the PSV board agreed on 22 March of this year to let Gullit go to AC Milan for seventeen million guilders, who also took over Marco van Basten from Ajax. Gullit owes his election not only to his internationally striking transfer to AC Milan, with which he provided big headlines on many sports pages, but also to a large extent to his contribution to the qualification of the Dutch national team for the final round for the European title in West Germany. Gullit scored decisive goals in Hungary (0-1) and Poland (0-2).

He made his debut for the Dutch national team on his nineteenth birthday in Zurich, who then lost 1-2 to Switzerland. Gullit now has a total of 31 international matches, making him the second most experienced player for the Dutch national team after goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen (32). He scored ten times for the Netherlands. The European footballer of the year is chosen annually by 27 journalists from as many countries. Johan Cruijff received the most votes three times: in 1971, 1973 and 1974. Rob Rensenbrink came second behind Franz Beckenbauer in 1976. Ruud Krol was the last Dutchman to finish high in 1979 with a third place. Last year, when the choice fell on the Russian Igor Belanov, Gullit was still seventeenth and Van Basten eight. In this year's ranking, Van Basten is in sixth place. He shares that position with John Barnes of Liverpool.

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'The election for Ruud Gullit is a joke'

By our correspondent RIK RENSEN NAPLES, 30 Dec. — The war of nerves in Italian football has broken out. Next Sunday, the perceived number one players in the Italian league, AS Napoli of Argentine star player Diego Armando Maradona, and AC Milan, of Dutch top footballer Ruud Gullit, will face each other. Normally, the match would have provided a lot of fireworks. After all, many people in Italy consider football to be one of the basic necessities of life. But now that Ruud Gullit has been elected European footballer of the year, the war is complete.

The amusing thing is that it is not only the supporters of both clubs who have been bidding against each other incessantly since the beginning of this week about the supposed qualities of their stars. The players, especially those of AS Napoli, have also become very agitated. Italian footballers are naturally fond of talking a lot, but they are not likely to give an unequivocal opinion about the qualities of an opponent, especially not on the eve of a match. But the election of Ruud Gullit as European Footballer of the Year has made a number of (former) top players of the southern Italian team so angry that all politeness has been thrown overboard.

A joke
"The Ballon d'Or has become a joke," says Giordano of Napoli. "Especially in recent years, because players have been awarded who in my opinion should not have been considered for this award at all. First Belanov and now Gullit, who in fact had hardly any fame until the start of last year." His fellow player Carnevale, one of AS Napoli's young star players, says indignantly: "To be honest, there are two others who deserved the prize much more. Personally, I would have given the Ballon d'Or to Butragueno. Or to Futre, who also won the European Cup with his team. But Gullit... More than a year ago I had never heard of him. He became famous at the moment Berlusconi was prepared to pay a lot of money for him and he sold all those season tickets."

But also various Italian football experts like Sandro Mazzola have openly expressed their surprise about Gullit's election. "Last year I criticized Belanov's election and this year it is not Gullit but the Spaniard Michel [Real Madrid] who is the best for me". Gullit is one of the best footballers in Europe, according to Mazzola, and he is certainly the best foreign footballer who has come to play in Italy in the past year, the Italian football expert continues. "But also in light of the Italian national championship, I do not consider Gullit but Maradona as a football star player. Gullit is, just as Belanov, a weak Footballer of the Year recipient."

Many in Italy were irritated by the words of AC Milan coach Sacchi, who did not stop complimenting his pupil after he learned that Gullit had been voted European Footballer of the Year. According to Sacchi, there is currently no better player on the Italian football pitches than Gullit. But for Mazzola, Maradona remains number one and the Argentine will be the one to take control of the match next Sunday. "Even if Maradona is not in good shape, he is able to make that move that will decide the match. Gullit is a younger man who could take over the crown from King Maradona in the next few years. But he will have to wait a little longer." The match between the two rival football clubs has already started in Naples, southern Italy.

In Naples, southern Italy, the match between the two rival football clubs has become the talk of the town. But that is nothing special, because every match that AS Napoli plays is discussed in the streets, in coffee bars and in living rooms for days before the meeting. But perhaps the fear of the meeting next Sunday has really made the Naples supporters talk big. "I have never seen Gullit, the man who won the Ballon d'Or, and I will only go and see him if he has also won the World Cup and the national championship," says a Naples supporter. "Maradona would have refused the Ballon d'Or. The French did well to give the prize to Gullit. Because Maradona deserves more, he is only good enough for the platinum," shout other supporters in unison.

Singing competition
No one in football-mad Naples doubts the outcome of the match that will be played on Sunday in Milan's San Siro stadium. Maradona wins. "Gullit can only beat Maradona in a singing contest. No other way," it is said in Naples. Opinions remain divided, however. Some Italian football experts indicate on the eve of the match, which is considered the most important in this year's Italian league, preference for the Dutch Gullit, who according to many here is the footballer of the future. Complete in technical and athletic terms. The statisticians in Italian football prefer to let the numbers be decisive. For example, the most famous Italian football newspaper, the FIAT and Agnelli controlled Gazetta dello Sport, gave a higher report mark to Gullit than to Maradona during the twelve matches played in the competition. The newspaper, which like other Italian newspapers rates football players with a report card every week, awarded Gullit an average of 6.72 points after twelve matches played. Maradona achieved 6.41 points but scored six goals [incl. three penalties] against Gullit his only two goals.

The comparisons between the two players go even further. Because it is not only on the street that the capacities of Gullit and Maradona are constantly assessed. Newspapers such as the Gazetta dello Sport have compared characteristics such as headers, left and right foot, dribbling, speed, strength, imagination, physical condition, tactical insight and influence on the team. In Gullit, the header (report card 9), strength (watching his muscles is a treat) and physical condition (10) stand out the most. In Maradona, his left foot (10), dribbling (9), his imagination (10) and his influence on the team (10) — he is the symbol, rich in charisma... — stand out the most. The Gazetta dello Sport completes the unleashed war of nerves by awarding Maradona a total of 80.5 points. Gullit has to make do with 80 points. Maradona wins.

