The thread for Ruud Gullit

Better video, better video quality, with showing the build up to the goals for PSV vs Milan match of 1992-93 (this was a group stage game, but the group stage then was not like today)

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11uk59

The winning goal in the Sampdoria game (the last match of 1992, as they mention), for Gullit, was assisted by Rijkaard.

 

It seems the full Roma match is available in full. On youtube but also other places. Flipping a bit through it it seems like Gullit played with drive yes, effort, and some long passes to Papin. AC Milan was playing for 85+ minutes with 10 men, since Baresi was dismissed after 5 minutes. No idea about the Sampdoria game, maybe/possibly a bit less good.

 

I'll gradually run this through to his slow exit from football, ending at 1995-96 (I see it does cover he ended up #2 in the footballer of the year voting, yes, and it mentions his good level of play but also 'charisma' to help him). I think I leave out (most of) the drama around the 1994 World Cup, also because what happened there was not fully known. I have to say this newspaper was fairly restricted and professional in that.

AC Milan boring

January 28, 1993. AC Milan vs Inter Milan, the most interesting match in the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup tournament, ended in a boring 0-0 draw in front of almost 65,000 spectators.

The return leg is in a month's time in the same stadium. Milan, with Gullit, Rijkaard and Savicevic as foreigners, find it difficult to score goals without Van Basten. Papin was also absent yesterday. On the poor pitch, the tempo was often low and the number of clear-cut chances was small. Juventus won 2-1 against Parma. Gianluca Vialli scored both goals.



Ruud Gullit effective for Milan

ROTTERDAM, 11 FEB. In the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup tournament, AC Milan outclassed city rivals Inter last night. The return match was won 3-0, thanks in part to a goal by Ruud Gullit. Frenchman Jean-Pierre Papin scored the first two goals, with Gullit his individual move providing the tap-in for the Frenchman's 1-0. In the semifinal, AC Milan will play AS Roma. The other semifinal will be the Turin derby Torino-Juventus. Torino qualified at the expense of Lazio, where German Doll had to make way for Englishman Gascoigne for the third time. Torino won 3-2.


(nice triangle and combination play by him at 7:15 - didn't see the full video but this I saw)

AC Milan has a comfortable lead everywhere

ROTTERDAM, MARCH 4. Halfway through the Champions League, AC Milan has a lead over its rivals that is as convincing as the ten-point gap it has created with second-placed players in the Italian league. Thanks to a magnificent goal from Papin, Milan also won its third match in the group, the winner of which will play in the final of the European Cup 1. Milan won the most important cup in 1989 and '90 and is almost a finalist this season.

Milan have six points, Gothenburg four, PSV and Porto only one. The last two clubs can forget about a place in the final, the Swedes still have a chance. After all, they will still receive Milan, but the future Italian champions not only have a two-point lead over Gothenburg, but also a considerably better goal difference. Where Milan have seven goals for and one against (by Romario), the ratio for the Swedes is four to five. The robust Scandinavian club, which won the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987, bears the burden of the 4-0 defeat on the opening day in San Siro. Then Van Basten scored four times.

The Dutch star is recovering from an ankle injury. His replacement Papin scored the only goal in Porto in front of 60,000 spectators. Fifteen minutes before the end he took a ball out of the air in one go on his boot.

Porto, who previously lost a point at home against PSV, sometimes put AC Milan under good pressure, especially in the first half. At Milan, Gullit was the only one of the three Dutchmen who played, because Rijkaard is also injured. After the break, Milan gained more control of the match and pushed for the win. Papin secured the second Italian victory on Portuguese soil in a week. Last week, the national team won 3-1 in the run-up to the World Cup.

Loss for AC Milan

March 11, 1993. After remaining undefeated for eleven months and 41 official matches, AC Milan had to bow to AS Roma last night. In the first semi-final of the Italian cup competition, Ruud Gullit and his team suffered a 2-0 defeat. AS Roma, trained by Boskov, played one of its best games this year after a period full of setbacks. Rijkaard, Van Basten, Savicevic, Albertini, Donadoni and Tassotti were missing from Milan. Record signing Gianluigi Lentini started from the bench. The return is on March 30 in San Siro.

Ruud Gullit

March 20, 1993. In Italy, speculation about a transfer of Ruud Gullit to Inter Milan is being taken more and more seriously. The club that has already secured Ajax players Dennis Bergkamp and Wim Jonk for the next three seasons is said to be very interested in the current right winger from fellow city team AC Milan. This is reported by the daily newspaper La Repubblica. Owner Silvio Berlusconi of AC Milan is said to be open to Gullit's departure because he believes it is better to see him at Inter than at rival Juventus, who he regards as better positioned for the future. Gullit's contract expires at the end of the season. He can sign a new contract, but is also free to leave. Gullit often clashed with the management of Milan. He has also been unavailable for many years due to (knee) injuries. Gullit is the darling of the Milanese public. At Inter, he will remain in the San Siro stadium.

Loss to AC Milan

March 22, 1993. AC Milan have lost their first match in the Italian football league in 58 games. Parma defeated the title holders in Milan 1-0. Milan's last defeat was on 19 May 1991: 2-1 in and against Bari. The unbeaten run of 58 matches is a new record in Italian football. Fiorentina went forty league matches without a loss in 1955/56. Van Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard did not play in the match.

"Milan lacks the inspiration of the true champion"

ROME, MARCH 31. How long will AC Milan be without Marco van Basten? After the elimination by AS Roma in the Italian cup competition, chairman Silvio Berlusconi wondered this out loud. A penalty just before the end missed by Jean-Pierre Papin. Many opportunities just wide, just over or just stopped. It is clear that Milan are going through a difficult period and are eagerly awaiting Van Basten's return. But Berlusconi also does not know when that will be. “Unfortunately, we still have to be patient,” he said. “It's taking longer than anticipated.”

