The thread for Ruud Gullit

I've researched the 1991-92 assists. Had already an idea but revisited it and watched the video of Wiliam. I think 10 assists for 1991-92 (in the league) is about correct. Can be one less, one more. There are always some border cases. One thing I'd like to say is Wiliam his video shows instances of a penalty won or pass to a penalty - that are per the OPTA definition and FIFA definition not assists. Even though Gullit played in those cases a role in the resulting goal.

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This was how it was seen and described over here (NRC Handelsblad from Rotterdam, somewhat leaning to Feyenoord but especially elitist Sparta, probably the newspaper with the highest status at the time). With help from the translation machine.

3 september 1992:

Gullit's rivals fumble and struggle at Milan

MILAN, SEPT 7. In any case, one player will take the Netherlands' friendly match against Italy on Wednesday evening very seriously. Ruud Gullit is overjoyed that he can participate in a real competition. Yesterday afternoon, the attacker sat in the stands as an unnecessary foreigner during the competition opening of his club AC Milan against Foggia (1-0). The newspapers in Italy are full every day about Gullit's sad position.

Gullit seems to be fighting an hopeless fight in Northern Italy. It is not without reason that AC Milan has acquired Jean Pierre Papin from Olympique Marseille for 28 million guilders and the Frenchman is expected to form the best striker duo in Europe together with Marco van Basten. Only if Papin suffers an injury or loss of form will Gullit perhaps come into the picture again. But then there is also the talented Dejan Savicevic from Montenegro and the in the previous season acquired Croatian Boban. The waiting room at the San Siro stadium is packed.

Silvio Berlusconi's buying sickness will certainly come back to cost AC Milan success this season. It is not wrong to attract a foreigner as a precaution. But having to send three foreigners to the stands every week is way too much. That will cause friction. The dropouts will never be kept busy for an entire season.

Trainer Fabio Capello constantly shouts to explain the abnormal size of his selection that AC Milan has to play more than sixty games this season in the Serie A, the European Cup and national cup competition and that he thinks he desperately needs everyone. He already spoke of a rotation system. However, something like that doesn't work with established names like Gullit. A player sometimes wants to skip a match, but not every other week. Especially when it concerns the important duels. Even a generous salary does not cover everything. Gullit was allowed to play in the cup meeting against the weak third-tier club Ternana last week. Despite his two goals, it will hardly have satisfied him.

Capello, not nearly as confident as he wants to appear, admitted yesterday afternoon after the match that Gullit may still be calm now because he has the pleasant prospects of the international match against Italy. So it is interesting to gauge the atmosphere at Milan in the days after that match.
Football fans also have little confidence in Gullit's future in Milan. In a survey among readers of the pink sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, only sixteen percent awarded the Dutchman with a starting place this season. Savicevic received 46 percent, Papin 52, Rijkaard 78 and the untouchable Van Basten 97.

It is not at all strange that AC Milan wants to replace Gullit, but they must be honest with him. He has had a grueling career and five knee operations since 1989 have not helped his physical fitness. Gullit himself does not want to budge from the outside world. He recently suffered a back injury and says he will definitely play when he is 100 percent fit. Gullit refers to his services to AC Milan. However, the sensitive Dutch captain must realize that sentiments do not count in the tough professional world. He can look back on a period of five seasons at Milan with many titles and cups. There are top football players who have not lasted as long in Italy. The German Lothar Matthäus is playing at home again this season with Bayern Munich, after arriving one season later in 1988. Diego Maradona fell off after five years at the age of 29.

There will also be a time for Gullit, who turned 30 last week. Maybe, just like the not stupid Brit Gary Lineker, it would be better for him to end his last years of serious football in Japan and boost his bank account one last time. The offer is there. It became clear yesterday in Milan that Gullit is more concerned about his future than he claims. He was invited by chairman Silvio Berlusconi for an interview after the match against Foggia, but the Dutchman left before the final whistle.

The very poor opening match of the season may have given Gullit the necessary hope. He certainly had not done worse than the three foreigners who were on the field at AC Milan yesterday. Papin had no luck at all and was rightly replaced by Massaro just after the break. Milan's 74,000 supporters were deeply disappointed in the new star. After Papin had squandered a chance in the closing stages of the first half, the supporters raised their hands in despair and hundreds turned around in the main stand to look at where Gullit was sitting.

Van Basten and Rijkaard also both played poorly for their standards. Van Basten could have made up for his disappointing performance in one fell swoop in the 26th minute of the second half, but his beautiful bicycle kick did not reach the goal by an inch. However, there were still players at Milan who were significantly worse than the two Dutchmen. So Papin, but also Gianluga Lentini. His transfer caused a lot of fuss in Italy. The scandalous amount of 64 million guilders was involved. The very expensive Lentini bumbled, without exaggeration, like an amateur yesterday.

It was a shame for Gullit that according to the regulations in Italy, in addition to three foreigners in the field, no one is allowed on the reserve bench per team. The Orange captain could have done a good job against Foggia. He proved in the past with the Dutch national team that a role as a substitute suits him. Now Daniele Massaro, also 31 years old, did that properly. He brought more life to the team - without the slightly injured captain Franco Baresi - and provided the cross in the 59th minute from which Foggia defender Grandini shot into his own goal. This lucky winning goal and the knowledge that city rivals Inter had lost at Udinese completely made up for the tifosi's afternoon. That is why Papin will be preferred to Gullit for a little longer.



Gullit can leave Milan if he wants

ROME, SEPT 14. “I feel that I will be there against Pescara,” Ruud Gullit had said last week. But after his disappointing performance on Wednesday in the Netherlands' friendly against Italy, Milan coach Fabio Capello left him in Milan yesterday. And club chairman Silvio Berlusconi on Saturday made an advance on Gullit's possible departure: if he wants to leave, he should go.

“I would never leave the strongest club in the world for another team, but if he insists...,” Berlusconi said. “Ruud has given us a lot, but we have also given him.” Gullit has to compete for a place at Milan with Lentini, Donadoni and Savicevic. This uncertainty has not benefited his game: partly because he started a little later due to a back injury, Gullit has not yet been able to play this season.