(the Latins with generally a preference for Spaniards... the Germans voting against Gullit... what else is new??? The Brits - excluding Ireland - voted only once for Cruijff as #1, that was Glanville in 1969)

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Ruud Gullit outclasses overtired Maradona

By our correspondent RIK RENSEN ROME, Jan. 4 — Ruud Gullit can do no wrong after his club AC Milan's 4-1 victory over Diego Armando Maradona's AS Napoli in Italy. Former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, a great football fan and friend of AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, said yesterday after the match: "Unbelievable. My jaw dropped." Other dignitaries claimed to be completely won over and have belief in football again thanks to Gullit's play. Sports commentator Dan Peterson: "I saw Gullit outplay his opponents like they were puppets." Berlusconi, who brought Gullit to Italy last year for seventeen million guilders, remained apparently calm. Even more arrogant than usual, he said: "Gullit always plays like this. This is his average game. He always shows how much he is worth."
Anyone in Italy now tries to claim that Ruud Gullit does not deserve the Golden Ball, which he was awarded last week, is immediately silenced. The "Gullit mania" is complete here. Young AC Milan fans have had the famous dreadlock hairstyle permed and those whose hair is not long enough have bought a wig that is taken out of the closet every Sunday. Critics such as Naples players Giordano and Carnevale, who last week doubted the value of the Ballon d'Or, have been silenced. The duo announced that Gullit received the prize from the French weekly France Football without having matured sufficiently. Gullit has certainly been declared "Signore Europa" in Italy after yesterday. Even star Maradona cannot even stand in his shadow at the moment.

Italians love spectacle. Especially when the main character turns out to be not only powerful but also modest. Five minutes before the match against the feared AS Napoli, which holds the first place in the Italian league, Ruud Gullit was the only one sent onto the field by his coach Arigo Sacchi. The Milan supporters started cheering en masse and even the audience in the grandstand showed their respect for the Dutch star by standing up.

Applause
Gullit then did exactly what the crazy audience was waiting for. He walked to the center spot and started applauding the more than seventy thousand people. "This audience deserves a present," Gullit said to the many journalists after the match. "I'm glad I was the first to enter the stadium. You Dutchies know how vain I am." Football-loving Italy is now hanging on his every word. Especially because Gullit gave all the praise for his goal (AC Milan's third) to his teammate Ancelotti, who put the ball at his feet, so to speak. "Ancelotti was great. My compliments. He passed me the ball and all I had to do was slide it in. A beautiful goal? Absolutely not. I've scored many in the Netherlands like this, and better ones." The battle between Gullit and Maradona was in the spotlight in the previews of the top match. Gullit may have been proclaimed Europe's best footballer, but he would not be able to match Maradona, who won the World Cup in Mexico with Argentina and was the national champion in Italy with AS Napoli.

That Maradona was mercilessly defeated yesterday is mainly the Argentinean's own fault. Maradona had returned from his holiday in his home country of Italy the day before the match, had slept for twelve hours and then entered the San Siro Stadium. "He never woke up again," the AS Napoli supporters shouted in chorus in anger. Not fit Maradona, who flew from Rome to Buenos Aires on 13 December, returned to Italy on 17 December and repeated the journey on 20 December, could not possibly feel fit enough for the "crack" against AC Milan. Against a weaker opponent he usually manages to camouflage his poor physical condition by shining briefly at the most important moments of the match and taking some 'energy drinks' before the match. But against AC Milan Maradona was nowhere to be seen. Gullit must have noticed this too, because he said scornfully to the assembled press: "Did I win the duel with Maradona?... Which duel? I mainly play for Milan and I think about Milan. I don't play 'against' one player." For the first time, the Argentine did not try to make excuses for his poor performance. "I played badly, just like the team. This Milan and Gullit was much too strong for us." The fans of AS Napoli were so angry that they started to boo the team upon arrival at Milan's Linate airport. Just before Maradona boarded his plane, a supporter asked him for an autograph, which was refused. The surrounding crowd then shouted angrily: "Lame and drunk dude, you should be ashamed of yourself." With the help of his manager Coppola, the Argentine just managed to board the plane safely.

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As you know, I think certain things are definitely unfair (such as: Argentina vetoing referees; we with all those Germans - the record of the Three Tulips prove it again; Havelange and Blatter interfering; in 2002 the scheming against South Korea; at the euro 1988 a French referee, and yes, there are worse you can have).

All-time lists have also unfair tendencies with how our best goalkeepers and defenders are not rated well anyway, and how the 'Three Tulips' are consistently placed below Baresi and Maldini. As I said many times before: I have no problems with putting CR7 and JC14 on the same tier (but ppl bashing down Cruijff his 1983-84 season is a joke; then they haven't seen him against the big teams around that time incl. Roma and Liverpool).

Watching the Olympics though, and following it a bit, you also realize again how other sports are even more 'wrong'.

Boxing has always been corrupt (Jennings and others already exposed this for the 1980s and 1990s at the Olympics); jury sports I cannot take serious anyway (no matter how 'structured' the points are; it is corrupt), and is now expanded with idiocy as breakdancing; Kenyans barging our gold medal favorite off the track at the men's marathon today; the C-sport called track cycling where British (!!) jury members make sure others get DSQ while 'Great' Britain can crash into ours/others and continue (passing the derny/scooter premature - no DSQ). And so on. In field hockey the Chinese received some massive help at times, who are in an overall 'fight' with USA for most gold medals. PK-ing their way to silver.

One important thing in football is just the low scoring nature (and yes, 'small' and 'big' officiating calls change so much).

Returning to this: yesterday also the women won gold, again after a penalty shoot-out. It is the first time both the men and women of the same country have achieved gold. When including the world championships, only the 1973-74 cycle can be added (won after penalties, not a shoot-out back then; won 1-0 respectively). So in fifty years if field hockey - a low scoring sport - it has happened only twice both the men and women of the same country occupied the highest spot.

I am not an expert, even though I have done it myself, but the skill you need to have for this is considerable (just watch the men's final goal; or the way the penalty corner was won in the women's final - that is true skill, all done at pace).

The women's and men's hockey teams have therefore struck a unique double in Paris, but the Netherlands should have won gold twice at the Games many times before, says Marc Lammers. "We are the largest hockey country. We have the most fields, the most hockey players. So in that respect you are obliged to win gold much more often than other countries that have far fewer hockey players."

[and then? if you always win it loses the Olympic status; China at table tennis has a different weight, political and commercial weight, in sports]
https://nos.nl/artikel/2532684-unie...en-mentaliteitsverandering-en-omgaan-met-druk

In spoilers the other bits:

Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler

Never before has one country won both men's and women's hockey gold at one Olympic Games. But the Netherlands did it in Paris. A day after the hockey team had won the Olympic title, the women's team did the same.

"It is of course unique that both teams now win gold," says Marc Lammers. The former national coach of the Orange women does have an explanation for the Dutch hockey success.

