Last update November 30, 2023 by colgadosporelfutbol
Johan Neeskens is, definitely, one of the best players in the history of Holland. Not in vain, Dutch midfielder was one of the prominent members of 'Clockwork Orange' with which he played two finals of the World Cup 1974 Y 1978.
The faithful squire Johan Cruyff (rare is to find a photo that does not appear together) he accompanied his friend on the computers where greatest successes obtained both. Needless to say, that they made history in the Ajax Amsterdam who won three European Cups consecutively (1971, 1972 Y 1973), considered one of the best teams of all time.
No one ever remembers second, Except in 1974 when we were seconds
In 1974, As we discussed in the introduction, Johan Neeskens He returned to do the 'dirty work' in the center of the field of that Holland which he revolutionized the game with so-called 'total football'. As self Cruyff He went on to state, very rightly: “No one ever remembers the second, except in the World 1974 where we were second”.
Precisely at the end of the World Cup 74, Cruyff asked the FC Barcelona the signing of his right hand on the pitch. FC Barcelona club agreed and managed to close the incorporation with the Ajax. Johan Neeskens He remained in the azulgrana discipline during 5 seasons becoming one of the great idols of the Barcelona fans.
Although in terms of titles, The period of 'the Johans' was not too prolific (only achieved a League and Cup Winners Cup) the truth is Neeskens It took root in the FC Barcelona fan who never understood why the player did not renew his contract 1979.
First should contextualize. The Barça had just won the Cup Winners Cup after defeating in the end to Fortuna Dussseldorf in the final in Basel. Precisely Johan Neeskens He was one of the heroes of that encounter which had to be resolved so agonizingly in extra time (4-3 for culés). Everything made foretell that title after the Dutch would continue in the team. Nothing could be further. In fact, That was his last game with the blaugrana shirt.
The surprising reason why Johan Neeskens did not continue at Barcelona
According to the historian explained Manuel Tomás and writer and journalist Frederic Porta in the book ‘Barça Unpublished’, the reason Johan Neeskens not remained footballer Barça It was most comical. It turns out that after a match against hércules CF played at the José Rico Pérez, club president, Josep Lluís Núñez, He was somewhat indisposed so had to urgently go to the bathroom. After the slaughter realized that there was no toilet paper so Neeskens asked to pass him a roll to the player, as a joke, He turned a deaf ear.
This made no grace to the chief executive who demonstrated the hackneyed phrase: Revenge is a dish best served cold. The 'unofficial' version of the player's non-continuity was that there were certain disagreements between the board and Neeskens, than anyone could imagine is that something so ridiculous could be the reason to get rid of one of the emblems of that template as it were.