Berlusconi, who visited the Milanello training camp on Saturday, made it clear that it is an unintended coincidence that Milan now has six foreigners, while only three are allowed to play in each match. “There should have been four foreigners, the three Dutch plus Papin,” Berlusconi said. “But Boban refused Olympique Marseille and Savicevic was still available when we had already given up all hope.”

Savicevic went to Pescara yesterday, with Van Basten and Rijkaard, but he could not impress. A few good moments were alternated with many mistakes and carelessness. It was partly due to the failing midfield, where Rijkaard was invisible to the naked eye, that Milan trailed 4-2 against newcomer Pescara after half an hour in the first half. Libero Baresi, back after injury, and Costacurta scored an own goal. It was Marco van Basten again who saved Milan, with a hat trick. He can do no wrong in Milan.

But despite the meager 5-4 victory, which puts Milan alone at the top of the Serie A after two games, coach Capello was dissatisfied. Milan is struggling to get going. Lentini, purchased for a lot of money, who Berlusconi said should not have arrived until next year but had already been bought to beat Juventus, also shared in the malaise. Capello has not yet wanted to say anything about the line-up in the European Cup match on Wednesday against the Slovenian club Ljubljana.

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Will look for more.

 

Gullit does not want to be in the Dutch team yet despite his big show at AC Milan

ROME, OCT 5. The broad grin that settled on Ruud Gullit's face during the match yesterday spoke volumes. It was his debut in Serie A this season and it couldn't have gone better: two goals, a disallowed goal, a wrongly disallowed penalty, and two crosses for a goal.

“I'm happy, what more could I have asked for,” said the 30-year-old Milan player afterwards, still grinning, the joy shining in his eyes. But this newfound joy in playing was no reason to make himself available for the Dutch team again. “No, I'm not coming right now. For personal reasons, I have decided not to make myself available for the international match against Poland on October 13.”

For Gullit it was the day of revenge, the day of resurrection for a hero who seemed to have been felled. The "old" Milan, with the three Dutchmen on the field and with Jean-Pierre Papin, Dejan Savicevic and Zvonomir Boban in the stands or in Milan, crushed Fiorentina in Florence 7-3 at the 4th round of the league. Gullit hopes Capello just cannot leave him out.

Marco van Basten, who also scored two goals, also emphasized that Milan played its best game of the season with the old guard. Of the Italian newcomers, only Lentini was in the field. Massaro, the 31-year-old hole-punch for Van Basten who never forgets to score himself, got a chance from the start and scored twice. He jokingly said when asked whether he still dreams of the Italian team: “No, but of the Dutch team. It is not hard to play with Van Basten.”

But Gullit was the man of the day. “Fabulous,” headlined the Gazzetta dello Sport, and this morning the most important sports journalists unanimously gave him an "8" or "9": the best player on display yesterday in Italy. In addition to the familiar accelerations on the right, Gullit also showed an enormous work ethic, the will to continue after three league games to show on the sidelines that this was a mistake by coach Capello.

The conditions were made for it: a good field, an opponent who prefers to attack slightly more than to defend and with two substitutes at the heart of the defense and midfield who had to get used to it. And Gullit had already clearly regained self-confidence after being selected for the canceled top match against Sampdoria and participating in the European Cup match against Olimpia Ljubljana.

The ten goals at Fiorentina-Milan contributed to a new goals record in Serie A: 48 goals in nine games, an average of more than five per game. Seven of these came at Lazio-Parma (5-2), where Aron Winter, as the best man of the home team, made it clear what a mistake it had been to let him sit in the stands for Oranje. This time Riedle had to make way for Paul Gascoigne. After a year and a half of injuries, the Englishman with playing ability still clearly lacks match rhythm, but played well in the more than hundred minutes that he participated, partly benefiting from the support in his back from the tidy and neat Winter. Johnny van 't Schip again played a very poor match at Genoa (4-4 at home against Ancona).

 

Rijkaard best man at champion Milan

By our correspondent MARC LEMENDEKKER NAPLES, 11 MAY 1992. The widest grin in the packed catacombs of the San Paolo stadium in Naples was on Frank Rijkaard's face yesterday. Maker of AC Milan's championship goal and best man on the field. “Oh well, it's not that important who scores the goal,” said Rijkaard. “I shot and the whole team scored.” Another big smile, helped by the spumante that had been brought in 22 bottles to celebrate Milan's twelfth championship. The missed opportunity in the first half was long forgotten, just like the jungle sounds that the 72,000 Neapolitans made when Rijkaard got the ball. After a beautiful one-two with Van Basten, Rijkaard gave Milan the lead in the 37th minute. Laurent Blanc equalized in the second half, but Milan kept the match under control. It is symbolic that the undefeated team became champions thanks to a goal by Rijkaard: Much less an idol than Gullit or Van Basten, but with his combination of attack and defense one of Milan's most important players. Both La Stampa and Corriere della Sera wrote this morning that Rijkaard, with Van Basten, has been Milan's best man this season. Once again, Milan returned from Naples singing after a warm Sunday afternoon in May. Four years ago, still without Rijkaard, it was the match of the unofficial championship that gave Milan a decisive point ahead of Napoli after a long chase and a thrilling duel. The 2-3 victory meant the first title under chairman Berlusconi, the championship mainly belonging to Gullit and him as catalyst for the Dutchification of Milan. "We were happier then, that was a championship that no one expected," Gullit said yesterday. "Now we were prepared for it." Gullit has recovered from his meniscus injury, but only played the last twenty minutes in Naples. “It's a shame because I now have to be in the field as much as possible with a view to the European Championships,” he said. For Van Basten, this title was more important than that of 1988. “This championship gives more satisfaction. I have a much greater contribution to this.”