"I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that there are now fewer foreigners playing in the Dutch competition. You've seen that for a while with the women, and they've been playing at the top for a long time and competing for prizes. It's been different for a long time with the men, but you're now going to see a clear difference there too."

And that is not the only reason for the success of both national teams, according to Lammers. "I also think that Jeroen Delmee (national coach of the men, ed.) and his assistant Erik Verboom have created much more of the top sports mentality that the women have had for a long time."

According to Lammers, the fact that the men have won another Olympic gold medal after 24 years and are therefore definitely among the world's best again, has mainly to do with that change in mentality. "I think the men complained far too much before Jeroen's time, that they had to train too hard, for example. Jeroen said: either you think 365 days a year about professionalized sport or I won't select you."

Lammers now sees a real fighting team on the field among the men: "Your quality only comes to the fore when everyone fights for it, because everyone has qualities. We have often had coaches who did not select the right mentality. They selected for good technical players and not for character. Back then, the boys would just go out all year round, have an occasional drink, for example. That really doesn't happen anymore." [PvH - it has become fashionable to be a teetotaler, that is in general true]

Apart from the mentality, Lammers believes the quality has always been there with the men. Where Lammers has seen a big change in mentality with the men, he sees that it is "really hard" for the women to be seen as the absolute top favorite.

"It's much easier to play as an underdog China here in a full stadium," he says, referring to the Olympic final, which was won by the Netherlands after a shoot-out . "The girls feel that everyone thinks that the Netherlands will win."

Partly because of this, it is mentally difficult to stay at the top of the world, says Lammers. "You are being hunted. If nothing is expected of you and things are going well, you get into a flow. If the expectations are very high and you underperform every time, you become insecure."

The Netherlands was not really in that flow during this tournament . "That has to do with expectations and the fear of losing a match. China has nothing to lose, we have everything to lose. Then you hear that little voice in your head: it won't go wrong."

Former international Kim Lammers (no relation to Marc Lammers) agrees that it is difficult to perform under the pressure of being the top favorite. "It requires training. You have to keep talking about it, formulate a clear goal, train what you are good at and draw confidence from that."

During the London Games in 2012, the women's hockey team, who also became Olympic champions, made good agreements prior to the tournament, says Lammers. "How do you deal with social media, how do you stay in that bubble with each other? And if things go badly, what are you going to read and what are you not going to read?"

"You're really under such a magnifying glass when you're that good," Lammers recalls. "If things aren't going well and you're not sparkling, everyone has an opinion about it. That does something to you."

After the final, Lammers saw the relief in the current hockey selection. "You really saw tears in the girls, a lot of tension has really fallen from them."

The women's and men's hockey teams have therefore struck a unique double in Paris, but the Netherlands should have won gold twice at the Games many times before, says Marc Lammers. "We are the largest hockey country. We have the most fields, the most hockey players. So in that respect you are obliged to win gold much more often than other countries that have far fewer hockey players."

 

It's a pity this one (from 1996 - really the only time he on video looked back at his career) is not translated while others on the same channel have that.



He says for example (with regard to Gullit), at 35:30:

"I find him [Rijkaard] better than Gullit". Van Basten responds: "That is so difficult right? Frank was a different type. Frank was the force and had a very good technique. Frank was the drive, Ruud was the personality. And I think... I had an idea how the goals had to be made, together. Rijkaard in his roles was very good, Ruud in his roles was very good, I was also not bad [...]. The three of us together was formidable."

Also on Gullit: "If an opponent really wants to hit you, no matter how much you try to evade, you just cannot. Not for 90 minutes and not for every match. You are at the mercy of officials and whether they are willing to punish or deter beforehand."

"Ruud became better and better [1987-88]. With Ruud it was very good, and with me silent until the last few matches. Ruud reached his peak that year, for three-quarters of the campaign he was at a level, I didn't see a higher level than this in my playing days. He made Milan in his first year champion, you can say. On his own, by manner of speaking. Nominally he was often center-forward with Virdis and yes, he did midfield work. At the back he headed the balls away, up front he headed them in. He did a lot. Incredibly popular, incredibly strong. Good. It was his year."

 

https://soccernostalgia.blogspot.com/2015/11/magazine-awards-part-thirteen.html?m=1

The Italian voter had Gullit only 5th in 1987. A duo called Beccantini and Di Cesare of Gazzetta dello Sport voted. This sports paper was indeed controlled by the FIAT conglomerate at the time.

1. Michel
2. Futre
3. Butragueno
4. Hagi
5. Gullit

Gullit received first place votes from: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Scotland, Ireland, France, Greece, Hungary, Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Turkey, USSR, Yugoslavia.

There is no voter from Norway; I reckon Gullit had a good chance there too (on youtube you can find old and newer appearances on their television channels!)

The Netherlands voter (later ghostwriter for Cruijff) had Futre first and Gullit second

Portugal had Barnes 1st, Futre 2nd, Gullit on 3rd

England had Butragueno (of course they don't vote for us, also this Max Marquis never!! had one of us first; he was the voter during Cruijff his peak as well)

West-Germany had Futre
East-Germany had Butragueno
Spain had Butragueno
Italy had Michel
France had Gullit

I made similar comments before with other players and editions but in a modern football landscape, with increased 'Big Five' dominance and certain opinion shaping, the lobbying and impact of Nike/Adidas (Zidane was their biggest project since Beckenbauer, surely), Gullit quite possibly does not win.

Lucky for them, decades later there is a second possibility to push down and bump up your own alliance and cabal. With as one of the results Baresi and Maldini are now ahead of the entire Big Three (all of them!).

 

I will continue with 1993-94 for sure, but to conclude this part (re: Wiliam often mentioning the 4-1 vs Napoli)

This is a good overview

https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy87.html

27 voters: 13 for Gullit, 5 for Futre, 4 Butragueno, 4 Michel, 1 Barnes

But of let we say the 'Big Seven' leagues only France had Gullit 1st. Netherlands and West-Germany picked Futre. England, East-Germany and Spain picked Butragueno. Italy picked Michel and Portugal went for Barnes.

In a modern landscape it is harder for Gullit to win (and that applies to more BdO recipients). That's the first hurdle and handicap.

 

This is for @PDG1978 - the very same 'Sport' magazine survey (from Yugoslavia), around Europe, as for those 1970s ideal teams, also had a vote for 1987 (published 02/01/1988). I don't know the exact distribution of voters (and whether say Italy had 10 and Austria only 1 or so).