Van Basten's ankle is still inflamed. A month ago he hoped he would be there last night, now he also rules out playing in the European Cup match against Gothenburg. Mid-April then? Maybe, Van Basten said. Milan issued a short statement yesterday: "Professor Marti has decided to extend the player's recovery period and has not commented on the duration of the recovery." In other words: it could still take a while.
Berlusconi reacted rather laconically to the elimination from the Italian Cup, although this disrupted his dream. Winning is not enough for Berlusconi, he wants Milan to enter football history with golden letters. Hence the new record of 58 unbeaten matches. That is why the team aimed for a "Grand Slam" at the start of the season: national champion, national cup, European Cup, World Cup and Super Cup. Only Ajax of the 1970s has achieved this before, which Berlusconi knew all too well, and Berlusconi had a significant premium in store if Milan were to match this. But Vujadin Boskov's AS Roma defeated them, and Berlusconi was sporty enough afterwards to go to the changing rooms and compliment Roma.

In a way, Milan have become victims of their own ambitions. In the first semi-final match three weeks ago, the team tried to equalize at all costs when they were 1-0 down. The result was a counterattack by Roma in the last minute, in which Caniggia put his team 2-0 up. That difference proved too big yesterday, even though Tassotti, Rijkaard and Albertini were back after their injuries. Against the stubbornly defending and early disruptive Roma, Milan were stuck at 1-0 yesterday in the San Siro stadium, thanks to a goal by Eranio in the 37th minute of the first half. Even the red card for Roma defender Garzya fifteen minutes before the end did not help Milan enough. Papin and Lentini missed a number of good chances, and Papin squandered the chance for extra time three minutes before the end by firing a penalty too softly into the corner. Ruud Gullit played as a striker, where he dominated in the air but with the ball on the ground had too little space and saw too many legs around him to really become dangerous.

Milan is going through a difficult period. It started with the defeat against Roma for the cup, three weeks ago. Then a draw against Lazio, the league defeat against Parma, another draw and now a victory that is so small that it means a defeat. Roma is emptying the SuperMilan, writes the Corriere della Sera this morning. The familiar schemes are still there, but what is missing is the inspiration, the sudden whim of a true champion. When is the precious Lentini going to play? And above all: when will Marco van Basten return?



Foreign football

Ruud Gullit saved AC Milan from another defeat. In the away match against sub-top team Torino, the forward who had to come on as a substitute scored the equalizer. Gullit headed the ball in from a cross by Albertini. Internationale gained another point on AC Milan. The future club of Jonk and Bergkamp won 2-0 against Pescara.

 

Thank you. No worries. Next week I am not in a position to update this thread either. Though this is really not a big effort. Just a matter of scanning/copying and use translation tools (and correct some things).

What I didn’t have in my mind, but now I do, is how Gullit had some important interventions in the second half of the season when it was all not running so well any more.

Next season in 1993-94 Milan became more defensive (and not unbeatable any more; the CL run was against weaker opponents, surely, and unlike 1992-93 they didn't win all matches in the group stage either). I read now this was also, as one of the reasons, to accomodate an ageing Baresi and Tassotti... (33-34 years old). When the first few games didn't go so well, they bought Desailly... but that is all in the future.

Good work (and transparant too) on the finals and the goals Wiliam Thanks that you appreciate it, how it was seen in the media over here (in this case a 'paper of record').

 

So I am now in a position to continue @Wiliam Felipe Gracek . First tidying up some loose ends;

This is very fitting:


Yes, I know that match and the background, especially when you or someone else brings this up again. What I will never forget is Gullit walking away, lol. Let me start with saying I'll put on some brakes on this story now (of course you're 100% allowed to have your own view). It's not like I will always run away with a line or idea that is fitting for me.

Referee team was from Saudi-Arabia, just like the 1998 semi final (with the infamous Aldair - Van Hooijdonk incident).

I'd say there was some confusion about the two offside goals. What did the linesmen do? Was it on time? Did they or the players understand it? Was it the right application of the new rules? Many also brought up it was a huge mistake to let an ageing Wouters play as full-back against Bebeto.

The third goal, yes, also that was analysed. The foul was reversed, against Overmars (young player of the tournament). Then came the 2-3. It was curious, but not as curious as the strange red card reversal (one minute later) for Russia in 2008 (which retired referees really saw as the 100% wrong decision, you just can't do that).

Much more debate caused the comments of goalkeeper Ed de Goey. Many felt he could have saved the Branco free kick, and otherwise he played quite good (one season earlier he received a very rare 10/10 from Voetbal International for one game, and I think it has some merits but perhaps played equally good games on other occasions as well). Ed de Goey said though in front of the cameras, after the end of the match he is "happy to go home". He just didn't like it there. The heat and many other things. He said he plays football for his joy and because it is interesting to find always another angle and approach. If it is not for joy then he can also sit in an office and pursue that career path, he said. This caused debate. Some supported him, some didn't. As the Cruijff video shows, rightly or wrongly, many thought and felt 'Holland' played only for one half (at best) real football, with 2-0 behind. Only then we saw actual football. Mighty and respected Brazil (star player was already Romario and of course known here; he speaks/spoke Dutch) looked beatable and not invincible. Maybe Romario his connection with 'Holland' is a reason for him defending Van Basten a number of times? His numbers look pedestrian now, but they certainly weren't back then (for ex. first since 1960s to score this amount of goals in Serie A, still pre backpass rule).

