Source: These Football Times
Written by Jon Townsend
Through various literary works, we can deeply appreciate the importance of "supporting roles" - such roles are used to set off the protagonist, but they are not inferior to the protagonist in terms of ability and contribution. Johan Neeskens is one such character. While Neskens was in jockey's shadow during his time with Ajax, Barcelona and the Dutch national team, no one dared to deny his historical standing. He is also one of the most talented stars in the history of Dutch football.
The "two Johns", who have worked together in clubs and national teams for a long time, have not only achieved a legendary great cause, but also two epoch-making figures in the history of modern football development.
Imagine that in that era, two energetic young players played in a way that no one had ever seen, or even described in words, – they repeatedly crossed the line of position and confused their opponents by cross-shifting... One of them is Cruyff, the grandmaster of football, whose ideas and practices have profoundly influenced modern football to this day; the other is Neskens, the original interpreter of "all-attack and all-defense football". The former is always in the very center of the stage, while the latter constantly improves itself according to changes in the environment. As it turns out, Neskens will always be Cruyff's best partner.
With the emergence of these two stars, all the concepts of time, space and movement in football have been completely overturned. Until then, the work of gathering intelligence and analyzing opponents was usually only carried out on paper, and the coaches had at most repeated instructions to the blackboard before the start of the training session; however, after the dutch had made a great breakthrough, football wisdom had become a basic quality to examine the competence of a player – almost as important as physical fitness.
In other words, if you want to emulate RyanUs Michels' "all-attack, all-defensive football", you first need to make sure that you have a whole group of good players who are technically and physically good, willing to adapt to multiple positions, and whose minds can keep up with the rhythm of Cruyff's thinking. "Attack all and defend" is definitely a pioneering achievement, because for the first time in football, it has shown the value of intelligence and efficiency. Relying on this magic weapon, Cruyff and Neskens' team was able to continuously inflict physical and psychological heavy damage on the green field.
All fans, researchers or mere witnesses of the same period will recognize Cruyff's lofty historical status. Whether it's playing the game himself or lining up outside the field, Cruyff's legacy can be seen everywhere. Cruyff's initial heroism in Ajax has been faithfully recorded on film – his long legs, erratic fake movements, light turns and dribbling skills have all left a deep impact on football. He is the "locksmith" of the football world – able to open all the solid doors with his left leg.
But what about the other John? Within the chronicles of football, Neskens' name tends to be inundated with countless sentences describing how great Cruyff was. Many people have never paid attention to Neskens alone, which is why they ignore neskens' existence when they know the "Golden Age of Dutch Football" and "Cruyff". When asked how it felt to be in Cruyff's shadow for a long time, Neskens replied: "I don't mind my 'second in the world'. It's a joke, but it also reflects the most authentic relationship between the two.
A team should have members with different technical expertise, different personalities, and different personality traits. The existence of these differences has made the famous saying in the circle - "some people are destined to play the piano, some people are destined to carry the piano" has been passed down to this day and gradually become a kind of truth. Cruyff and Neskens are the most tacit pair of "piano players" and "piano masters" in the history of football.
For fans who have never seen Neskens heroic and have no concept of the name, the great Cruyff may be used as a reference to imagine a distinctive "Neskens". But in fact, simply comparing the attributes or characteristics of the players does not show the greatness of the pair, and the glory of Cruyff and Neskens in this period is the most convincing.
In 1970, Ajax welcomed Neskens. The player, who has no shortage of defensive, tackling, dribbling, passing and shooting skills, was quickly promoted by coach Michels to "running errands team leader". In this team, Cruyff is responsible for magic alone, while the rest of the errands are done by the other 9 players. Soon, the two became a pair of comrades-in-arms who cooperated tacitly.
As soon as he discovers that his opponent is trying to pinch the defensive Neskens, Cruyff will sneak into the gap left by the opponent, ask for the ball and attack; once Cruyff loses the ball, Neskens will be the first teammate to participate in the counter-grab, and once the ball is regained, he will immediately redistribute the ball to Cruyff, who will play a deadly second round of counterattack.
More importantly, the comrades worthy of Cruyff's reliance at that time were not only Neskens, but the rise of Pete Keizer, Rudy Kluer, Shaq Swat and Johnny Repp ensured that Ajax and the Dutch national team led by Michels could play the most classic "all-attack and all-defense football".
While playing for Ajax, the "two Johns" helped the team win a total of 1 Intercontinental Cup, 2 Eredivisie Leagues, 2 Dutch Cups, 2 UEFA Super Cups and 3 European Champions Cups (during the period 1971-73). In 1974, Neskens joined Barcelona with Michels and Cruyff, and the two were able to fully display their football talents with a larger platform. In La Liga, Neskens began to be called Johan Segon.
The Dutch national team, in its heyday, reached the final in two World Cups in 1974 and 1978, while the Cruyff and Neskens duo competed for the 1974 World Cup in West Germany (after Cruyff withdrew from the national team, Neskens played alone in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina). As a result, in the final match against the hosts, Cruyff helped the "Orange Army" to obtain a penalty in just 72 seconds of the opening game, which was hit by Neskens. Thanks to Neskens' stable "physical output" and Cruyff's beautiful "magic output", Dutch football's prestige has been able to enjoy itself.
If Cruyff opens up a passage through technical superiority, Neskens can use his speed advantage to decisively insert the ball, and at the same time he will take away several defenders to create favorable conditions for Cruyff's next pass or breakthrough; and if the opponent tries to wrap Cruyff with multiple people, the all-powerful Neskens can not only regain the ball, but also act as a fulcrum for another pass and organization, making the opponent often fall into the embarrassment of losing one or the other.
Off the pitch, the personalities of the two are also very different. Cruyff is a man of high character and outspokenness, often making amazing remarks in the media, which has also allowed him to maintain a high level of exposure and popularity; Neskens, although domineering on the court, has always kept a low profile in private, and rarely "grabs the headlines" with his teammates in the newspaper. He once confessed: "When I walked into the stadium, all I had in mind was to win the ball and win – I never thought about myself."
The iron will and aggressive style of play make all the players who are in the opposite position of Nesskens jealous of him in advance. The opposing offensive organizer can predict that Nesskens will certainly not give him enough time to pick up the ball, and the slightest hesitation will face fierce shoveling and interception. On the contrary, this dynamic trade-off is equivalent to giving Cruyff the largest possible canvas in his artistic creation.
Michels and Cruyff are admired for their "all-attack, all-defensive" creation, but Neskens is the doer who personally translates the inspirations of the first two into reality. Next to one of the world's most talented players stands one of the most versatile teammates in the world.