Shilton (ENG); Berthold (FRG), Butcher (ENG), Kuznetsov (URS), Sansom (ENG); Matthaus (FRG), Zawarow (URS), Michel (ESP); Gordillo (ESP), Gullit (NED) and Futre (POR)

https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010826766:mpeg21:a0399

Three English players in, two Germans, two Spaniards, one Dutch... familiar pattern... as always... only the USSR doesn't exist any more (with Russia playing no role any more and Ukraine a limited one).

That's more ammunition for the ones who like to put the 1988 "maybe" winners in the category of Greece 2004 and Portugal 2016.

Uruguay achieved most of this in a very different world and for the 1950 title they basically only needed to win two games. Many didn't compete and/or were not professional yet. Lopsided groups and draws.

In general the population counts big and finances also. The German government pumps 350 million per year in non-football sports, for the elite sporters (source are the links within this link). Our government, mainly by tax incentives (just like how churches, charities qualify etc.), only 200 per summer cycle, so roughly 50 million per year.

From Der Spiegel (also found through that link):

"That sounds like a lot of money. But it isn't. The sports budget of the University of Texas alone, where German decathlon star Leo Neugebauer trains, is around 213 million euros - thanks to millions in revenue from American football and basketball."
https://www.spiegel.de/sport/olympi...nsport-a-5e4aa17e-abc3-49f3-8846-7a111f133483

Every university can fund their own tailor made BALCO programme!

The finance thing is the same with soccer/football.

You can also twist it in such a way that 'we' are the winners and others the losers. If you look at the population and money. Football in Portugal has also more money, despite this being a much smaller (though with hugely populous former colonies) and poorer country.

Our athletics commentator at the public broadcaster made the comparison with the GDR, lol. "In Europe only France, Great Britain and Italy have attained more medals. Only France and Great Britain have more gold. You have to go back to the former East-Germany to find something similar."

Did this trigger people in the wrong way, you think? Of course it did

 

Another one in the category 'what has changed?' (24/03/1988). Booing the anthems today (2024) and yesterday... (1988)

Robson impressed by Gullit

LONDON (GPD) - Ruud Gullit's popularity knows no bounds in England either. At least, as long as he is not an opponent of the English. Shrill whistles echoed through Wembley last night whenever Gullit so much as touched the ball. The British also blew their fingers to pieces during his 'early retirement' from the game. The European footballer of the year did not let himself be deterred. He only smiled, applauded the supporters and disappeared.
The face-defining factor of the Dutch team went to the sidelines with cramps halfway through the second half. "I had a sinus infection," Gullit reported. "I was given a course of antibiotics for that. Something like that doesn't leave you cold. The fact that I got cramps did not come as a surprise to me. In fact, I expected it.'

Since yesterday evening, English national coach Bobby Robson has also been sold on Gullitmania. "Maradona and Gullit," he said after the match, "are the best players in the world. And Gullit is perhaps the very best of them all." Robson also made no secret of his admiration for this Oranje. "This was our best friendly match in years. Yet the Netherlands dictated the game for a long time."
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010566609:mpeg21:a0310

 

Another newspaper, De Telegraaf, made this of that penalty and match:

"Sampdoria joined the leaders by repelling Cremonese. The mid-table team made things difficult for the club from Genoa for 45 minutes. Platt opened the scoring for the home team with a header, but Cremonese levelled the score just before half-time through Argentinian Dezotti. In the second half, Gullit took his team in tow. He made it 2-1 after hitting the woodwork. Shortly before the end, he secured the victory by converting a penalty. His teammates insisted and persisted that Gullit should shoot from eleven metres. Gullit has now scored nine times for Sampdoria."

Starting up the 1993-94 season again:
(source is still the same, unless stated otherwise)

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

Sampdoria beat Roma to cup despite Gullit's missed penalty

GENOA/DRESDEN, 2 DEC. Sampdoria won the home match in the round of 16 of the Italian Cup against AS Roma 2-1. Ruud Gullit missed a penalty for the home team in the 30th minute. He shot against the post. At that moment, AS Roma were leading 1-0 thanks to Benedetti's goal. Lombardo equalized just before half-time and former Roma player Salsano was responsible for the win sixteen minutes before the end. German international Hassler was on the bench for AS Roma (previously Juventus). He came on in the 68th minute for Argentine international Balbo. Parma, leaders in the league with AC Milan and Sampdoria, did not get further than 1-1 at home against second division club Brescia. Romanian international Sabau, ex-Feyenoord, gave Brescia the lead from the penalty spot in the sixth minute, 0-1. Crippa equalized in the 58th minute. Foggia and Bryan Roy lost at second division club Cesena, 1-0.

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06/12/1993:

AC Milan resurfaces alone at the top of table

(From our sports editor) MILAN - Parma had to give up the lead in the Italian Serie A. Ajax's next opponent in the quarter-finals of the European Cup Winners' Tournament surprisingly lost 2-0 to mid-table AS Roma. It was the third league defeat for Parma. AC Milan profited from the defeat of their rival. The defending champion reported to the top of the rankings thanks to a narrow victory over Torino: 1-0. During riots seven people were injured, including a policeman. Ten arrests were made. Sampdoria fell one point behind Milan by remaining at 1-1 against Genoa. Four days after the European triumph over Porto (3-0), AC Milan played a solid match against Torino in front of their home crowd. The national champion, without Papin (rest) and Simone (injured), did not know how to handle the chances as well this time. Only the Romanian Raducioiu, also successful against Porto, scored in the 28th minute with a volley. Genoa, with the Dutchmen Van 't Schip and Vink in the stands, took the lead after 36 seconds in front of approximately 40,000 spectators through Ruotolo, who cleverly took advantage of a blunder by the Sampdoria goalkeeper who had come out too far. Ruud Gullit almost equalised a minute later, but he saw his effort stopped just in time. Gullit played a fairly inconspicuous role in the rest of the match. Three minutes before half-time, the Englishman Platt struck for Sampdoria with his sixth league goal. The score remained 1-1, even after Sampdoria Mancini was shown the red card in the 63rd minute. The last match where Sampdoria dropped points (1-2 Cagliari at 7 november), the marker Vierchowod was shown a red card at the 1-1 score. Since the still famous win against AC Milan, the blue club from port town Genoa has seen costly sending offs in two of the next four rounds. The Hungarian star Detari hit the post for Genoa six minutes before the end.
Inter Milan had more trouble with bottom team Lecce than the score of 1-3 suggests. Without libero Jonk, who is recovering in the Netherlands from a laparoscopic operation on his knee, the sub-top team only managed to distance themselves from the home team in the final phase. The Russian Shalimov scored in the 81st and 87th minute. The criticized Bergkamp had helped Inter to a lead with his fourth league goal from open play in the 33rd minute. In the penultimate minute, Notaristefano did something back for Lecce. Foggia kept one point in front of their home crowd from the duel with Udinese: 2-2. Bryan Roy scored the first goal of the home team (1-1). Stroppa later made it 2-1. Pizzi and Branca were successful for Udinese.

