Ajax's Glory Years

DAVID DOCHERTY RECALLS WHEN THE DUTCH CLUB’S ‘TOTAL FOOTBALL’ RULED EUROPE

- David Docherty

THE recent return to the very top echelon of European football by the Ajax Amsterdam of Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek and Dusan Tadic brought to mind the early 70s when the Dutch masters were the undisputed kings of Europe playing their unique brand of ‘Totaalvoetbal’ (Total Football).

That was the team of Johan Cryuff, Johan Neeskens and Ruud Krol, which was managed between 1965-1971 by the major proponent of that tactical system Rinus Michels.

The genesis of that great side first came to notice in this country in 1966 when they faced English champions Liverpool in the European Cup in December of that year.

Drawn against them in the second round, Liverpool had gone to Amsterdam expecting a fairly straightforward result.

A fog-bound pitch didn’t help but the referee ruled that as he could see the goals from the halfway line the match was on.

Debutant Cees de Wolf put Ajax ahead within three minutes. They were four-up at half-time, went five ahead in the 76th minute and only a last-minute Chris Lawler goal gave Liverpool any semblance of respectability on the day.

The irrepressible Reds boss Bill Shankly said: “The match should never have started. The fog was terrible. I wasn’t too impressed by Ajax. They got lucky. Next week in Liverpool we’ll beat them 7-0!”

Shankly revealed that at one stage, under cover of the fog, he had crept onto the pitch to issue instructions to his players.

The return leg saw the relatively unknown Johan Cruyff, described as being ‘nimble, darting and speedy’, put Ajax ahead twice in the match and only two goals from World Cup winner Roger Hunt enabled Liverpool to salvage a 2-2 draw.