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The sacred bond between Barca and Ajax.
A thread:
A thread:
This "bond" between Ajax and Barca started during the 1970s when Johan Cruyff came to Barcelona from Amsterdam to play under Rinus Michels.
This led to a domino effect which led the 2 clubs to not only 'share' the same players, but also share the same footballing philosophy.
This led to a domino effect which led the 2 clubs to not only 'share' the same players, but also share the same footballing philosophy.
To understand the Ajax Barca bond, we need to understand the Ajax philosophy, for which we need to go back to 1965 when Rinus Michels took over Ajax, who as many of you will know is credited in developing Total Football. THE philosophy which modernized football forever.
Total football is a tactical system in association football in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in a team. Rinus did this by encouraging defenders and midfielders to join attacks.
This worked brilliantly for Ajax as they dominated possession and killed the game with their slick passing and overloads.
Back then, this worked defensively as well. As players kept changing positions, more and more players had to trackback.
Back then, this worked defensively as well. As players kept changing positions, more and more players had to trackback.
This system employed by Rinus worked brilliantly because of Johan Cruyff! Cruyff was a striker who dropped deep, made space for himself and his teammates! Soon other players at Ajax started copying him and well, The Total Football philosophy was established.
After winning 8 Eredivisie, 3 European Cups, and one intercontinental cup with Ajax, Cruyff moved to Barcelona in 1973 at a record fee of 2 million!!
REMEMBER THIS IS 1973.
REMEMBER THIS IS 1973.
As a player, Cruyff did not have a significant impact on Barcelona's footballing philosophies. But oh boy! The impact he had as a player was phenomenal!
Cruyff literally carried Barcelona to the first title since 1960!
Cruyff literally carried Barcelona to the first title since 1960!
Important: In 1974 winning a title with Barcelona was super hard because of the Franco dictatorship in Catalonia who had close ties to Real Madrid and "helped" (take it whatever way you want to) them.
Super interesting topic! Will do a separate thread if If I get 5k likes.
Super interesting topic! Will do a separate thread if If I get 5k likes.
Back to the thread!
Cruyff won just won one more trophy (...) at Barcelona which was the domestic cup in 1978, but the impact he had on Barcelona was massive, because of the political situation. He then left the club and retired as a player!
This is where everything starts!
Cruyff won just won one more trophy (...) at Barcelona which was the domestic cup in 1978, but the impact he had on Barcelona was massive, because of the political situation. He then left the club and retired as a player!
This is where everything starts!
Cruyff already proved himself as a player now wanted to prove himself as a manager. He started at Ajax. Worked there for 3 years, and joined Barcelona to change the club fortunes!!
The rearrival of Cruyff redefined the club!
Johan-Cruyff immediately adapted the total football philosophy taught to him by Rinus But of course, this wasn't easy to implement!
Cruyff had to change the fundamental beliefs on attitude, training, and "playing with a philosophy"
Johan-Cruyff immediately adapted the total football philosophy taught to him by Rinus But of course, this wasn't easy to implement!
Cruyff had to change the fundamental beliefs on attitude, training, and "playing with a philosophy"
He did signing new players, but most importantly he did this by creating an elite youth academy! He believed that by teaching players to play at a young age, a new culture forms, and the footballing philosophies that he wanted to form are instilled.
La Masia was Barca's youth academy. (which existed for the sake of existing) Cruyff made it actually exist. He made it compulsory for the youth team to play in a 3-4-3 formation and forced them to play one-touch quick passing. (Yes! Tikki Takka)
P.S from last tweet: These philosophies already existed at Ajax, he was exporting them in Barcelona in a much more reformed way!
La Masia has produced some extraordinary players, the first one who played under Cruyff was Pep Guardiola! (Yes! Our bald fraud today!) Cruyff by buying some players (Ronald Koeman from Ajax!!!) and using his academy made Barca great!
Cruyff in his eight years as a Barcelona manager was able to win 4 La Liga's, One Copa Del Rey, One European Cup one European Cup Winnersâ Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup. This set new standards for the club (One which the club had never seen before)
Unfortunately, Cruyff was sacked in 1995 (very classless) because the club President Josep LluĂs NĂșñez thought we became too "powerful". But, The Ajax philosophy continued as Barcelona hired Louis Van Gaal from Ajax!
Van Gaal continued the La Masia tradition where he made sure that players like Iniesta, Xavi, and Puyol breakthrough and also won 2 league titles.
The Ajax philosophy bought in by Cruyff continued in 2010 when Pep Guardiola (Arguably the most successful manager at Barcelona) became Barca's manager.
Pep Guardiola on his tactics: âI would not be able to do what he did. You hear all these people saying: âOh Pep, what a good manager he is.â Forget about it. Cruyff was the best, by far. Creating something new is the difficult part. To make it and build it and get everyone...
to follow? Amazing. Thatâs why, when I was Barcelona manager, I went to see Johan many times. I made especially sure I went a lot in my first year when we won everything, absolutely everything.â
The "Ajax-Barca Philosophy" is not the only sacred bond these 2 teams have! The number of players that have played for the 2 clubs because of the philosophy they share is quite crazy!
We look at them below:
We look at them below:
- Edgar Davids
- Michael Reiziger
- Ronald Koeman
- Frank de Boer
- Maxwell
- Marc Overmars
- Johan Neeskens
- Michael Laudrup
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Johan Cryuff
- Patrick Kluivert
- Luis Suarez
- De Jong
Sorry if I have missed someone!
- Michael Reiziger
- Ronald Koeman
- Frank de Boer
- Maxwell
- Marc Overmars
- Johan Neeskens
- Michael Laudrup
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Johan Cryuff
- Patrick Kluivert
- Luis Suarez
- De Jong
Sorry if I have missed someone!
End of thread.
Likes and Rts appreciated
Likes and Rts appreciated
@MahakalMessi @AnkurMessi_ @KattarCule @utdmessi @culewaiting4ucl @raman_fcb @breathMessi21 Since I don't have a lot of Barca fans a rt from you lot would mean a lot! Thanks!!
@suppandiiii pls do rt!! would mean a lot
Do tag Barca fans! I barely have any! thanks!