He played excellently until the beginning of this year and became Milan's leader, although he declined somewhat afterwards. "Maybe that was a bit my own fault and I was a little less concentrated," he says. Yesterday he saw his penalty saved by Galli. Van Basten initially did not want to participate because he is suffering from his left ankle. There is some calcium on his Achilles tendon. Although he looked fit, he said he flew to the Netherlands to be examined by Professor Marty. "I had an injection a few weeks ago and it went well for a while, but now the pain in my ankle is back." said Van Basten. Part of the Neapolitan audience gave the new champion a big applause, but there were also many flute concertos. Various quarters are complaining that Milan has become too powerful, that Berlusconi is killing football by buying the best players. And yet this championship has been one of frugality. When Milan were banned from European football for a year after the Marseille incident, Berlusconi decided that no major signings would be made. And after the grumblings from Gullit and Van Basten in particular about Sacchi, who was seen as an exhausting and tiring amateur compared to their former mentor Johan Cruijff, he opted for an unknown trainer from his own house, Fabio Capello. Surprised, the sports press wondered whether Berlusconi was too frugal and had chosen a man who was mainly known as a yes-sayer out of convenience. However, Capello appears to have found the right tone for a group of players who had learned Sacchi's schemes down to the last detail. Capello has only relaxed the reins a bit: Don't always play on the offside, and take some rest now and then and don't be ashamed of a draw. "At the beginning of the season he replaced the philosophy of blood, sweat and tears with that of smiles," Berlusconi said yesterday. "The coach has been a good choice." But Berlusconi wouldn't be Berlusconi if he hadn't covered himself. The players receive a championship bonus of 400 million lire, approximately 600,000 guilders. Berlusconi does not pay for all of this from his own pocket: he had insured himself, on a 50-50 basis, against a Milan championship.

 

I haven't checked or know if your count is correct (tentatively I'd say he would be fine, with some big goals against big national teams in a low-ish scoring era; also a strong G+A record vs AC Milan at Inter and vs Italian teams 'the seven sisters' in general). For some reason his number is not calculated in the Corbett and Delanay lists.

Just want to say that pass at 2:00 is ludicrous. Truly baffling. In a final. Henry doesn't use it and for this reason this doesn't pop up in your assists number as a result (he was 34 years old by then, 2002-03 is also a weak/average season for me).

Now the relation to Gullit is: could Gullit do that too? Do you know? As someone remarked on the Gullit at PSV video, with timestamps, there are a few passes KDB would have been proud of. Also one like this you are familiar with? I agree with your previous remark on the previous page Gullit had a quite refined passing game - not always appreciated or known.

I agree/understand skills need to have application, but there you have an application. It really is amazing. You can hear John Motson his 'surprise' is not acting like an actor, there is a brief gasp and hesitation in his voice. See that curve, how it escapes the defender and then rolls in angle to Henry his feet. There is also a somewhat similar one vs Liverpool as Souster_98 showed on his channel lately.

Really curious if you know such thing for 'Ruud' (and yes, also the most complete players cannot have 100/100 maxed out in everything)

 

Thanks for the appreciation @comme - sometimes I don't agree with you but hope that these and other posts (also on Matthaus receiving a high distinction in 2000 etc.) are interesting and helpful. Also good to see @PDG1978 back again.

Yes I know highlights can be misleading and it is not particularly good video I feel. But I thought it is good to add and it is also good to provide context and how it was perceived. I will try to search and add more later.

I guess we all have our favourites. For example I am not among the biggest fans of Ruud and Maldini (surprise? not really huh?) but I am for Frank and Van Basten for sure! (and also Netzer, Brehme for the neighbors). For Baresi I'd say I am in the middle of the pack, and that 'pack' sits at a relatively high mountain.

It remains a sad and emotional sight to see him kneeling on the grass of the Olympiastadion vs Marseille in 1993, the same venue of the euro 1988 final. You see the sadness in his eyes. Then he stands up and almost creates the equalizer for Massaro (dribble inside, one of the very few players on the field who could successfully dribble in the final, then a nice top-spin lobbed ball to Massaro - there is also a very nice mid-air one touch lay-off around that time, you can hear the sound of the ball - Baggio/Bergkamp-esque!). Two minutes later he leaves the field for the last time. It touches me a lot more (even now) than my club Feyenoord losing the recent European final against Rome - while actually playing well and slick (said also Rory Smith and Cox!).

This Fiorentina game was a performance at the start of 1992-93 with the 'old guard' rather than the shiny new toys. Fiorentina tried to play football too and was not 100% defensive. That suited him. If a friendly Rotterdam newspaper sees it like that, I of course translate the full article (google translate is a fantastic tool, just as the OCR scanners).

I think 1991-92 is the best version of Milan between 1987 and 1996. Why? All three Tulips actually played and were close to their best level, with Rijkaard at his best level. Gullit was #3 in the Guerin d'Or average grade (an average of four Italian publications). Baresi was still in his prime and not so error prone (I wouldn't say so for the years post-1993), Maldini had entered his prime, Tassotti was now right-back for Italy. Donadoni close to his best as well, unlike 1987-88 (when he was far below his best). Unbeaten in the league, a much more dominant league as around say 1985. And there was a good manager in Capello in his first full season (Ancelotti thinks he was too grumpy?), someone who would establish a proven track record at other places, unlike Sacchi.

If you see all other seasons between 1987 and 1993, then at least one of the Three Tulips went missing for (a part) of the season. For injuries, fatigue or because Rijkaard wasn't there yet. The 1990-91 results without Van Basten, even if not scoring a lot, on the field are shockingly sub-standard.

This is the best Milan for me. The Milan of 1993-94 is, by comparison, a joke for me. Johan was entirely right to fire at them with his (verbal) and imaginery MG42. Those comments have to be enlisted and placed on a wall. Make a booklet of that. The 1992-93 had on paper better names but both the results and level of play was not the same.

https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milan_Associazione_Calcio_1991-1992

Jaap Stam and now Reijnders said - Milan in Italy is for us what Barcelona is in Spain. Very true!



As the article says: Milan was accused by many of buying "all the best players" in 1991 and 1992. But actually, this was basically still the same team as the 1987 nucleus, plus Rijkaard, who came in 1988. Boban was immediately loaned out to Bari - he joined the squad in the summer of 1992, among your Lentinis and Savicevic. It was maybe a mistake to not let Gullit play in the 1993 CL final. Unlike the league situation, he was allowed to sit on the bench and enter the field (provided another foreigner left of course), but Capello had other plans. Rijkaard had already decided before the final he would go back to Ajax - he rightly sensed something was possible there.

