Cruyff much larger than his own biography

Amsterdam rides a Johan Cruijff tram through the city. In the Auditorium of Nou Camp you stumbled on this Monday FC Barcelona icons, journalists, and close friends of the family. And at Waterstones bookshop in London came Pep Guardiola substituting, warm and dignified telling of his great teacher. (,, Until Cruyff I knew nothing about football. '')

The largest Dutch footballer of all time (1947-2016) includes the biggest book launch of all time, so they must have thought when publishing house Nieuw Amsterdam, international rights holder Pan Macmillan and the Johan Cruyff Foundation.

The autobiography "Johan Cruyff - My Story 'is therefore linked unprecedented marketing machine, with tightly scheduled launches in various places in Europe. Son Jordi, wife Danny; they held successively in London, Amsterdam and Barcelona the book in the air. The number of translations: preliminary screening, later fifteen.

All editions adorned same stunning 70 -portret of Cruyff. Only in Catalonia is the Orange replaced by the blue and red purple FC Barcelona. In England the book bears the pretty ambiguous title 'My Turn', subtly referring to his internationally famous feint: the turning back heel.

The book goes conquer the world, such as the football player, the coach and the football thinker did? Yes and no. However, in absolute terms, in terms of circulation and projected sales. Alone, 100,000 copies were printed in the Netherlands.

The phenomenon Cruyff will also win a posthumous influence in the undeveloped soccer fields, say the countries that are detailed life story what is less well known to us, or than in Catalonia and Spain.

The book, penned by his regular ghostwriter Jaap de Groot, Cruyff outlines in many respects as he was. The autobiography is one long monologue, the sentences are written without much fuss. Sometimes you hear talk Cruyff, though the language stubborn twists it - for the sake of readability - it removed.

Disturbed
Above all talk Number 14 apace. Then again expanding on not very interesting issues, sometimes smoothly around maneuvering the pool affair of 1974. (,, All Indian stories.) Best, Cruyff relatively new pronunciation is also back: ,, You're just as long disturbed until you're a genius. ''

At the same time Johan Cruyff - My Story 'is not groundbreaking, great written and very controversial book. Indeed, there is so little news that the launch only in symbolic and ceremonial meaning caused a sensation. The reviews ranged from "Terrible book" in The Financial Times to three stars in the Volkskrant.

But not the book reached the international press, as does the book launch, which is not lacking in honor. On the doorstep of the Amsterdam bookstore Scheltema was parked in the beautiful old Citroën SM Cruyff. Soccer Son Frank Rijkaard got to get out of anonymity, especially for the presentation. Even widow Danny, certainly prefers the background, stood for a moment in the light of the spotlight.

,, You have to die to be so loved, '' said Jordi Cruyff on Monday in Barcelona, ​​Cruijffiaans, all the love he still receives daily from fans and football lovers. ,, So my father would have said. ''

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By Editors AD: Photo: ANP / AD