"In numerical terms, Stats Perform [OPTA] data shows that in 2000/01, no regular Premier League goalkeeper had a pass completion rate of more than 62% (and that was Chelsea’s Ed De Goey, brought up in Cruyff’s Netherlands)."
https://www.statsperform.com/resource/the-exploration-of-space-through-goal-kicks/

There are theories flowing around about this being Havelange his last tournament, and it was time for Brazil to win again. I find it just that: theories. I didn't bring it up very often. I have a more bitter feeling for 1998 (SofaScore has us also at a higher rank there; excluding the 3rd place game it is #1; in 2014 we were #2 by the way). The Andrew Jennings book is indeed interesting, as is David Yallop his book, with many machinations told there (a number of them are true and since proven further, in particular Germany; a few are shaky I sense but of course I am also just a flawed human).

The pundit gains an extra point for that message to England fans. Another additional point if this is really jinxing it, and Gullit predicts that right. Some want us to believe "football is coming home" is merely ironic, sarcastic. That is false and not genuine. When the England women won the European Championships as hosts (with a manager stolen from us; euro win and WC final with us as well) they immediately shouted "football is coming home" in the press conference and the first thing to come out of the Wembley speakers was that song. So what @comme once told me in a 'correcting' post, this was merely sarcastic and foreigners don't understand (Bonucci 2021 after the penalty win: "football is coming to Rome"), that is I believe false. It is entitlement. It is: we as England are a (former) world power, we - among many other actions - knocked capitalist Holland from their perch in 1672 (teaming up with Prussia), we invented football, and we are entitled to this. Is this maybe something similar to what Gullit has 'against' Ajax? "Without bluff, life is dull" (the post on the first page).

This by millions watched compilation shows a Nelson Mandela scene at 6:13.



What he says there, indeed refers to the thing I mention in bold. Just watch the full interview. You can really say he was the first coloured, European born, footballer to be realistically seen as the best. Captain on top. Trophy winning manager above (when the FA Cup had still some aura left). It seems like this MatiGolz (Italian?) account on youtube likes him yeah. Everyone is allowed that of course, and only better when that is genuine and not "it is my country" or "he won the World Cup" (andsoforth). I am just not one of those, among the very, very biggest Gullit fans. It's fair to be open and honest about this. But I still rate him a class higher than someone like Neeskens, really (I feel, like I said, the top Belgian players often get underrated compared to their northern neighbours - Neeskens is such one; those northern neighbours in turn are often used as merely adornment for the real greats - the Italian defenders and so on. Baresi certain top 30 all-time player, Rijkaard often outside top 100? Not for me, my friend).

I think this cleans up some loose ends and I'll slowly pick it up again. First the route to the slow exit. Then I'll see again.

 

AC Milan in final European Cup

GOTHENBURG, APRIL 8. AC Milan has secured a place in the final of the European Cup 1. The club defeated IFK Göteborg 1-0 in Sweden yesterday [...]. On May 26 in Munich, the Italian champions will play against Glasgow Rangers or Olympique Marseille.
[...]
Frank Rijkaard made his comeback at international level yesterday in Gothenburg with two painkilling injections in his foot. He ended the match with slight stiffness in the ankle joint of the injured and operated foot, which was in a cast for a few weeks. "The result is there", said Rijkaard. "I was able to play relatively pain-free. It was responsible to do that".
Rijkaard admitted that he had been asked very urgently to play, so that Papin in Gothenburg and Gullit could watch in peace at home. AC Milan were missing not only Van Basten, whose ankle is not yet cooperating, but also Baresi, Eranio and Albertini due to suspension. Gullit had been left in Milan to rest for Saturday's cracker against Italian number two Inter. Then the Serie A can be decided early.
Rijkaard did not train yesterday morning in the Nieuwe Ullevi stadium. He entrusted his limbs to the medical staff. Three quarters of an hour before the start he indicated that he could play and he even became the dominant player in a rather defensively oriented team.
[...]
After all, there’s another 'final' in the Giuseppe Meazzi stadium in two days and the Dutch team at Wembley in three weeks. Rijkaard only wanted to think about the first. “The Dutch national team is still a long way off. I haven’t trained for a month. If I’m fit, I’ll go, if the national coach invites me. The club is more important now.”



Ruud Gullit saves Milan in the derby

ROTTERDAM, 13 APRIL. In the negotiations with AC Milan about playing time and salary, Ruud Gullit can raise his sights again after the well-hit and important goal he scored in the derby against Inter Milan on Saturday. Gullit brought his team level seven minutes before the end. The 1-1 led to a sigh of relief in the ranks of Milan, who had to concede two heavy defeats in recent weeks. The lead over Inter now remains seven points, with seven games still to go.

“I need it to play the important games, games with a lot of tension on the eve, where every step and every minute is charged with great emotions,” said a broadly smiling Gullit afterwards. He hopes that his decisive goal and the one he scored two weeks ago against Torino will give him some more credit with Milan president Silvio Berlusconi, who is having second thoughts about the contract offer he wants to make Gullit. Gullit wants a two-year contract and, according to press reports, more than two billion lire a year, around 2.5 million guilders for each year.



Panic is not appropriate for AC Milan, but there are concerns

ROME, APRIL 19. Panic is not in the style of AC Milan. But after a deserved 3-1 defeat at home to Juventus, the club is starting to worry. The team of coach Fabio Capello has not won in six games and the lead over pursuer and arch-rival Inter is rapidly shrinking. "If they had told me at the start of the season that we would have had a five-point lead with six games to go, I would have jumped for joy," chairman Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday.

Now he is looking for ways to turn around Milan's dejected mood and give the team confidence again. And he wonders aloud when attacking leader Marco van Basten will recover from his persistent ankle injury, which dates back to before Christmas. "His absence plays a very important role in the difficult period we are going through," Berlusconi said. "Let's hope he comes back soon, a great champion like him is not something you can do without."