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09/12/1993 - interview in Algemeen Dagblad with Fabio Capello

Capello plagued
[...]
The match against Sao Paolo comes at first place for Capello. "That cup is extremely important. If you win it, you are supposedly the best team in the world. Prestige, that is. In Serie A, you can currently lose a match without it costing you the title. The national championship will not be decided until May. The battle for the World Cup, on the other hand, is decided in a meeting." It is not only the expected results that often keep Capello awake at night. He is also expected to focus on rejuvenating the current team. "We are already working on that, but in the coming period we will work on that process even more intensively. Milan's future must be secured. That is why Panucci, Simone and Albertini are already playing. They are the future of Milan. In addition to winning the main prizes, securing a good future for Milan is part of the the main points of my coaching, but it will not be easy to find the right replacement for a fantastic player like Franco Baresi.”

For now, the problems are presenting themselves in the front line. Despite the enormous expectations, Milan, with the exception of the EC meeting with Porto (3-0), have not been able to convince this season. "We lost two important players last summer - Gullit and Rijkaard, and we are currently also missing Van Basten. Their positions have to be taken over, we have been particularly busy with that recently. It is particularly difficult for Van Basten's position. He simply cannot be replaced, by anyone in the world. Still, we will have to learn to live with that. I try to think about him as little as possible. In any case, I no longer expect him to play for Milan this season." Capello has his own vision about Ruud Gullit's departure. According to him, the transfer to Sampdoria was the best solution for both Gullit and Milan. "At Milan, Gullit always suffered from injuries; sometimes his leg, then his knee. That was the problem I had with Ruud. A transfer to Sampdoria was the best solution for him. The climate in Genoa is much better than in Milan. He can also prepare for all the matches there in peace. Sampdoria doesn't always play during the week. Gullit therefore has sometimes the whole week to recover from a match. I am happy for him. He is not only a fantastic footballer, but also a great personality. The current success and competitiveness of Sampdoria is largely due to him. As a person I am very happy about that. As a coach of Milan, a little less so.”
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBPERS01:003124008:mpeg21:a00283

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

The disco is already beckoning to Romario [column]
[...]
Last season, Cruyff spoke disparagingly of AC Milan's buying frenzy. He called it a disgrace that Berlusconi's club allowed expensive players like Gullit and Papin to watch from the stands. 'Great footballers [as Papin] belong on the pitch', he preached. 'Otherwise they waste away. And the public has a right to see them at work.'
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010866596:mpeg21:a0528

 

Pierre van Hooijdonk said around this time Gullit was his example (13/12/1993):
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010842319:mpeg21:a0190

This season 1993-94 Van Hooijdonk would score in 11 consecutive Eredivisie games, for NAC Breda, a record that still stands (didn't go to the 1994 World Cup). The previous record holder was Bergkamp in the 1988-89 season. Scored in ten consecutive league games (he'd make his national team debut only after the 1990 World Cup).

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Gullit returns to the Milan's dressing room

By our correspondent MARC LEIJENDEKKER ROME, 13 DEC. For the first time since leaving AC Milan, Ruud Gullit changed in the San Siro stadium yesterday. Because Inter was playing at home, it was his old dressing room, that of Milan. "That brings back memories," he said afterwards. "But it is the first time that I have lost to Inter." Gullit did not want to dwell on his past for much longer. Despite his 31 years, he now gets head and shoulders the best grades of all players in the Serie A. With him as a driving force and playmaker, Sampdoria has become one of the trendsetters in the Italian league. But the club from Genoa has to tone down its title aspirations somewhat after the 3-0 defeat. Inter turned the match in their favor with a goal in the fourth minute by Battistini. When Jugovic scored an own goal after half an hour, the battle was over, and Dennis Bergkamp was allowed to finish the job with a penalty. The battle for prestige between Gullit and Bergkamp, who hardly met on the field, ended in a draw. Both played no more than a reasonable match. Bergkamp seems to be slowly finding his feet, but Gullit said afterwards that it is too early to say whether Bergkamp will really become a big player in Italy. "I know I can do a lot more," said the ex-Ajax player himself afterwards, in a mixture of Italian and English. Inter celebrated double yesterday, because the defeat of rival Milan in the battle for the Intercontinental Cup was very satisfying. The loss of Sampdoria and Juventus, who were humiliated 3-1 at Lazio, has made the leading group somewhat more compact. Parma and Milan are jointly at the top, but Milan have a match against Udinese in hand.

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

Trouw:

Gullit's return to San Siro ends badly against Inter.

From our sports editor AMSTERDAM - Ruud Gullit's return to the San Siro stadium failed. Gullit, a star of AC Milan for many years, lost with Sampdoria to the second occupant of the impressive stadium. Internazionale - Sampdoria ended in 3-0, with a goal from a penalty kick by Bergkamp. Due to Sampdoria's defeat, AC Milan remained in the lead. The champion lost the Club World Cup final in Tokyo and saw the competition match against Udinese moved to 23 December. Not only Sampdoria, but also Juventus lost from the top. Sampdoria's defeat became apparent in the first half hour, when Inter took a 2-0 lead through a header by Battistini and an own goal by Jugovic. "We've given away a goal in the first few minutes of the last few games," Gullit said afterwards. Sampdoria recovered later, but were left empty-handed. Bergkamp scored from a penalty in the 57th minute. It was his fifth league goal. Bergkamp: "We really played to score as quickly as possible. In that respect, it went perfectly. Our tempo was also considerably higher than that of Sampdoria." Bryan Roy can't stop scoring at Foggia. In his entire career at Ajax, he has scored only seventeen goals in almost 127 league games. His goal yesterday, the last in the 4-1 win at Genoa, was already his eighth of the season [no penalties], which puts him four goals behind Silenzi of Torino. At Genoa, Van 't Schip and Vink were in the stands. Paul Gascoigne made his comeback at Lazio Roma with a goal against Juventus: 3-1. The Englishman, who has been out of action for a while due to injury, was the focus of rumours last week that he would return to his homeland, with even chairman Cragnotti expressing doubts.