 

@Wiliam Felipe Gracek - one goal that I liked is this one



Often only the conclusion is shown. But he sets it up here entirely by himself. For the only goal in the match. By then, the second half of the season, the goals dried up. Largely because of Van Basten his absence, maybe also because teams had become familiar with the offside rule, which Capello has since then often repeated, also as an 'excuse' for the 1993-94 version of Milan; the CL opponents in that 1993-94 are by the way, with the exception of the final, of a lower caliber as all the previous EC/CL campaigns, just looking at the league position of Werder Bremen, Monaco etc.

Eventually I'll come to this Roma match as well - it is in the newspaper archives. Maybe I had underestimated in the past that Gullit stepped up in some narrow games when it was all not clicking well. We'll see.

Saw also this, a very interesting pre-season match of 1992-93. Pessotto, three days short of his 22th birthday had no chance, although he was not at his prime and Bologna was Serie B.

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Gullit continues to believe in a leading role at Milan

NOW, SEPT 8. Was the wish the father of the thought or did Ruud Gullit yesterday paint a realistic picture of the changed working conditions at AC Milan? After arriving at the training camp of the Dutch national team, which will practice against Italy tomorrow evening in Eindhoven, the Amsterdammer now also wanted to explain in his own language what the real situation is at Silvio Berlusconi's much-discussed club.

It is widely believed that his role this season will be limited to that of a reserve player as Jean-Pierre Papin has strengthened the ranks within the Rossoneri. And there are four foreigners on the impressive payroll, while only three are allowed to be drafted in Serie A. Gullit, who turned thirty last week and was the poster boy for AC Milan for many years, would have reached a dead end. Last weekend, the beginning of a possible inglorious end became visible when Gullit had to take a seat in the stands during the first league match against Foggia. The great idol became victim in the Italian media.

But the captain of the Dutch national team gives a completely different explanation for the course of events at Milan. In Nuenen, where the Orange squad, wandering through the Netherlands, has sought refuge this time, he tried to make it clear that the Black Tulip is still in full bloom in the San Siro. Berlusconi hopes to break a tradition with his large selection of 24 contract players, according to Gullit. With seventy to eighty tough matches per season, the media magnate wants to create a broad selection, in which the players constantly take over each other. “That's why I didn't play last Sunday. I recently recovered from a back injury. Now I feel fit enough tomorrow to play with the Dutch national team and I can play with Milan against Pescara on Sunday.”

Gullit is convinced that trainer Fabio Capello will use him next weekend. Although he has not received any commitment. “I feel that way. After five knee operations, I have no problem not playing every match,” he tries to explain the situation that has arisen to his advantage. “Berlusconi made it clear to us (Gullit refers to himself, Rijkaard and Van Basten, ed.) this summer what he has in mind for AC Milan. He wants to work like the professional basketball teams in the American NBA. Players must constantly take over each other without the team losing quality. No one has a fixed place.”

“You saw at the Olympic Games that Larry Bird was not included in the Dream Team every game. Yet he was one of the faces of the team. It promotes a situation where the trainer always has 100% fit players at his disposal. Baresi was sidelined last Sunday with a muscle injury. But before, he had just played. With seven games in a month, that is no longer possible.”
When Gullit states that this season will show whether the Berlusconi plan works, for the first time there is some doubt in Gullit's voice. “Of course it takes some getting used to for everyone. For the players, the trainer and the supporters. The new system encourages speculation that makes no sense. The Italian press mainly focuses on the players who remain sidelined. They must then ensure that they give superficial answers. You should never reveal the back of your tongue. Because we have agreed that we will not foul our own nest.”

He was pleased that the tifosi chanted his name in the San Siro on Sunday. There is not a hair on the cropped rasta hairstyle that thinks of giving up. Although it can be called a bad sign that he is hesitant about signing a new contract. “I have my reasons for that and I don't want to elaborate on them now. In any case, there is no other offer available. Not even the contract I could sign in Japan. I have contacts in that country because I made a commercial for Japanees Airlines. You live there in a different world with a different culture and traditions. You should carefully consider the move to Japan.”

Tomorrow, in the orange shirt against Italy, Gullit will get the chance to show what he is still worth. National coach Dick Advocaat has hinted that he will include Gullit in the starting team as long as he selects him. “Because it is difficult to put him on the bench for the Dutch team. It happened in the past, with Ruud as substitute coming in, but I don't think this is explainable to countries and markets outside Holland.” Gullit has no idea how long his international career will be extended. There is no way he can predict whether he will reach the World Cup. “I live from week to week. Sometimes I don't even know who we are playing against in the next match.”

In Sweden, at the European Championship, Gullit could not impress as much as in the preparation. That had everything to do with his direct opponents. When it counted, as a nominal right winger he had to constantly neutralize the emerging left backs. Because Rijkaard bent too much towards the center at his back and Van Aerle had his hands full. The defensive work required an energy that Gullit could no longer muster, at times. Against Denmark, when Andersen sprinted past him, Gullit posed sometimes a danger to his own team.

Advocaat recognized the problem and wanted to replace him at half-time, or change his position, but the outgoing national coach Rinus Michels did not dare to confront his star at that moment. Advocaat has now had a 45-minute evaluation meeting with Gullit. The star player did not give the impression yesterday that a solution had been found in that interview. Gullit still believes that the Dutch team left the European Championship with their heads held high and he distances himself from the criticism of, among others, ex-teammate Adri van Tiggelen, who thought that the foreigners in the Dutch national team should ask themselves whether they are still motivated enough to compete and start a new qualifying tournament.

“Van Tiggelen was able to say that because he has ended his national team career himself,” Gullit says. “I do blame him for that. Because you don't say something like that about your fellow players in public and to the foreign media. I can only conclude that we left a very good impression at the European Championship. No one could be blamed, we worked very hard. Sometimes it rolls the other way. In Italy, a survey showed that eighty percent of football fans thought it was, I quote, 'a disaster' that the Netherlands had been eliminated. We have achieved something good there with a type of football that we have to perfect on the way to the World Cup. Italians don't know who our Queen is, but they do know our football and they know our cities.”

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I cannot find something for this match below (brief mention in below article), but I do for the following round against Parma.





