Ajax total football book

The players of this team formed the basis of the dutch national team that in. This account is a rambling progression of insights and stories exploring cruyffs career at the epicenter of international football. Mar 25, 2016 with cruyff directing the total football symphony michels had designed, ajax won the european cup, the forerunner of the uefa champions league, three straight times, from 1971 to 1973. Much like cruyffs barca, van gaal lined up his ajax side in a symmetric 312. Louis van gaal would then continue with cruyffs 343 as he led the club to their. However, it was at ajax where he mostly used a 433. Ajax, alongside real madrid, were clubs who adopted total football in europe early on, though the philosophy was also used in other countries. Johan cruyff 19472016 played for and coached ajax and barcelona. They followed his career from the beginning as a football player and later as a coach. In the 1974 world cup, cruyff propelled the dutch team to the final for the first time. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

This book is a collection of several interviews the authors made with johan cruyff troughout the years. The diagrams make it easy for coaches of all levels to understand and the coaching points are full of technical information. The complete netherlands fc 19052020 dutch football team full. His vision of total football transformed the way soccer was played, and its dazzling. Bring up soccer, and most will think of johan cruyuff, the dutch player thought to rival pele in preternatural skill, and ajax, one of the most influential soccer clubs in the world whose academy system for young athletes has been replicated around the globe and most notably by. How johan cruyff changed the game with total football. Dutch total football is a book born from a coachs passion for the dutch style of football, a style of play which he has used to devastating effect for over 39 years, winning 24 district championships which includes 16 in a row terry michlers love of the dutch style first arose when he attended a ten day international coaching course in zeist, holland, at the headquarters of the dutch. Michels, had successfully managed ajax to league titles and a. Football in europe during the second world war is surely one of the most iconoclastic books on football, along with the illusion of dutch resistance to the german occupation of wwii. Coaching the tiki taka style of play like fc barcelona and ajax. Why rinus michels remains the greatest coach of all time by. This method has been described as a systems thinking approach to football and hypothesised that it was possible to change the perceived size of the pitch during the game. Cruyff, ajax and the start of the golden era of total football. Buckingham was also the man to give the great johan cruyff his professional debut.

As the book portrays, football tactics started with attackminded. In the 1960s, the dutch football team were a reasonably obscure and small football team, but things were about to change thanks to the help of a man called rinus michels. The author covers a range of fascinating topics, such as the perception of ajax as the jewish team, the fate of jewish footballers, coaches and board members during the war, the cases of high profile footballers in occupied countries, and the continuation of football in britain and germany. Ajax and total football the jack reynolds story ajax daily. It was made popular by dutch club ajax in the early 1970s and the netherlands. However in the years after the end of the second world war, the dutch capital was a very conservative and staid place. Total football analysis exists to provide you, the reader, with a little more context and understanding of the game that dominates all our lives. Why rinus michels remains the greatest coach of all time. One is total football the style epitomised by the netherlands team, with cruyff as the centrepiece, who reached the 1974 world cup final under rinus michels before losing to west germany.

We declined shortly after and i retired and became a manager, with barcelona. That was the night that ajax beat englands champions, liverpool. Total football revolution at ajax, and helping map the incisive shortpassing. What formation did hollands total football side actually. As manager at ajax, michels used total football to capture four eredivisie. After reading the whole book, i discovered a man with a very rare sense of reality. Ajax total football tactical analysis by the early 1970s, ajax became unbeatable, won 3 consecutive european cups, and won several league titles with playing. A life of total football ebook written by johan cruyff. In fact thats a very reductive description many other european football clubs and cultures are touched on, and the kuper also ranges over decades around the war.

In a technical sense, the english champions were b. Before reading this book, i knew a few things about ajax. The classicalajax is an absorbing, thoughtful read, driven by a moral intelligence not typically found in sports books. Recreating the brand of total football used by ten hags ajax team that saw them reach the champions league semifinal.