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

Volkskrant

Internazionale wins so called 'Duel of the Dutch'

The match between Internazionale and Sampdoria, which was advertised in advance by the Italian media as the 'Duel der Nederlanden' (Dutch duel), gave Dennis Bergkamp the most pleasure. Bergkamp and Inter won yesterday with a nice score, 3-0, against Sampdoria and Gullit who returned to the stadium where he celebrated so many triumphs. Bergkamp scored once, from a penalty.
At the time of the penalty in the San Siro, Inter had already taken a 2-0 lead. The team started furiously and scored in the fourth minute. Sosa showed Battistini the way to the opening goal with a cross. Sampdoria's counter-offensive hardly led to any chances. Inter remained dangerous with counters and forced midfielder Jugovic to score an own goal after half an hour.
Bergkamp came into the picture in the final phase of the first half when he missed an easy chance. He got his revenge in the 55th minute when he was allowed to take a penalty. It was his fifth league goal. Shortly before, Platt had missed two opportunities for Sampdoria.
Despite the loss, Sampdoria maintained their third place. Inter are fourth. Parma share first place with AC Milan. The team stormed past Cagliari 4-0 on Sardinia on Sunday evening. Colombian Asprilla scored his first goal since September, Melli was successful twice.
Bergkamp still has to beat his former teammate Bryan Roy in Italy. Foggia, the champion of the draws in Serie A, booked a convincing triumph over Genoa: 1-4. Genoa managed to equalise thanks to a goal from Hungarian Detari, but then Stroppa, Bresciani and, in the final phase, Roy scored again. Genoa players Van 't Schip and Vink watched the match from the stands.
The former left winger of Ajax, who was rarely accurate at that stage of his career, learned to score in Italy. Roy has eight goals, the same as Juventus ace Möller. Baggio (Juventus) and Gullit have nine goals. The list is headed by Silenzi from Torino. Torino owes the draw (1-1) against Cremonese to him.
The return of problem child Paul Gascoigne to Lazio Roma was striking. The team that also has Winter under contract, took courage from it for an unexpected 3-1 victory over Juventus. Gascoigne, back after an injury that kept him out for two months, convinced in the Olympic stadium as a designer.
Lazio needed an own goal from German defender Kohier in the 49th minute to take the lead. Another Juventus defender, Fortunato, equalized with a header five minutes later. After an hour, Croatian Boksic, who came from Olympique Marseille, also scored with a header for 2-1. Gascoigne scored in the last minute. Goalkeeper Peruzzi had an answer to the first attempt, but not to the second.

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

Bergkamp: 'Oranje can perform without Gullit'

From our correspondent MILAN — “The Dutch national team is definitely not waiting for Ruud Gullit to check in for duty.” With these words, Dennis Bergkamp made clear in an interview with the Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport this week what the Inter midfielder-forward thinks about the possible return of his compatriot to Sampdoria. “I know that Ruud Gullit is more than just a player in Italy. People here also know him for his charisma, character and personality. However, I have to say that the Dutch national team is not waiting for Ruud Gullit to arrive,” Bergkamp said. “I am willing to play behind his back but his arrival is not essential for good performances. Without Gullit, our team has achieved several good performances in recent times. The Netherlands has enough good players, such as Bryan Roy of Foggia.”

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

17/12/1993 - Algemeen Dagblad

Panic in Milan

Panic has broken out in Milan after the recent defeats of champions Milan. The once unassailable super team has shown signs of wear and tear in recent weeks. In the final of the World Cup for club teams, the Brazilian Sao Paolo was too strong, a few days later the insignificant Piacenza knocked Milan out of the Italian Cup. In the Serie A, the team of coach Fabio Capello is still the leader, but results are difficult to achieve. In addition, the coach regularly argues with the Montenegrin Dejan Savicevic, a brilliant but moody forward. In short, things are unrest in San Siro. The rumours about an imminent departure of Capello are increasing and the coach feels that the pressure on him is increasing. Where the coach kept quiet for a long time about the departure of Ruud Gullit and the absence of Marco van Basten, he is now using these two things as the most important excuse for Milan's poor performance. Capello seems to be covering himself in order not to lose the favour of the public. According to the trainer, chairman Berlusconi wanted to get rid of Gullit. "Ruud is in great shape, but you wanted to let him go. We are stuck with Savicevic, who only causes problems," Capello said in a conversation with Berlusconi that was caught on camera. However, the Milan fans seem to have lost confidence in Capello. According to them, he can go, as shown by various surveys. His successor has also been considered: Zdenek Zeman, coach of Foggia. And he of all people informed his board last week that this could be his last season with the southern Italian formation.

 

Looked a bit further.

Suffice to say that the usual harking back to the glory days like here and here - which has a certain purpose - is something I don't like, because when you really go back to 2004, 1974 or 1987 (see the 'ideal team' of above) itself... it is not all that certain there was universal approval back then. Certainly not when you apply the current big five dominance and opinion shaping (plus hugely populous and spanish speaking Mexico and likewise countries) to the situation then. Also then the euro 1988 review of World Soccer started literally their first article with how weak the Holland league is and other blahblah.


1987 (Gullit wins)

England: Butragueno
France: Gullit
West-Germany: Futre
East-Germany: Butragueno
Italy: Michel
Netherlands: Futre
Portugal: Barnes
Spain: Butragueno

1988 (Van Basten wins almost unanimously)

England: Van Basten
France: Van Basten
West-Germany: Rijkaard
East-Germany: Van Basten
Italy: Van Basten
Netherlands: Van Basten
Portugal: Van Basten
Spain: Van Basten

This looks very safe, unlike Gullit in 1987, or MvB in 1992 (quite likely he loses that, unfairly in my opinion, in a 'modern' landscape).

1989 (Van Basten wins by a landslide)

England: Baresi
France: Baresi
West-Germany: Van Basten
East-Germany: Van Basten
Italy: Baresi
Netherlands: Van Basten
Portugal: Van Basten
Spain: Van Basten

Baresi also received 1st place votes from Denmark and Switzerland. Five in total. Three from the 'cartel countries'. Berlusconi et al. had been lobbying in favor of Baresi. Baresi himself claimed he should have received this (as did Vialli, the Italian national team coach, andsoforth - this despite Van Basten being EC topscorer with a then-impressive 10 goals). In a by Berlusconi his television channel selection or 'election', which came after the Ballon d'Or results, Baresi and Maradona finished ahead. Quelle surprise... I don't think Baresi his peak in this year was *that* high but in the current landscape he'd have a good chance.

