Deep foot coach Jordi Cruyff was interviewed by Searle Radio, in which he reviewed the 5th anniversary of the recent death of his father John Cruyff, talked about the recent situation of Barca, praised Koeman, and also made a statement about his future.
How's it going in China?
Nice, train with the team here, everything works fine. We have been training for several months and are waiting for the official start of the league, while also doing the work of reinforcing the team.
Previously, on the 5th anniversary of Cruyff's death, you shot an advertisement about smoking and lung cancer, which showed your father, and you, as a narrator, called on people to pay attention to physical health, timely diagnosis and timely treatment in your father's name, which they proposed to you, or did you propose it yourself?
Yes, when my father was diagnosed with lung cancer, he had already thought of making some public service announcements to remind people of the appeal, but this did not happen. We've always had his legacy in mind, so later when people came to me and presented me with ads, I thought I was doing a good job. They put the main body of the advertisement and the message to be conveyed very well. And my father later died because of this. So this ad, half a memory of him, half a continuation of his unfinished business. In the end, the message is heavy, but it is also a reality.
It's been 5 years since Cruyff died, and did you feel nostalgic for him by everyone around you?
It's incredible, but almost every day there are people talking about how important Cruyff is to them, how much it affects them, and every day there are such touching moments, and I have to say it's a bit like an illusion. As a son, every day I listen to others say what my father means to them, and this day is particularly sad, whether it is for me or for the whole family, it is a very sad and painful day, but so many people around us miss him, which makes us feel very proud and will feel better, but this day is still very uncomfortable, and this grief increases with each passing year.
Barca have been super brave lately, and I have a Atletico fan friend who says that this international match day is just the right time for Atletico and it is not the right time for Barca, because the team has become more and more courageous after losing to Cádiz, but now it has to stop
For Atletico, it may be true, because they can stop and catch their breath and get back to form, after all, in the last 5-6 games they have had a hard time winning the game, lost a lot of points and revived the suspense of the league, while on the other hand, this international match day may not be a good thing for Barca, but they can also take this opportunity to adjust, although there are a lot of people who have to be busy with the task of the national team.
Barca's winning streak has come to many, many games, and I don't know the exact numbers, but with more than 30 points out of 39, it's already more than 90 percent. After entering 2021, they have won many games in the league. The game against Cadiz is certainly pessimistic, but our performances in other competitions, including the Copa del Rey and the Second Leg of the Champions League, have shown a very good look. There is still hope for the league.
How much credit does Koeman have to say?
It's not just his personal style that affects the team, but also the change of players. The timing of his arrival at the club was delicate, the financial situation of the club did not allow us to buy people, and there were all kinds of chaos within the club, and there were empty games, etc., so many problems were superimposed to make the manager's job more difficult.
Koeman's year at the club was two or three years old, because there were too many upheavals in all aspects, but the team is now stronger, showing a good mental outlook, and is the icing on the cake for Real Sociedad's 6-1. Someone like Koeman who already knows a lot about the club is undoubtedly a big advantage in coaching.
Do you think having Barça DNA is a must for coaching at Barca?
It's not necessary, there are a lot of coaches in history who haven't coached and succeeded in the past, but this will certainly be an advantage, because then you will have a popular base, people will want you to succeed, Barca in recent years there have been some coaches who have had a glorious player's resume here to succeed, this is a very important factor.
Overall, being familiar with the club, the culture here, the people here, the media, and the fans who have witnessed your legend, who have seen you bring a Champions League with one foot, can help you in difficult times. But the players and coaches are certainly the most credited, after all, too much has happened this year.
For the thousands of fans who are looking forward to your return to Barca, can you tell us anything about your future?
No comment, so far I'm here in China, focusing on the team's preparations, waiting for the league to start, about my future, only those above know, if one day this really happens, it's them who make the decision. All I can do is work well, and that's what the club invited me to do, not to make me talk nonsense in public.
So now this matter is not followed for the time being?
The boat was naturally straight to the bridge, but for now, focusing on my job was the end of it.
(Editor: Yao Fan)