Jean-Pierre Papin, who has taken over Van Basten's role in recent weeks, was also out against Juventus on Saturday due to an injury. Marco Simone played with number nine and put Milan ahead after just six minutes, but he was hardly involved after that. The Milan machine was not running. Frank Rijkaard, the 'diesel' of the midfield, did not get going. "I had no power in my legs," said the Dutchman afterwards. He has barely trained after injury but has to play.

Ruud Gullit worked hard, but without much result and missed a golden opportunity in the second half. Savicevic got another chance. However, he showed again that he is too much of an individualist to function well in the Milan collective. And the defense of the defending champions is starting to leak. Symbolic of this was the way in which last man Baresi slipped after fifteen minutes and gave Möller the space to bring Juventus level. After that equalizer, Juventus were in charge. Möller scored again, after a cross that he suddenly took on his boot. And Roberto Baggio clearly enjoyed his free role behind the strikers Vialli and Möller and crowned an excellent match with the third goal.

The tables have turned compared to a few months ago. Now AC Milan is the club in trouble, while everything is going well for Juventus. Milan's problems started on March 10 with the 2-0 defeat to AS Roma in the Italian Cup. Then came a draw against Lazio and a week later the first defeat in 58 league games, at home to Parma. Since then, Milan have only drawn, against Torino, Napoli and Inter. That has reduced the lead from 11 points over Inter to five. And everyone in Milan remembers well how in 1988 the team was four points behind Napoli, with five games to go, and still became champions. Captain Baresi: "We were convinced that we had the championship in our pocket, but apparently we imagined it. The problem is in the head. We can only lose the championship ourselves." Coach Capello agreed. "It's a mental problem." He announced that there would be a long talk at the Milanello training camp today.

National coach 'claims' foreign players

ZEIST, 20 APRIL. National coach Dick Advocaat has informed the foreign employers of players he has selected for the England-Netherlands international that he wants to have the entire group at his disposal on Saturday. The players in question are AC Milan (Gullit and Rijkaard), Barcelona (Ronald Koeman), Bayern Munich (Wouters), Lazio Roma (Winter) and Aberdeen (Snelders).

In the past, claiming internationals has led to clashes with the 'suppliers' of internationals, who wanted to let club interests prevail. They came at the last moment or not at all. There is no interest involved in providing a favor to a foreign national team. The national coach has not made use of the rights he has, or has made selective use of it, but given the great importance of the qualifying match next Wednesday, that has now happened. This morning, there was still no response from the clubs involved.
[...]
Advocaat initially selected seventeen players. That is one more than usual. This was done as a precaution, because Rijkaard and Koeman are slightly injured. That probably also explains Blind's rather surprising return.
[...]

Milan wants Dutch players to play on Sunday; Advocaat sticks to Rijkaard and Gullit arrivals

MILANELLO, APRIL 21. As if the decline in the competition was not enough to worry people, national coach Dick Advocaat caused even more commotion in the AC Milan camp in recent days by demanding Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit for a training weekend in the Netherlands. Last night he had a telephone conversation about this subject with his colleague Fabio Capello, who asked him not to do so.

This morning, the KNVB sent the answer by fax. In it, Advocaat sticks to his instruction that Gullit and Rijkaard must report to the Netherlands on Saturday to prepare for the crucial international match between the Dutch team and England next Wednesday in London. However, the club management of Milan takes the position that Rijkaard and Gullit cannot possibly be missed in the league match against Udinese on Sunday, especially now that the Italian leader is losing points every week, which has reduced an initial lead of eleven points over competitor Inter to five.

The FIFA regulations agree with Advocaat and the KNVB and provide for sanctions, such as a fine of fifty thousand guilders, if a club does not give its internationals time off. Gullit and Rijkaard can only meet their employer's demands by resigning from the Dutch national team. Even then, Milan, PSV's opponent in the Champions League tonight, remains in violation. The club's management, which has become quite nervous about the free fall in Serie A, is also aware of this.
[...]
Ruud Gullit, who will not be able to play against PSV tonight because he would be the fourth foreigner after Rijkaard, Boban and Savicevic, hinted that he would rather play against Udinese on Sunday afternoon. “It would be perfect if I could play. Then I would only have to fly once: from Udine to London. That would be less tiring. I also understand Advocaat's position. He is thinking about himself and the Dutch national team for once. But it is the case that the player is the victim and is caught between two fires. Whatever is decided, we are always the ones who get the short end of the stick.”
Gullit's preference to play is somewhat at odds with his lamentation about Milan's overloaded schedule. According to him, that is the cause of the decline of his team that initially seemed to be going to win everything that could be won this season. [...]
This season will also have a tail for the internationals in the form of the Netherlands-Norway match on 9 June. Gullit: “That is two weeks after the European Cup final and three days after the end of the Italian competition. Everyone thinks about a holiday then. A very unfortunate date to play such an important international match.”
Yet Gullit must not have lost his eagerness. He seemed written off for the absolute top when Capello occasionally transferred him to second choice this season. But the Amsterdammer, plagued by his weak knees every year, fought back and made an important contribution to the expected championship with the equalizer against Inter. The tales that club president Berlusconi wants to sell him to the city rival, seen as less dangerous as Juventus, or a sale to Real Madrid are no longer an issue. Gullit can extend his contract for a longer period. However, he has instructed his agent Ella Adriaanse to play a one-year contract out of the fire with an option for another year.

He vehemently denies that there were ever any negotiations with Inter. “Even if it were your last club in your life, you could never do that in Milan. Some supporters would take it very badly. Players who have tried to go from one rival to another in Serie A have always ended badly in the public estimation.”

Rijkaard is allowed to go to the Netherlands

MILAN, APRIL 22. Frank Rijkaard received permission from AC Milan this morning to leave for the Netherlands.