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

1992 (Van Basten wins, by a margin of 23%)

England: Schmeichel
France: Van Basten
Germany: Van Basten
Italy: Stoichkov
Netherlands: Koeman
Portugal: Stoichkov
Spain: Stoichkov

1993 (Baggio wins with a landslide)

England: Baggio
France: Baggio
Germany: Baggio
Italy: Baresi ('flop' Bergkamp 3rd!)
Netherlands: Baggio
Portugal: Baggio
Spain: M. Laudrup (Gullit 2nd!)

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2010 (Sneijder wins media vote with 7.70 points, Iniesta 7.53, Xavi 5.96; the 'old-style' Ballon d'Or)

England (Henry Winter!): Sneijder, Iniesta, Schweinsteiger
France: Messi, Iniesta, Eto'o
Germany: Sneijder, Messi, Robben
Italy: Sneijder, Iniesta, Müller
Netherlands: Iniesta, Xavi, Sneijder
Portugal: Xavi, Messi, Sneijder
Spain: Xavi, Messi, Sneijder

To be honest, the bigger 'problem' was the non-European continents here. Those tilted it to Iniesta, Xavi and such. Sneijder won the media vote but in the final ranking he slipped to 4th.

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

2014 (Cristiano Ronaldo wins, Robben 4th)

England: Cristiano Ronaldo, Neuer, Lahm
France: Cristiano Ronaldo, Robben, Neuer
Germany: Neuer, Müller, Lahm
Italy: Cristiano Ronaldo, Neuer, Di Maria
Netherlands: Cristiano Ronaldo, Neuer, Robben
Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo, Robben, Di Maria
Spain: Cristiano Ronaldo, Neuer, Messi

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

2019 (Messi finished 7 points ahead of Van Dijk, 686 points; Van Dijk eight more 1st place votes)

England (Henry Winter!): Van Dijk (Messi 2nd)
France: Mané (Messi 2nd, Van Dijk 3rd)
Germany: Lewandowski (Mané 2nd, Van Dijk 3rd)
Italy: Van Dijk (Messi 4th)
Netherlands: Van Dijk (Messi 2nd)
Portugal: Cristiano Ronaldo (Messi 3rd, Van Dijk 4th)
Spain: Van Dijk (Cristiano 2nd, Messi 3rd)

Lewandowski had only two first place votes... (of 176 in total), one of them was from Germany.

 

14/12/1993 (Trouw) - Baggio beats Bergkamp for the second time

Readers of the British magazine World Soccer have voted Roberto Baggio as footballer of the year. Baggio, who won the UEFA Cup with Juventus last season, received 13.5 percent of the votes. Dennis Bergkamp (Internazionale) finished second, just like last year. Ruud Gullit (Sampdoria) came third.
Gullit won the trophy in 1987 and '89. Romario (Barcelona) and Asprilla (Parma) finished fourth and fifth this year. Parma was named team of the year, while Alex Ferguson of Manchester United was named manager of the year.
Baggio also beat Bergkamp in the France Football rankings. The results have not yet been officially announced. The news leaked in Italy when it became known that Baggio had already had his picture taken by the French football magazine with the trophy that came with the prize.

(in the Ballon d'Or of 1993 the Sampdoria star finished 12th, the FIFA vote had Gullit ranked 37th - that 37th place certainly does not match in any way with the Italian ratings. Not for 1992-93 and also not 1993-94 - or 1991-92 where GS had him placed 3rd. At the end of 1993-94 he was declared the #1 player in Italy)

Also another overview where he turns out that only one player has played in every (meaningful) game under Dick Advocaat as national team manager: Jan Wouters. Someone as Bergkamp for example missed two matches.

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20/12/1993 (Trouw) - Milan coach follows 'advice' of chairman

AC Milan coach Capello has taken Berlusconi's hint. Yesterday, at the request of his chairman, he brought on controversial playmaker Dejan Savicevic. The Montenegrin did not disappoint at the San Siro. Savicevic showed Milan the way to a 2-1 triumph over Cagliari. It was a costly victory because Parma failed to beat Napoli in their own stadium: 1-3. Berlusconi moved Savicevic forward after he had noticed that Milan lacked creativity in midfield in the World Cup match against Sao Paulo in Tokyo. Against Cagliari, Savicevic played an excellent first half and a mediocre second half. He gave Donadoni, Papin and Massaro chances. Milan struck in the 31st and 34th minutes. Massaro, the 32-year-old forward who has done Van Basten's dirty work in the past, scored twice. The opening goal was pre-cooked by Donadoni, the second by Savicevic with a corner kick. Cagliari hit back in the 37th minute when Villa scored with a header. The team from Sardinia ignored a number of chances in the second half. Napoli's counters were too much for Parma. After just five minutes, defender Gambaro made it 0-1. A penalty awarded for dubious reasons was converted by the Swede Brolin after more than half an hour. Three minutes later, a scuffle between Crippa and Corini resulted in two red cards. Napoli appeared to be better at controlling the ten-a-side situation than Parma, who had to concede goals in the sixtieth and 83rd minutes by Fonseca and another Swede, Thern. Never before has an Italian team performed worse than Lecce in the first sixteen matches. The newcomer in Serie A remained on four points due to a blunder in the final minute by goalkeeper Gatta. He let a shot from Casiraghi, the striker of Lazio Roma, slip through his fingers: 2-1. The former striker of Juventus had not yet scored for Lazio this season. In Lecce, Aron Winter also scored. Marciano Vink was allowed to play for Genoa again. Atalanta turned a 1-0 deficit (goal Skuhravy) to 2-1, through goals from Ganz and Valentini. Bryan Roy continues to do well with Foggia. This time Torino was defeated 1-0. The goal came in the eleventh minute by Mandelli. The fine cross-pass from Gullit allowed Lombardo to score the only goal in Sampdoria - Reggiana. Inter Milan lost a point at AS Roma, 1-1, and remain in fifth place. The Romans took the lead in front of 54,500 spectators through a goal from Argentine international Balbo in the fourteenth minute. Deep into the second half, Ruben Sosa equalized for Inter.