Undefeated AC Milan improves Fiorentina's record from 1956

ROTTERDAM, 26 OCT. Never before has an Italian football club at the highest level gone as long without losing as AC Milan. The national champion won 2-0 at Parma on the seventh match day and has not lost 41 times in a row. An improvement on Fiorentina's record from the 1955/1956 season.

Milan's last loss dates back to May 19, 1991, against the now relegated Bari. A week later, on the last day of the 1990/1991 competition, Milan started its proud run. Opponent at the time: Parma. Milan started with the trio of foreigners Van Basten, Papin and Gullit. Rijkaard has been missing since the international match against Poland due to a muscle injury. Gullit, not available for the Dutch team but in good form at Milan, disappeared five minutes before half-time with a painful thigh. Papin opened the scoring just under fifteen minutes after the break with a header. Eranio, substitute for Gullit, made it 0-2 just before the end after a quick break through Maldini. At Parma, the Swede Brolin made his return fifteen minutes before the end, after a knee injury sustained during the Olympic Games.

All Dutchmen in Italian service were victorious. After six draws, Genoa, with John van 't Schip, won 4-3 against Pescara. Lazio Roma defeated Atalanta 3-0, partly thanks to a goal from Aron Winter. The former Ajax player, who also had success in the confrontation with Milan last week, is assured of a starting place. As did Doll for now, who had a hand in all three goals, and Gascoigne. Riedle is in the stands. Lazio defender Luzardi and Atalanta's Brazilian Alemao were sent off in the second half following a disturbance that started when Alemao fouled Gascoigne.
Milan collected twelve points from six matches and is two points ahead of Torino, which also completed one more match. Torino, which lost 2-1 at home to Dinamo Moscow in a European context on Thursday, recovered with difficulty by beating Udinese 1-0. The Belgian of great intrinsic class, Enzo Scifo converted a penalty. In the top match Inter - Juventus, in front of 80,000 spectators in San Siro, only foreigners scored. Sosa (Uruguay) and Sammer (Germany) in the last five minutes before the break. One of the dozen notable players of last season Shalimov (Russia) did this ten minutes before the end. A little later the German Möller returned the favor. Inter has nine points, just like Fiorentina who defeated Sampdoria 4-0. Two goals were scored by Baiano, two by the Argentinian Batistuta. The German Effenberg was suspended. It was the first defeat of the season for both Juventus and Sampdoria.

 

People can see here how Gullit is among a select group of players to be mentioned in both 'big game scorers' lists (of 2013 and 2014):
https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/t...cussion-thread.1245347/page-110#post-42312337

Van Basten and Maradona together on the top scorers list

ROTTERDAM, SEPT 21. Thanks to his goal against Atalanta (2-0), Marco van Basten has now scored 81 times for AC Milan in Serie A. The Dutchman has thus equaled Diego Maradona's number of goals. Van Basten and Maradona have been the best foreign shooters in the Italian league since 1980. Maradona scored thirty penalties, Van Basten twenty so far.

Van Basten exchanged Ajax for AC Milan in the summer of 1987. He needed five seasons and three matches for his 81 goals. By the way, the mythical Swede Nordahl, active in the 1950s, is the absolute leader among foreigners with 225 goals.

With six points from three games, AC Milan is one point ahead of Torino and Sampdoria. The team of millions had difficulty breaking down the opponent's defense yesterday afternoon, just like two weeks ago against Foggia. The Brazilian Alemao, who came from Napoli, ably led Atalanta's defense. A spectacular header from Massaro in the 57th minute broke the resistance. Twelve minutes later, Van Basten scored for the fourth time in this competition. This makes him top scorer, together with international Signori from Lazio Roma.

Just like last week, AC Milan played against Pescara with the foreigners Van Basten, Rijkaard and Savicevic. Gullit, who opted out for the Dutch team, Papin and Boban were in the stands. They could see in the last minutes that serious riots broke out among the spectators. The police intervened with batons. There's a feeling, without hard evidence so far, the best line-up is still the old one.

The other Dutch played a draw, both for the third time. Genoa, with John van 't Schip, held title pretender Juventus to 2-2 at home. Lazio Roma, with Aron Winter, played 1-1 against Cagliari in Sardinia. Winter shot against the crossbar. Fiorentina achieved the biggest win of the day in Serie A, with 7-1 over newly promoted Ancona, which took the lead thanks to the Hungarian Detari.


Baggio gloomy because of four Van Basten goals

ROME, NOV 9 Juventus' Roberto Baggio was beaming yesterday after the match against Udinese, until they told him the news from Marco van Basten. “You always have to pay attention to him, he never gives you anything,” said Baggio, as a shadow passed over his face. Four goals from Baggio? Then also four goals from Van Basten.

The AC Milan striker was calmer about it. He also has less to prove than Baggio. As always, Van Basten was one of the last to emerge from the dressing rooms in the catacombs of the San Paolo stadium in Naples. He straightened his tie, knowing how Milan president Berlusconi harps on the image, and recalled how he and Baggio had each scored three goals on February 2. “Our goal is to make five on the same day next year, both of us.” Van Basten is now the top scorer in Serie A with twelve goals.

On paper, Milan's opponent, Napoli, was more difficult than newly promoted Udinese, who visited Baggio with his Juventus. But Milan have completely outclassed Napoli. The two teams had the ball for about the same amount of time, but the sloppy and somewhat chaotic Napoli was faced by the disciplined AC Milan.
Three of Van Basten's four goals came from serious defensive errors - to indicate once again where the cause of the rain of goals in Italy lies - and it is precisely at those moments that Van Basten shows that he can be a cold finisher. His first goal was the best, he also admitted afterwards. An unexpected shot from the edge of the penalty area, in the corner where Napoli goalkeeper Giovanni Galli, Van Basten's teammate two years ago, did not expect the ball.

Frank Rijkaard dominates Milan's midfield, but squandered two good chances. “We restrained ourselves,” he said afterwards. Ruud Gullit sat on the bench the entire match, this time a sign that he is doing well. He has almost recovered from his muscle injury, faster than the doctors expected, but trainer Capello did not think it necessary to put Gullit at risk yesterday and he was not eligible to play.