He will then immediately report to doctor Kessel of the KNVB. Rijkaard is suffering from a back injury. He sustained it yesterday during the morning training, without the ball being nearby. Rijkaard was therefore unable to play against PSV. The player does expect to be able to play in the international match against England next Wednesday in London.
The tug-of-war over Ruud Gullit for the Dutch national team continues. National coach Dick Advocaat, who wants to claim him and Rijkaard for a training weekend in the Netherlands in view of the important match against the English, announced yesterday afternoon in a second fax to AC Milan that he will have the duo banned by FIFA if they remain in Italy for the Milanese league match against Udinese. Gullit did not want to comment this morning. He only said: "I am not going to the Netherlands for the time being."
Dick Advocaat doesn't understand the commotion because Udinese is third from bottom and Milan, despite a setback, still has a five-point lead. Milan had not filed any official request to lift the claim on the players until yesterday evening.
Berrie van Aerle, the only PSV player selected for next Wednesday's international match against England, left the field prematurely during Milan-PSV with an injury to the back of his knee. "I twisted my ankle. I stopped immediately, otherwise the spot might have swollen."

Ruud Gullit reluctantly goes to training camp

MILANELLO, 23 APRIL. Against his will, Ruud Gullit travels to the Netherlands today together with Frank Rijkaard to report tomorrow in Noordwijk for the training weekend of the Dutch national team in preparation for the international match against England. The right winger of AC Milan would have preferred to play the away match against Udinese with his team on Sunday. In a telephone conversation with Dick Advocaat yesterday, he tried to persuade the national coach to give him time off, but the man from The Hague stuck to his previous position. Frank Rijkaard, whose playing against Udinese was still uncertain due to a minor back injury, had already declared himself willing to come to the Netherlands tomorrow morning.

Gullit says he was not pressured by either coach Fabio Capello or president Silvio Berlusconi. “I wanted to play on Sunday. This weekend comes at a bad time. Milan can really use my presence.” Despite the costly selection, the number of strikers of the European Cup I finalist has shrunk considerably. Simone cannot play for the time being due to Popescu's charge. Papin has been struggling with an injury for weeks. He is also mentally down after a missed penalty. Van Basten still lacks match rhythm, but it is expected that he will make his comeback on Sunday in the second half after four months. Savicevic and Massaro were good enough to play against PSV, but in Capello's eyes and remarkable opinion they are too light for Serie A.

Gullit: “Advocaat can say that Udinese is third from bottom, but he underestimates the situation in our league. The teams that are in danger of relegation will do everything they can to collect points. And they are capable of doing so because the differences in strength in Serie A are not that big anyway.”
That is why Gullit asked Advocaat for understanding yesterday in a final attempt. “In this case, you could not ignore the player's interests. Decisions are going to be made now. You are busy with this the entire season. Milan showed his good will before the match against Turkey when I was allowed to leave early. Now he could do something in return.”

Gullit's loyalty to his employer is all the more remarkable since he was sometimes treated like an outcast by the club earlier this season. During that period, however, national coach Advocaat continued to believe in him. That resulted in a starting spot for the match in Turkey. Capello was able to release him earlier with a generous gesture, because he was not yet a regular for AC Milan at that time. Gullit is apparently enjoying his strong comeback (Capello: "Ruud is in better shape than last season at this stage") and now he does not want to miss any match to silence all his critics once again. Socially aware as he is, he also advocated for Aron Winter yesterday. "He can still reach UEFA Cup football with Lazio. He should be given time off, just like me." Coach Fabio Capello accuses Advocaat of “lack of cooperation”.

Unlike Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten can withdraw from the Dutch national team with good manners. As a result of an ankle operation, he still lacks so much match rhythm that Advocaat will not have much use for him at Wembley, where neither England nor the Netherlands can lose to stay in the race for the World Cup. Van Basten will nevertheless make a cautious comeback at AC Milan on Sunday. Yesterday, he played a three-quarter-hour practice match against a junior team from Milan at Milanello. Everyone was very enthusiastic about his performance in this insignificant match and the three times world footballer of the year himself said that he had a "good feeling" about the test case. Van Basten: "My ankle is no longer causing me any problems. I just don't have enough strength in that leg yet. I also still lack substance in terms of condition."

Wouters can play on Wednesday

NOORDWIJK, APRIL 26. The preparation of the Dutch national team for the World Cup qualifying match against England is going according to plan.

Yesterday, all sixteen selected players were fit. There were doubts about Wouters, Van Vossen and Rijkaard. Wouters was examined in a German hospital on Friday. “I have a joint in my back that hurts. It’s not serious. It only hurts when I fall on my shoulder. That’s all. I can play.”
The same applied to the other two problem cases. Rijkaard played smoothly on Saturday in the practice match with Jong Oranje, which was won 3-0 by the national select corps. On Wednesday he had sprained his back during training at AC Milan. Van Vossen played with a fever on Saturday. “About 39 degrees,” he explained yesterday, “but he is fine again. There is no problem for Wednesday.”
Ruud Gullit stated yesterday in Noordwijk that he never considered resigning from the Dutch national team when national coach Advocaat came into conflict with his club AC Milan. “I had no choice in either direction.”

 

Munich born football journalist Raphael Honigstein makes the point in his book 'Englischer Fussball' that for Germany not England but 'Holland' and Italy are the biggest rivals (see @comme @PDG1978 ? It is not the trophies... maybe in some martial minds it works that way).