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31/12/1993 (Algemeen Dagblad) - Van Hanegem: Cruyff should always have come along
[...]
Ruud Gullit "In the form he is in now, he belongs in Oranje, but not as a right winger. His place is behind the attack. Advocaat must take the first step. No faxing, just calling. Then I think Gullit will do it. But he also shouldn't have to be cocky anymore. Gullit owes a lot to Oranje. He should show that."
Marco van Basten "His pessimism about his ankle worries me. He doubts whether he can ever return to his old level. That is a bad sign. You see it with more top players. Before his injury, Gullit also thought he was written off. No, I feel Van Basten will be able to play again soon. I have also experienced all sorts of things with my ankle for ten or eleven years. I still remember well that I came home and quickly took off my socks. Outside, on those cold paving stones, the feeling in my ankle returned. That was how I dealt with my disability. You should never talk yourself into a serious injury. Van Basten's ankle is maybe not very different from mine. I could only live with the pain. Marco apparently still has to learn that."
https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBPERS01:003124026:mpeg21:a00213

(Van Hanegem had a very good relationship with both Dick Advocaat - he was the assistant at euro 2004 - and also with Gullit, still)


In Italy, champions AC Milan extended their lead by beating Reggiana 1-0

Rotterdam, 3 jan. -- Milan's French striker Papin was sent off just before half-time after felling Parlato with a backward-moving headbutt.

Marco van Basten will receive his full salary despite long-term disability, said Silvio Berlusconi, chairman of AC Milan, during a New Year's reception. In Italy, anyone who has not worked for six months can have their salary reduced by up to forty percent. Berlusconi will not do this. Van Basten has hardly been in action for over a year due to an ankle injury. He will receive an annual salary of five billion lire, approximately 5.5 million guilders. AC Milan were already ahead at that point thanks to a goal from Papin's compatriot Marcel Desailly. The former Olympique Marseille defender fired the ball fiercely into the goal from the edge of the goal area.

Despite an early goal by Ruud Gullit (his tenth goal this season), Sampdoria lost a point against Lazio Roma, who equalized via a penalty kick by Signori. Gullit played strongly but missed a few clear chances. Lazio midfielder Aron Winter did not appear in the game. Bryan Roy scored his ninth goal for Foggia. Opponent Napoli did score against, 1-1. Internazionale surprisingly but deservedly lost at home to Atalanta, 2-1. The team from Bergamo took the lead after a quarter of an hour through Magoni. That score remained on the scoreboard until eight minutes before the end. Then Dennis Bergkamp converted a dubious penalty (1-1). Orlandini scored the decisive goal. He was in an offside position.


03/01/1994 (Parool) - Milan extends lead on rivals

The New Year's champagne had no negative effect on AC Milan's extensive selection. The national champions increased their lead in Serie A by winning 1-0 at Reggiana. Closest competitor Sampdoria lost a point against Lazio Roma (1-1) despite an early goal by Gullit.
Inter Milan were unpleasantly surprised in front of their home crowd by low-ranking Atalanta (1--2). Bryan Roy put Foggia ahead against Napoli, but the Dutchman's team had to settle for one point.
At AC Milan, French (ex-)international Jean-Pierre Papin was sent off seven minutes before half-time after he felled Parlato with a backward header. At that time, his team was already ahead thanks to a goal by compatriot Marcel Desailly, who was sold to Milan by Olympique Marseille in November. Desailly's first goal for his new boss remained the only one until the end.
Sampdoria took the lead in Rome against Lazio after just six minutes with a header from Gullit. It was the tenth goal of the season for the blossoming and remarkable Amsterdammer. Signori equalised from the penalty spot in the 38th minute. Gascoigne played as the third foreigner at Lazio, alongside Aron Winter and the Croatian Boksic.
Atalanta provided the first surprise of the new year by beating Inter in San Siro. The club from Bergamo took the lead after fifteen minutes through Magoni. That score remained on the scoreboard until eight minutes before the end. Then Dennis Bergkamp seemed to save his Italian employer by converting a penalty. However, Orlandini decided otherwise.
Juventus drew level with Sampdoria (two points behind Milan with one game more played) with a clear victory at Udinese (3-0). Roberto Baggio, named the best footballer in the world and in Europe in 1993, pleased the 'old Lady' the most. He scored and now has ten goals to his name, just like Gullit.
Parma dropped to fourth place. Ajax's European Cup opponent did not get further than 1-1 at Piacenza. The home team took the lead through Ferrante. Balleri restored the balance on behalf of Parma before half-time. Genoa booked an important victory. Cremonese was defeated by an early goal from Galante.
Foggia added another point to the total and again Bryan Roy played an important part in that. The former Ajax player, who was sent away from Amsterdam because of his unproductiveness, scored his ninth goal of this competition against Napoli (1-1).


10/01/1994 (Trouw) - Gullit becomes boring and tepid

It will become a monotonous story, but once again, Ruud Gullit played a leading role among the Dutch in Italian football service, and by extension also among the non-Dutch in Italy. Thanks in part to Gullit's eleventh league goal, Sampdoria won 4-1 against Napoli.

Sampdoria reduced the deficit to league leaders AC Milan (0-0 at home against bottom team Lecce) to two points. Juventus also lost a point: 1-1 at Cremonese. Internazionale lost again, 0-1 in Reggiana. Gullit, who is talking to national coach Advocaat today, scored the important second goal. Lombardo (Sampdoria) and Fonseca (Napoli) had preceded him. In the final phase, Mancini ensured the wide margin: 4-1. Both teams missed a penalty. Platt and Fonseca failed from the spot. Gullit scored eleven goals, the equal to the elected world's best footballer Roberto Baggio [5 penalties - PvH], who scored Juventus' only goal in Cremona. Sampdoria's city rivals Genoa - with Van 't Schip, without Vink - drew 1-1 at AS Roma. AC Milan could not play decent football on the soggy pitch of the half-flooded San Siro stadium. Without a foreign striker, the top player Papin was suspended and Van Basten remained injured, the good intentions were smothered in the mud or with goalkeeper Gatta. Lecce took their fifth point in eighteen games. Lazio Roma had little benefit from the heroics of Gascoigne, who played despite a bruised rib. Lazio lost 1-4 in Foggia, where Roy was absent due to injury.

 

The case of Australia:

In football arguably the 2nd best non-UEFA and non-CONMEBOL country since the mid-60s, behind Mexico.

An income per capita that ranks among the highest in the world. Government subsidies for non-football sports are comparable, probably higher than what Germany pumps in - the latter is obviously a much larger country.

Lots of swimming medals and swimming as a popular sport (for many countries it is the case their most successful sporter is a swimmer or thereabouts).

Their population of 27.4 million is also something like 50% higher than the 17.9 million of ours. The number of males between 15-24 is even more than 70% higher (here compare with the other country)

Population, wealth (+ experience in a sport) counts for a lot. Basically in any sport. Then there are some secondary variables like that certain genes (or 'races' some wrong people would say) are better suited for certain physical efforts. But: 5% of your population making up 70% of your squad is maybe the other extreme (then the 'all white' approach of Argentina is more 'efficient' from that perspective).