After the 5-1 victories over Juventus and Milan, Capello's team is being chased by two clubs from Turin. Besides Juventus, this is Torino, which is surprisingly in second place. Torino achieved a 2-1 victory at Lazio, where Aron Winter struggled to compensate for the absence of Doll (red card for swearing) and Gascoigne (ill). At Genoa, Johnny van 't Schip had to watch the match against Cagliari from the reserve bench. After the disappointing 2-3 defeat at home, Genoa coach Bruno Giorgi has offered his resignation. Many goals were scored again in Italy yesterday: 33 in 9 games. The back-pass rule is seen as one of the main causes.

 

My notes agree! Based on only the 30 minutes highlights though. I only never bring this up because it was merely Fortuna Sittard (located in Limburg, very close to Germany and Belgium - Maastricht is btw closer to the equator as the most northern parts of continental France).

I am more impressed with how he played against Liverpool, Man United, Roma, vs Ajax (wonderful account!), Standard Liege (the recent CWC finalist), Tottenham etc. Consistently good or great against the strong teams. This is something that I carried to the table often. Maybe the same can be done for Ruud but I am not sure it is at that level (I can be surprised perhaps) and I am 80% sure his best seasons while playing in the Eredivisie came all at PSV.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x23ze7c

That is the point totals and not the number of matches. It is an arbitrary point system but think it is nonetheless noteworthy Gullit is among a select group of players (positively) mentioned in both lists. San Marco is high up despite his broken and shortened career, and playing in a lower goals per game period (European Cup, many league seasons if not all), and some other things. For three different teams ranking well.

 

Gullit as a 6/10 pundit here below (he wins points for me by refusing to speak to The Athcrappic - perhaps sensing what they're up to - with us as pretty easy target and to be cast in a certain role):

But what has Gullit himself said? The 61-year-old has previously spoken about issues relating to racism and unconscious bias in Dutch football, including identifying the lack of opportunities provided to black coaches including Patrick Kluivert and Fraser.
“I am grateful that I have worked for the Dutch national team,” he said in October 2023. “But if I was asked if I would do it again, I’d say: ‘No, of course not.’ Every time, you see all those black players who are only allowed to become assistants. F*** off.”
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5586943/2024/06/25/dutch-football-blackface-netherlands/

Because, what is the situation? In 2016 the UEFA did a study among seven countries. Netherlands, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. It concluded 3.4% of the staff at the top level in those countries had a minority background. That study I looked at myself and there UEFA says: 7-10% for Netherlands while overall population is 11-13%. An under-representation certainly, and I'm in favor of a better balance (but if you say something, very politely, about the skin color of Oranje players compared to general population, you'll get readily accused of racism).

Gullit himself is of mixed background, just as Rijkaard, Davids (half-Jewish and half-white) and more. The truth is only 2.8-3.5% of the population is black. Between 2001 and 2016 we had black managers in the Eredivisie like Rijkaard, Ten Cate, Fräser, Van Bronckhorst (if you'd count him - he is Indonesian), Gorré, Menzo etcetera (there are more). Some of them aided by their national team career, granted, but others like Fräser just didn't have that. You cannot expect that since 1970 about 30% of the national team managers are black. We had already Rijkaard.

Typically The Athletic - 8 out of 10 articles about us are always negative and we pay the price (at the benefit of the cartel, the markets, the alliances and so called 'historians'). The perfect villain, big mouth, with relatively few "first team fans" (as opposed to 'this is my second or third team').

4/10 here for Gullit as pundit and expert. Two bonus points for not talking to The Athletic or Sky Sports. 6/10.

 

Another fine piece on video, 28 december 1986. Again, think it is helpful (it was for me, yes). Reminder: Gullit was banned by UEFA for six European Cup games. PSV won the European Cup and treble the season after this one, beating Real Madrid. With Koeman suspended, for which Real Madrid lobbied and the Philips Corporation successfully reduced it from three to one game (Guus Hiddink his autobiography talks about this); Philips was a major sponsor of UEFA and in particular FIFA at the time (their boards are along the sidelines for the 1990 World Cup).



How do you see the trajectory of the national team until now? Hungary, Cyprus, Poland.

Gullit: "The most important is now: you have a certain system. That is what you have to play in. Whether you play good or bad, you have to play in the system. At that place, fill it in. Otherwise someone else does it. Often it was like: 'it is not going well, I am going to adventure myself'. You see that less now. You have to see it like... If you see Russian Ice Hockey, you see them play constantly in systems. Either way you turn it. If it is not going well the attack, turn around, and everyone functions in this. It's nice to see, too."

Do you believe in that?

Gullit: "It is a sort robot huh?"

You are no robot?

Gullit: "No, it can be annoying. In a team you always have one individualist, or two."

You are one of them.

Gullit: "Yes, but I can also be one of the others. Those individualists have to provide something else, yet still play in the system, of course. Fill in your place. So not if you have moved ahead, keep standing there because someone else will fill in your hole. No keep awake, direct others to a place. You fill in this place, I do this, so that it all stays the same."

Are you, with regards to domestic football, at your peak?

Gullit: "For domestic football, for my club? [interviewer says 'hmmm']. I think I am close. The danger for me is that it will be too easy. That you don't want it. That you too often reach your level and become less focused."

Did you have very good games this season [1986-87]. Of which you immediately can say: then and then, that and that goal? That was really...

Gullit: "Pffff... Difficult... Den Haag was a fine game for me. Groningen was good. Den Haag especially because it all fitted so well on midfield. One touch. Tap. Went easy. Didn't score a goal but doesn't matter, it was just really good."

And that is the Gullit in the PSV team when it is all functioning smooth?

Gullit: "Yes, I think so. Yes."
[cut]
Gullit: "Until now I play at PSV but I would like some adventure yes. I am twenty four and a few months. It is now time to have a look around. If I get the chance."

And that filling exercise comes later?

Gullit: "The implementation comes later. If it arrives to that decision."

We sit now in December opposite each other. You don't think about this right now? I mean, it does not occupy you?