Italy also because of their success yes (it is a certainty Mussolini in 1934 and 1938 will be put forward), and Holland has regularly deep runs too, but it has other aspects than that. This rivalry was the strongest and most toxic during Gullit his career. Honigstein repeated his stance in 2021 on twitter and on video. In his book it says it is also because 'Holland' often played the better and more appreciated football (at 2014 World Cup the Germans and Dutch are top two per Sofascore; in 1974 number one, in 1978 number two excluding the extra time of the final etc. - you can bet on The Athletic bashing it down, like for euro 1988 - that's a source of bitterness for me yes, what 'historians' and 'award winning media' are doing).

Englischer Fussball by Raphael Honigstein | Sport and leisure books | The Guardian
'German football fans much keener to beat Holland or Italy than England' (telegraph.co.uk)
(they also used 'Holland' often - that is incorrect and annoying but yes, it was once correct, and has become correct again, if you see where the footballers come from and also many fans. The antipathy was and is higher in the west of the country)

I totally overlooked this article below from a few weeks back. It is worth posting because it shows how things have moved on (in some regions at least).

Applause for the Dutch team, the defending champions in Germany

The Dutch national team has settled in Wolfsburg, where children from the city cheered for Weghorst and co. The Dutch team has a recognizable team for the Germans.

Willem Vissers 12 juni 2024, 16:46

Sometimes there is suddenly an almost philosophical statement from national coach Ronald Koeman, this time in the press room in Wolfsburg, Wednesday, a day after the arrival of the Dutch national team in Germany for the European Championship. He says: “Knowing everything doesn't make you happy.”

In this particular context, it concerns the provision of data by specialists in a staff that is larger than the number of players at the tournament: 37 to 25. Everything is measurable and 'knowable'. Not that Koeman rejects data in all shapes and sizes – he wouldn't dare – but he prefers to rely on his observational skills and his experience. “The naked eye is also important.”

He has already praised them, his players, even after asking whether the dullness of Wolfsburg will not make them feel tempted to escape the routine via the drainpipe, according to the old cliché about the drainpipe as a lifeline to entertainment. "They don't do that anymore." And when he was a top footballer himself, things were already different. “We just walked out the front door. It is not the army.”

Playful training
The Dutch team will give something back to Volkswagen's city on Wednesday. Technical director Nigel de Jong of the KNVB and mayor Dennis Weilmann exchange shirts. “They want to make history, but today they present themselves to us in Wolfsburg,” the speaker shouts as the players enter the field for a playful training.

The hit Amazin (feat Emms), by the Dutch rapper Idaly, turns into Larger than Life, the song by Armin van Buuren that accompanies this campaign. Reporter Sven Töllner from Sky Sports from Germany has a nice find. “The Netherlands is the defending champion in Germany,” he says in his report from the field. After all, at the last European Championship in Germany, in 1988, then still West Germany, the Dutch team won. Since then, Denmark, Germany, France, Greece, Spain (twice), Portugal and Italy have been champions, but none of that was in Germany.

There is also identification of the Germans with the Dutch national team. While explaining to the TV viewers, Töllner points to the field, especially to the Bundesliga players. No fewer than 11 of the 25 players in Koeman's selection play football or played in the European Championship country's competition, from Ian Maatsen and Jeremie Frimpong to Wout Weghorst and Matthijs de Ligt. “Xavi, Xavi,” the children sing to attract the attention of the Red Bull Leipzig attacker. Weghorst and Micky van de Ven (both formerly of Wolfsburg) give interviews and speak to the local fans next to the field in flawless German.
[... cut...]
It is Koeman's most important observation so far during this preparation; that players are developing well, that many can play in different positions, and that he expects the necessary changes in the line-up during the tournament, due to the good form of many. He saw all that. With the naked eye.
Applaus voor Oranje, de titelverdediger in Duitsland | de Volkskrant

Die Mannschaft is not feeling well in their own country, which is why Germans embrace Orange, including the Snollebollekes

The relationship between Germans and their Mannschaft is cool due to disappointing performances, high ticket prices and controversial tournaments. They have now turned en masse to Orange, including serious analyzes about the Snollebollekes phenomenon. The well-known football song will not belong to 'high culture'. “But is that necessary?”

Remco Andersen June 25, 2024, 5:05 PM
[...]
Who will the Netherlands play against again on Tuesday? Austria is mentioned somewhere halfway through the piece, but that is hardly discussed in Berlin on Tuesday. “After the Dutch fans turned Hamburg and Leipzig into a sea of orange shirts, flags and hats, they are now coming to Berlin,” writes the Tagesspiegel. “Good mood is pre-programmed.”

The Dutch fans are very successful in Germany. The half-cheese hats, foam rubber busts of Gullit and Van Basten, and the orange fan bus are so infectious that the Germans are humming along en masse.

Tame affair
The European Football Championship is getting off to a slow start in Berlin. Germany has not played here yet. In other cities, large groups of German fans dressed in white took to the streets, but in the stadiums it remained somewhat tame. According to German media, the bond between Die Mannschaft and the public has not been optimal lately. This is partly due to disappointing performances, high ticket prices, and controversial tournaments in Russia and Qatar. The last European Championship was during corona. Fans feel a distance. In any case, tens of thousands of them zigzagging across the main roads have not yet been spotted.

However, recent football history does not seem to hurt the Dutch. “I'm turning into a Holland fan, I also have the left-right fever,” someone writes under a TikTok video of the orange madness in Leipzig last Friday. Another: "It brings tears to my eyes because it is so beautiful and peaceful." Even the police, who explained their relatively mild action against orange-colored fireworks. "The march of the thousands of Dutch fans made an enormously positive impression and will remain a beautiful memory for the Leipzig police for a long time."

The wave of positive attention is remarkable, given the historic football rivalry between the two countries. But the Germans could use some joy. In recent months, and years, the public debate has been dominated by the rise of the far right and their deportation plans, political violence, coup plans, the war in Ukraine, and crisis after crisis. The threat of terrorism is high, the security service emphasized last week. There are also significant security measures around the fan zone in Berlin. Part of the adjacent Tiergarten city park is closed.