It was about paradigms be it executing total football or influencing tikitaka at barcelona. This book is a must for any coach or manager at any level in their search for total football. A nonfiction book looking at the amsterdam football club, ajax, and how it and the people around the club were affected by the second world war. Jul 27, 2019 during his managerial career, michels won a total of trophies with ajax, barcelona, koln and the netherlands. Total football, a gilded term that will forever be part of football s lexicon, was effectively born decades before michels unleashed a footballing revolution at ajax amsterdam in the 1960s and 1970s, and yet it wasnt quite perfected yet. Oct 21, 2020 on december 7 1966, the first signs of total football, that shortlived but glorious chapter in the evolution of the game, were spotted in amsterdam. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read my turn. Buckingham said in a 1993 with interview david winner for his book brilliant orange. This is a credible figure but there is significant competition from other coaches. His vision of total football transformed the way soccer was played, and its dazzling fluidity became the basis of the most admired sides around the world. Football in europe during the second world war uk ed. His vision of total football transformed the way soccer was played, and its dazzling fluidity.

Although the title is ajax, the book is more about the netherlands during wwii and how the dutch handled the german call to deport their jewish population rather than a history of ajax amsterdam. A life of total football by johan cruyff, paperback. Serving as one of the main inspirations of the dutch total football model, buckingham can claim to have had a hand in building the ajax side that rinus michels would further mould and stefan kovacs would lead to successive european cups in the 1970s. Cruyff football is the official heir and worldwide guardian of johan cruyffs football legacy. Total football a graphic history of the worlds most iconic soccer. For total football to work, michels knew a formation needed total oscillation. Throughout his playing career, he was synonymous with total football, a style. With michels instilling his famous total football philosophy and johan cruyff serving as its conductor, ajax cruised to six eredivisie titles and four knvb cups. Football needs more paradigms, not records totalfootball. Total football a graphic history of the worlds most iconic soccer tactics. Johan cruyff autobiography, my turn the world of johan cruyff. When put together, this combination makes dutch total football one of the most comprehensive books available on dutch soccer and one that can help you to adopt the dutch vision to your teams training and future success. Dec 27, 2018 however, as aforementioned, total football also offers flexibility.

When most people think about the netherlands, images of tulips and peaceful pot smoking residents spring to mind. The premiums of the international competition was the highest football related revenue with. His time at ajax and barcelona shaped the modern game. That is not all bad for anyone unfamiliar with the dutch national team, ajax, or some of the most famous coaching exports. That is not all bad for anyone unfamiliar with the dutch national team, ajax, or some. Cruyff football x possession football cruyff football. Jun 14, 2017 oceans apart, rinus michel, the father of total football, another exserviceman from the 2nd world war, pulled johan cryuff from the printing press he used to work for parttime and convinced the ajax board to give the young prodigy and his teammates a fulltime job something never done before by the club. Nov 29, 2016 cruyffs lasting influence, however, is not in the medals he won, but in the style of play he epitomized and then applied to the barcelona and ajax teams he coached. The overall result is a great and highly informative read. Dutch total football is a comprehensive guide to dutch soccer.

His innovative football formation was the basis for ajaxs first eight league title successes. In total football, all players could play the role of any other player on the. Few books illustrate the highs, lows, and general emotional mess that. Sports football nonfiction books in dutch for sale ebay. Oct 15, 2018 cryuffs contribution to football is much more than ajax, holland and barcelona. Rinus michels and the total football rebellion viking barca. Under his management ajax won two consecutive champions cups in 1971 and 1972. Along with over 120 soccer drills used by dutch coaches to improve technique, passing and mental agility, this book covers the philosophy, history and identity.

Also alongside cruyff in that great michels ajax side of the late 60s and very early 70s was johan neeskens in midfield, a pioneer of the boxtobox role, an exemplar of intimidating and pressuring opponents. While two thirds of dutch total football are filled with valuable drills and exercises for anyone interested in coaching with a dutch sensibility, most of this book is comprised of recycled material reassembled from a handful of sources into an edited introduction to the subject from a coaching perspective. Kuper kicks topics around the way maradona smacks a ball, sometimes with a great roundabout curve to itbut always hitting the goal. Shortlisted for football book of the year, sports book awards. A life of total football by johan cruyff 2018, trade paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Tikitaka football philosophy popularised by barcelona and spain shows you, the coach, how to implement this style of play. Please consider supporting the channel to help it grow.