Gullit: "Uhmmm.... well... You know [I know, he means] the season is long, still. You are only halfway. There are now rumors and so on. Uhmmm... When I play football and I am busy with practising football it doesn't occupy me. Also not when I am busy with music or whatever else. It only concerns me when I get confronted by it. When someone says to me 'hey Ruud', then you suddenly think about it again. It sounds stupid, I know, but that is how I am put together. That's my defect, cannot do something about it. But I am not thinking every day about it. Spain is also a challenge. I have played there. With and against Barcelona. That was incredible. If you play in that stadium, Nou Camp, you really don't know what happens."

And that, Barcelona, is something in the future for you?

Gullit: "You hope so. You don't really think about it but when you are in the stadium... such a fine pitch. It is twenty degrees in the evening. Stadium is full. You get eventually the people on your side. By your game. The Barcelona people suddenly start applaud you and so, adore you. That does something. You place it in context but very nice memories are that. Really nice. Not really like here."

You know there is in Amsterdam also a club with a nice white shirt, red band, a manager you know, a red band in the middle and so.

Gullit: "Haha. Are you also such one with a pyama? There are many people who have an Ajax pyama. Uhmmmm.... It is a good club. Certainly."

Maybe something for someone like you, a real Amsterdammer.

Gullit: "Yes, everyone says so. Everyone asks why I never played there. In the past [as young teenager] I was not good enough for Ajax. I was told. They had read reports. With me in. I was not good enough for them."
[cut]

Gullit: "What really was nice? The championship aside... [first since 1978]. Especially, you are not the most popular team in the Netherlands. You can say [laughs]. Everyone had liked it to see us fall down. And that is why it was so nice to become champion, more than the medal itself."

------------------

I think 1985-86 was his best season over here yes... maybe the interviewer implies with his question on the good games something similar as well, but hard to say. It is not clear to me he implies that.

Interesting that he's referring to the Soviets (ice hockey) -- It was his opponent less than two years later at euro 1988.

 

Looked very, very briefly for Gullit (search for 'statsbomb gullit ambidextrous') but I don't see something or can't remember.

Did remember this - maybe Ruud could do that too; passing accuracy with his weak foot and so on would be nice:

A quick interjection. Firstly, to give Cruyff's Ajax and Netherlands teammate Ruud Krol some flowers. Krol, very much a "modern day" attacking left wing-back, displayed a great example of the technical mastery of the Dutch footballers of the 1970s during this World Cup, making nearly as many passes off his left foot (105) as he did with his right (115).





So yeah, I'd like that to see for Gullit. Don't rule out he could do it accurately. The same frequency obviously not, but that's not a negative, to lower his rating for that skill then.

What I needed to add is Koeman his suspension was not for something that happened on the field:

During the quarter-final match against Girondins de Bordeaux, Hans Gillhaus made a hard tackle on opponent Jean Tigana. Koeman said in an interview with Sport International that he thought this action was 'class', although he qualifies those statements 32 years later. "It was of course a pretty tough violation," he says in a PSV TV special about the 'treble season'. "I said something along the lines of: yes, sometimes it is good to take firm action." [the whole comment and quote is not merely the word 'class', I give him that]

However, the article ultimately published caused quite a commotion and Koeman was eventually suspended for the semi-final return against Real Madrid. "There was pressure on that from third parties... That was Madrid."

However, the current national coach was released unscathed: initially he would also miss the final against Benfica, but the suspension was reduced to one match. However, during that one match against Real Madrid, Koeman sat in the stands and was agonizing. "You don't sit still, my heart rate was always 200 or higher."

Either way, this is mainly about Gullit but that PSV won the treble the season after he left is not something that works for him (fairly/unfairly). For some reason, also internationally, that is less or not the case for Romario (especially when placed next to the results Ajax and Feyenoord had in Europe during those years). He was the 'default' national champion though, and you can say Gullit and friends started that phase.

 

Football psychology determines that Van Basten, Rijkaard and Gullit play; Trainer AC Milan preaches Berlusconi's doctrine

EINDHOVEN, DEC 9 [1992]. Not the individual qualities, the form of the moment nor the right strategy. No, football psychology has persuaded Fabio Capello to field three Dutchmen in the Champions League match against PSV tonight. More foreigners are not allowed according to UEFA standards.

The AC Milan coach expects that Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit will be so motivated in their own country that he dares to choose them over the other non-Italians in his selection: Boban, Savicevic and Papin. But according to the new philosophy that the football stronghold of media magnate Silvio Berlusconi is promoting this season, every player must also be interchangeable. The red-black elite corps consists of 24 almost equal stars, on paper. Only a few play three times a week.

Capello must have reacted with mixed feelings last season when he heard his boss Berlusconi's plans to build an invincible team. On the one hand, it is an unprecedented luxury for a trainer to have the crème de la crème of European football under contract, but on the other hand, this automatically creates problems. Despite the millions they receive in the bank every year, megastars such as Gullit and Papin increasingly grumble when they are sent to the stands again, and Van Basten always plays. In addition, Capello is also expected to realize the gigantic investments and wholesale titles and cups.

However, the ex-footballer continues to preach Berlusconi's teachings unperturbed. “It is indeed difficult for the stars,” he admits. “Most teams consist of fifteen or sixteen good players. We have 24 on the payroll. A different mentality is expected from Milan's players. If they don't play, they still have to work hard. The pressure has increased, and so has the competition.”

Fabio Capello believes that foreigners should not complain if they are left out again. “When they signed their contract they knew what awaited them. Don't forget that the Italians have to fight just as hard for a place in the starting team. No one should forsake.” After which Ruud Gullit's name is automatically mentioned. Has the thirty-year-old Amsterdammer been written off within the walls of the San Siro? Would he be wise to look for another club? Gullit feels humiliated by the Rossoneri and says he has made a decision about his future. Capello looks with a surprised look to see if he can't quite follow the commotion about the black tulip. “Ruud Gullit is still of great value to AC Milan. I continue to believe in him. His condition still needs to improve a bit to play an entire season and every game. Against Juventus I didn't leave him out of the team for this reason. Then he simply didn't fit into my tactical plan [0-1 away win]. He will sign a new contract with Milan in the spring. Only the number of years he will stay is still a point of discussion.”