No 'absolute high culture'
Meanwhile, German opinion makers are trying to analyze the phenomenon. “The song dates from 2015 and comes from the band Snollebollekes,” writes Die Welt. 'They are kind of stars in the Netherlands.' Tagesspiegel: 'The chorus consists only of the words 'to the left, to the right' and gives unmistakable commands that thousands follow enthusiastically.' jokes the news site NTV. “But is that necessary?”

Certainly not, says singer Rob Kemps in the Spiegel interview. 'Music connects people, wherever they come from.' 'For this you don't need deep melodies like tragic classical pieces or French chansons. It is very simple party music that can make people happy.' One question remains, asked by a user on TikTok: 'Where are the German fans and can't we do this too?'
Die Mannschaft ligt even niet lekker in eigen land, daarom omarmen Duitsers Oranje, inclusief de Snollebollekes | de Volkskrant

Despite everything, German fans seem to prefer the Netherlands to win the European title the most and that has one important reason
[...]
The Dutch hope to equal the performance of 1988 by becoming European champions in Germany again. And a high number of Germans think that is a great plan.

The European Championship lost to the host country on Friday. Germany lost 2-1 to Spain in the quarter-final. The Spaniards struck in the 119th minute with a header from Mikel Merino, so German football fans have to look for a new favorite. A poll by the German newspaper BILD makes it clear which country our eastern neighbors would like to see become European champions.

Before the semi-finals, the German tabloid newspaper asked which country readers would like to see become European champions. Spain, England, France and the Netherlands are still the possible winners of the European Championship. More than 170,000 people replies and the result is clear.
[...]
So it is clear that in Germany they hope for a final between the Netherlands and Spain. They are not at all interested in a win from France and England: both countries receive only seven percent of the votes.

"And this despite the fact that the current national coach Ronald Koeman wiped his ass with a German shirt in 1988," writes tabloid Bild. "And don't forget Frank Rijkaard, who spat in Rudi Völler's hair during the 1990 World Cup."

"One reason is certain: the performance of the Orange fans here in Germany so far," writes Bild about the readers' preference. "They celebrate their way through the European Championship with huge fan marches, which have been completely problem-free so far. You have to give them that."

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

One trophy... once the biggest rivals of the most succesful European country in football. That is also sport.

edit: obviously The Athletic ignores the above completely. When it comes to the fans and supporters, we get bile like this
Dutch football supporters and a tradition that divides the Netherlands - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

There is 100% an agenda there, and you seem to follow it @comme (you find it with World Soccer the "greatest" football outlet). The Germans see it, the French see it, and a number of other countries - but The Athletic and co (fill in the UK outlets yourself) can only come up with bile about blackfaces and Black Pete. That's my bitterness, and rightly so.

 

From football enemy to friend: Germans now support the Dutch national team en masse

Who do Germans support during this European Championship after they lost the quarterfinals to Spain? That is what the German daily BILD asked its readers. About half of them want the Netherlands to win the cup in Berlin on Sunday. Considering the tense football history with our eastern neighbours, something to this direction is quite remarkable.

When asked 'What is your team at the European Championship now?' 47 percent of the 170,000 German readers voted for the Netherlands . In second place is Spain with 39 percent of the votes. The French team – which has now been eliminated from the tournament – and England both received 7 percent.

According to German sports reporter of RTL Deutschland Jan Heikrodt, many Germans now support the Netherlands because of the bond between the two countries. "This is bigger with the Netherlands because it is close," he explains to Editie NL.

Dutch players in Bundesliga
By close, he doesn't just mean that we are neighbouring countries. "Several players from the Dutch team also play and contribute in the Bundesliga," says Heikrodt. That is the highest football competition in Germany, comparable to the Eredivisie. "Like Donyell Malen, who plays for Borussia Dortmund." But also, for example, Matthijs de Ligt, who plays for Bayern Munich.

German support was not always self-evident. For example, national coach Ronald Koeman pretended to wipe his bottom with the shirt of his German opponent Olaf Thon after winning the semi-final during the 1988 European Championship. And Frank Rijkaard spat at German Rudi Völler twice during the 1990 World Cup. Captain Ruud Gullit made no secret of what he thinks. That did not go down well with the Germans.

But according to Heikrodt, those missteps have been forgotten or forgiven, which is why the goodwill factor is back. And many Germans want the Netherlands to have a successful tournament again after years of drought. "The first and last time the Netherlands won during the European Championship was in 1988. It is time."

Supporters provide fun
The Dutch supporters also create a good atmosphere, the sports reporter explains. "Like dancing from left to right. I was in Amsterdam last match [against Germany, friendly of this year]. The supporters were really nice and party a lot." He also spoke to a number of bar owners in Düsseldorf, where many Dutch supporters were present. "The owners of the bars thought they were very nice. They drink a lot, but are good supporters and don't make a mess."

To reach the final, the Netherlands must first beat England tonight. Sports reporter Heikrodt says he is "hopeful. The English team did not play very well in the last few games and were very lucky at times."

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

Somewhat comparable example, with colonialism and such (source: Volkskrant):



Almost all of Ambon is under the spell of Orange: 'The colonial period? That's distant history'

Orange fever is prevalent on the Indonesian island of Ambon. Dutch footballers with Moluccan roots are not only a source of pride, but also a form of solace, in the absence of achievements by their own team. 'At least we still have Tahamata, Van Bronckhorst or Reijnders.'
[...]
Dira is an active member of the Holland-Ambonese friends club. 'I fell in love with the Dutch game at primary school', she says, dressed in an orange football shirt. Or the 35-year-old civil servant William Puttileihalat who lives opposite a large mural with the Dutch lion. 'I love the philosophy of total football', he says dreamily. 'Moreover, my grandfather was in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL)'. Market vendor Erwin Gondrong says that since winning the quarter-final last weekend, he has sold more than a thousand 'KNVB shirts' (made in Jakarta). With a grin: 'That's big business in all of Indonesia at every European Championship and World Cup.'

