Rinus Michels R.I.P.

[mauzip]

European football mourns Michels
Thursday, 3 March 2005

Dutch coaching legend Rinus Michels, the inventor of 'total football', died this morning at the age of 77 in the City of Aalst hospital in Belgium.

Heart surgery
Michels had been in intensive care following preventive surgery on a cardiac valve. He previously had heart surgery in 1986. Born on 9 February 1928, Michels scored 120 goals in 257 league matches for AFC Ajax between 1946-1958. He won five Netherlands' caps during that time but it was for his achievements as a coach which he will be forever remembered.

European glory
Michels led Ajax to the first of three straight European Champion Clubs' Cups in 1971, and later coached the Netherlands to the 1974 FIFA World Cup final and glory at the 1988 UEFA European Championship. He also claimed a Spanish title with FC Barcelona in 1973/74 and ended his club coaching career with German side Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 1989. He retired after EURO '92.

Order of Merit
Michels' achievements were acknowledged by UEFA in April 2002 when he was presented with the Order of Merit award at the XXVI UEFA Ordinary Congress in Stockholm. The award is designed to honour those who have devoted a large part of their life to football and contributed to the game's development and history.

[HD]

WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!
didn't even know this 
R.I.P. Rinus

[Leggy Hendrix]

RIP

[Suffice]

Rest in Peace. Although i don't know much about him, i've always liked Dutch football. Was total football created around the time of Cruyff?

[eS El Duque]

R.I.P

[bui21]

who the heck is that? never seen him before...RIP none the less