Are they the words of Judas? Capello will at least give Gullit a chance against PSV tonight in the stadium where he said goodbye to the Dutch league five and a half years ago. For the time being, it seems like a divide-and-conquer policy. Gullit will appreciate the gesture because he can play himself into the Dutch team against Turkey next week against PSV's supposedly soft defense [he had made himself available again].

Fabio Capello, born on June 18, 1946 in Pieris (North-East Italy), knows the feelings of a top football player. He also kicked quite a ball as a professional for many years. He broke through as a midfielder at AS Roma and that brought him to Eindhoven in the autumn of 1969 for a match for the European Cup II. He scored in the home game, even if it was from a penalty. A year later he turned his back on the team of the famous Argentine coach Helenio Herrera, the master of the catenaccio, and moved to Juventus. As a playmaker, he played and lost the European Cup final against Ajax in 1973.

In the meantime, Capello has made 32 appearances for the Italian team, scoring eight times. With Juventus, Capello won the Scudetto three times, the national title. In 1976 he was signed by rival AC Milan in the twilight of his career. Another national title would be added to his list of achievements. At the age of 34 he was included in the technical staff. When Swedish trainer Nils Liedholm had to leave prematurely due to old age in the year that Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten were signed, Capello was briefly allowed to take charge of the Rossoneri. Without much success, however, because Milan barely managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup tournament that 1986-87 season.

Berlusconi then thought Capello was too light for the final responsibility for his new toy. He even removed the ex-footballer from the football company altogether and gave him a position as manager at the polissportiva Mediolanum, the sports departments of Fininvest. The unknown Arrigo Sacchi became the new head coach of Milan. Capello only kept abreast of international football thanks to an additional income as a TV commentator. In his work as a manager, he impressed Berlusconi so much that the billionaire offered him the job of the exhausted Sacchi halfway through the 1990-91 season. In the past football year, Capello did what was expected of him: he led Milan to the Italian championship.

The reunion with Eindhoven was delayed yesterday. The weather gods forced the AC Milan plane to land at Zestienhoven near Rotterdam instead of Welschap near Eindhoven. The selection reached the City of Light hours later than planned by bus. It turned out that the fog had long since lifted. On the way to the hotel, a curious stop was made to view the pitch of the Philips stadium. Alarmed by the news that it could not even be played on Saturday, the players wanted to take stock. However, under a layer of dew drops, the green carpet looked perfect. Ruud Gullit on the sidelines: “I understand the field was deliberately not played on for last saturday. I get a bit emotional when I walk around here again after five and a half years. PSV still has a good name in Italy because the team won the European Cup in '88 and because of the league it plays in. Romario? I don't know if I should believe all those stories about him. In any case, in Italy we are used to good strikers.”

Fabio Capello remained polite when asked for his views on PSV. “A team that can play very compactly and disciplined. Romario adds something extra. It's going to be very difficult for us here.” But while Capello wondered in recent days which star he should prefer tonight, his colleague Hans Westerhof feverishly searched the arsenal of completely inexperienced youth players to supplement his selection. After Erwin Koeman (knee surgery), Adri van Tiggelen (suspended) and Berry van Aerle (groin), it became clear yesterday that Jerry de Jong (thigh injury) will also not be available. The young Raymond Beerens will now have to face Lentini. Ernest Faber is paired with Marco van Basten. Two players (René Klomp, Sjoerd Sanders) sit on the bench who have not even been in the first team for a second. In this state, it seems to be an unequal battle.

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(the goal is already shown above, for the 0-1)

Gullit has started his second youth at Milan

ROTTERDAM, JAN 4 Ruud Gullit was yesterday's match winner and the big standout for AC Milan, which remained unbeaten in the Italian Serie A for the 49th time in a row with a 1-0 victory in the away match against AS Roma. After his decisive goal against Sampdoria in the last match of the year 1992 [Van Basten was out], it was again Gullit's goal in the first game of 1993 [also here no Van Basten]. Milan maintained an eight-point lead over city rivals Inter, which defeated Genoa 4-0 in the Guiseppe Meazza stadium. Moreover, AC Milan once again set a record: victories in seven away matches in a row, one more than Juventus in the 1976/77 season.

Other competitors lost points again. Fiorentina lost 0-1 at home to Atalanta. Trainer Luigi Radice was therefore dismissed from Fiorentina. The dismissal became known after Mario and Vittorio Cecchi Gori released a statement. The brothers and film producers own the club. Italian newspapers reported last week about a fierce argument between Radice and Vittorio Cecchi Gori after the match. Radice was hired by Fiorentina in October 1991. The match against Atalanta was his 500th as coach of a club in the highest division.

Torino and Atalanta share third place with Lazio Roma, nine points behind Milan. Lazio won 3-0 on the snowy field of Ancona, the last goal was by former Ajax player Winter. Sampdoria played 3-3 at home against Foggia, which has climbed to the middle table since the arrival of Bryan Roy. Roy was missing with a muscle injury.

Of the six Dutchmen in Serie A, only Gullit and Winter played. Van Basten is recovering from ankle surgery, Rijkaard injured an ankle during training on last Saturday, Van 't Schip was on the bench. It is interesting that until recently Gullit was the only one of the Dutch super trio at Milan without a starting place, now he is the only one who is fit and playing. The 30-year-old international played excellent football in front of 71,000 spectators in the Olympic stadium, with joy, conviction and control. He reacted exuberantly after the victory, just as he was remarkably happy last month after his successful return to the Dutch team against Turkey. The match in which he regained his confidence in football, in his own words.

AC Milan played 85 minutes with ten men against Roma, which has ended up in the relegation zone, after captain Franco Baresi was sent off for a foul on the broken Bonacina. Baresi got red twice in a short time. Last month, during the international match against Malta, he had to leave after a goal-preventing handball [19 december 1992]. Milan was hardly affected. Trainer Capello brought defender Nava for attacker Massaro. After the break, Papin was replaced by Evani. Gullit scored beautifully after half an hour. In midfield he played Hässler out, entered into a combination with Tassotti and fired the bouncing ball from the right diagonally into the goal. Hässler came closest to a Roman goal three minutes before the end. Rossi stopped his shot, with the help of the post.