Jul 21, 2011 this is a most interesting book, covering football in europe during wwii, with a primary focus on the netherlands and ajax. He also talks about the philosophy behind total football, the driving force behind the great dutch side of the seventies, and a style of football many top teams. Sep 27, 2020 the return of total football ten hags ajax 1819. It was cruyffs 343 narrow diamond, one of the most celebrated football formations. I finished ajax, the dutch, the war by simon kuper two days ago and i enjoyed every page of it.

Cruyffs lasting influence, however, is not in the medals he won, but in the style of play he epitomized and then applied to the barcelona and ajax teams he coached. Nov 26, 2020 in 2019, ajax s football related revenue amounted to a total of roughly million euros. The return of total football ten hags ajax 1819 fm scout. May 04, 2020 much like cruyffs barca, van gaal lined up his ajax side in a symmetric 312. That was the night that ajax beat englands champions, liverpool, by 51 in the olympic stadium in the second round of the european cup. Remembering johan cruyff, total footballs chief interpreter. Mar 27, 20 i still remember the glory days as a player and manager. As discussed in details earlier in this article, the academy tries to develop the players to help them incorporate the strong tactical organization and the rigid system of ball circulation which has always underlined the afc ajax discipline. Dutch drills for total team training coaching dutch soccer.

Johan cruyff, an emblem of total football youcoach. Throughout his playing career, he was synonymous with total football, a style of play in which every player could play in any position on the pitch. Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our affiliate program. Mar 24, 2016 on april 9, 1975, leeds united, then the best football team in england, hosted a match against barcelona, the famous spanish club, in the semifinal of the european cupthe precursor to the. Buckingham said in a 1993 with interview david winner for his book brilliant.

Sep, 2017 that description of total football is partial bs johan cruyff, for example, would have been sliced and diced if he played at fullback against a winger like jurgen grabowski but they were more. On december 7 1966, the first signs of total football, that. If you are interested in dutch football then you must read brilliant orange. Davies has studied the methods used at fc barcelona, liverpool fc, swansea city fc, villarreal cf and afc ajax who have all developed possession based philosophies as a way of controlling and winning games. The other two midfielders, in addition to possession support, complete the rest defence shape. This shape was key to cruyff s vision of total football, because it allowed for three players in defence, three in attack and four in midfield. Mar 25, 2016 total football s lineage can be traced to jack reynolds, an englishman who coached ajax sporadically throughout the first half of the 20th century. In these extraordinarily candid interviews, cruyff talks about how he learnt his trade, going on to play football for barcelona and ajax, two of the worlds greatest club side. Ajax and total football the jack reynolds story by neil fuller 4 years ago 2. Sep 24, 2015 ajax academy prioritises the imposture of the total football concept amongst the players.

It is nearly impossible these days for anyone to remember amsterdam as anything but a modern vibrant city where nearly anything goes. The book features a wide array of drills for different positions and is structured so you can train your team to become total soccer players. Throughout his playing career, johan cruyff was synonymous with total football, a style of play crafted by the coach at ajax with cruyff the onfield conductor. His legacy lives on in teams across europe, from barcelona to bayern munich. They also made the history books by claiming three consecutive european cups from 1971 to 1973, thus becoming one of only five clubs to successfully defend the trophy. Its a history book, a tactics book, and above all an enjoyable football book. Rinus michels total football ajax inspired 343 tactic. Michels, had successfully managed ajax to league titles and a number of european cup victories, and was pioneering a method now known as total football. Johan cruyff, who became one of football s most iconic players as part of the total football era, took over as ajax manager in the 1980s and continued on michels work, albeit with a systemic modification he preferred a rough 343 shape to the 433. It was the only real change in football for almost 40 years. The resulting book is not about 442 formations, transfers, or sporting glorykuper instead uses the game as a lever to open up a serious but engaging discussion of collective memory, group identity, the legacy of the holocaust and the war, and what games can stand for beyond the pitch.