'The colonial period? That's distant history,' says housewife Angel Sahetapy (44), who has hung a large Dutch flag on her facade. Other countries, such as Great Britain and Portugal, were just as bad or even worse, she says. 'One typical Dutch discussion. That's how it was in those days. I forgive them.' Civil servant Puttileihalat: 'The Dutch also founded churches, schools and hospitals. They didn't force their language or religion on us. Let's embrace our history and look ahead together.'

Many respondents know little or nothing about that other dark history, the train hijackings and hostage-takings in the seventies. The Orange euphoria on Ambon, many residents state, should be seen separately from politics or history – it is about love for the total football idea (creative, variable playing style, capable in multiple positions).

Wilhelmus ringtone
The king of Orange Love is most likely Brian Holland (he no longer uses his real name). He sits in his orange house, on his orange couch, next to his orange goldfish, wearing an orange hat. The 53-year-old Gojek driver (a kind of Uber) loves the Dutch style of play. 'If you cut my arm, orange blood will come out!'
[...]
Dutch Indians, with grandparents from the Moluccas, also play in the current national team of Indonesia. They have been given a passport by the Indonesian government to quickly raise the national level.

Whoever shares blood is one
At a table in the corner, sports journalist Rudi Fofid of local newspaper Suara Maluku is willing to explain why the Orange craze has struck the Moluccas. 'The Netherlands is associated with prosperity, improvement and progress. The Dutch introduced a strong work ethic and discipline, and these are qualities that Moluccans say they adopted from the Dutch.'

In addition, according to him, Oranje brings comfort, in the absence of performances by their own national team. 'Then we can say: at least we still have Tahamata, Van Bronckhorst or Reijnders.' [all born and raised in Holland...] Fofid points to the Moluccan concept of Pela Gandong : who shares blood, is one. According to the journalist, the legacy of the 68-year-old Tahamata cannot be exaggerated. 'He showed what was possible. But he also told us about the difficult time of the Moluccans in the Netherlands. We knew nothing about that.'

In the Oranjetuin, all the neighborhood children are already dressed in orange and are looking forward to a nighttime spectacle. 9-year-old Nefra, in orange sportswear and pink slippers, will definitely stay awake, she says. On request, she is happy to give the Dutch team some advice. 'Keep it up. Keep doing your best and make sure you don't lose to England. Not England.'

 

Apparently this were the Serie A ratings as it stood on 31 january 1993.

6,82 Signori (Lazio)
6,75 Marchioro (Pescara)
6,67 Maldini (Milan)
6,64 Ferron (Atalanta)
6,63 Fusi (Torino)
6,62 Van Basten (Milan)
6,61 Gullit (Milan)
6,59 Winter (Lazio)
6,58 Lombardo (Sampdoria)
6,56 Effenberg (Fiorentina)

https://football-ratings.blogspot.com/2013/01/today-20-years-ago-top-rated-players_31.html?m=1

From the first page of this thread:

"In 1992-93 he [Gullit] had even a higher average grade, which is also corroborated by DBScalcio (6.67 in 1992-93 vs 6.50 in 1991-92), but just about didn't play enough to qualify for the final ranking. He was also great in the Coppa Italia I'd say. Aron Winter was 2nd best foreigner by Guerin Sportivo! (just 0.07 removed from the top)."

Top 3 foreigners (Guerin Sportivo)
1. Ruben Sosa 6,58
2. Aron Winter 6,51
3. Abel Balbo 6,48

This is from before a few of the 'Gullit as Rotterdam newspaper hero' games described above (like Torino, Inter in the league and Coppa Italia).

edit: this is 1990-91 it seems:
https://football-ratings.blogspot.com/2011/12/memory-lane-serie-1990-91.html?m=1

https://football-ratings.blogspot.com/2023/03/le-pagelle-del-milan-199091.html?m=1

 

I'd think he was the best player on the pitch but it is hard to give a grade. Really depends on the standard you use. Some would say an 'ordinary' league game cannot be a 10.

In this case I think a 7.5 is a minimum and the 9.0 a maximum.

He was the best player on the field, including substitutes, I think and thought, yes (no: that does not equal he is of the Maradona tier as a player).

 

You might be right about this, yes. It is unlikely he had the same volumes as Maradona or even Scifo at his peak but he was quite capable (also in tighter spaces) and it might well be he has like Hazard/Robben a relatively high success rate.

 

I think in this Intercontinental Cup game (03/12/1990) he reached a good level, combined well, but was overshadowed by Van Basten and the two goals of Rijkaard. Gullit himself has said it was only in 1991 that he was happy again with how he was playing. Donadoni looked at times as a lower league level player and was thus subbed out at the 80th minute; in a way you can say a good Donadoni didn't look as good as an average Gullit (hyperbole?).

Gullit has some good ratings for this season (and scored in the infamous Marseille matches, with the ban - Van Basten was suspended for both matches) but personally think Van Basten was more important for the results even if he wasn't scoring a lot. You can see Gullit his effect well though, also for the goals against Milan suffered, in the 1988-89 and 1989-90 seasons. That is where you see his effect, also on the defense, quite well.

https://football-ratings.blogspot.com/2011/12/memory-lane-serie-1990-91.html
https://football-ratings.blogspot.com/2023/03/le-pagelle-del-milan-199091.html