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McCann would never have axed me ..;
WIM JANSEN’S STRIFE STORY.(Daily Record)
Byline: MARK GUIDI
7 Oct 2001
WIM JANSEN sat alone in the Parkhead stands and came to a gut-wrenching decision.
He’d just broken arch rivals Rangers nine-year stranglehold by clinching the title.
But the Dutchman knew he’d never win over his bosses.
So he searched his soul and found himself at Fergus McCann’s door with a resignation letter in his hand.
Now, three years on, Jansen has finally opened his heart on the bitter in- fighting that drove him out of the club he loved.
And the Dutchman is adamant he didn’t jump before he was pushed. He insists McCann wouldn’t have had the bottle to axe him.
Jansen revealed: “I told McCann privately and he didn’t try to hold on to me. He understood my feelings.
“He may have said he would have sacked me if I hadn’t resigned but I’m not at all sure he meant it. Maybe it was the easiest thing for him to say at the time.”
Wim, that trademark perm still in place but a fair bit greyer, admits he misses the buzz of handling a top club.
And although he hasn’t worked since his traumatic spell in Glasgow it hasn’t been for the lack of offers. In fact, when we met at Feyenoord’s impressive stadium in Rotterdam, Jansen confided that he could soon be back in full-time employment.
He said: “I’m staying involved by watching games from club to
international level and youth teams.
“I do miss being involved and felt it a couple of weeks ago after I had finished a coaching session with Japanese kids. That gave me a feel for it again. I am missing the competition and the excitement.
“I have turned down jobs since I left Celtic because they were not right for me.
“I do believe the right job will come along and I will take it, go there and start again.
” I know exactly what I want but I can’t explain to anyone what it is.”
Wim swears he has no regrets after walking out on Celts.
After years at the top as a player and manager he has learned to trust his own judgment.
And he recounts a crazy story about his best pal Wim van Hanegem to explain how easy it can be in football to get snarled up in the decision making process!
He said: “It was a boiling hot afternoon 26 years ago and my wife Coby and I were enjoying a picnic on a Zeeland island beach with Wim and his girlfriend Truus.
“Wim was considering an offer to join Marseille from his beloved Feyenoord. He was in line to treble his salary but couldn’t make a decision on his own.
“After a full afternoon going through the pros and cons with us he decided to put it to a vote.
“When the result was two for and two against, Wim gave the casting show of a paw to his pet dog. `If you want to go to Marseille bark, or show me,’ he told the dog.
“They stared at each other for several minutes, the dog stood still and didn’t make a sound.
” `Fine,’ said Wim, `he doesn’t want to go. We’re staying.’ And he did just that!”
Jansen faced a similarly tough decision – but without any help from man’s best friend – towards the end of season 1997-78 when he was in charge of Celtic.
He loved the club, loved his coaching staff of Murdo MacLeod and Danny McGrain and the players he had brought in such as Henrik Larsson, Paul Lambert and Marc Rieper.
The Hoops were marching towards the SPL title to halt Rangers’ 10-in- a-row bid and Jansen knew a crack at the Champions League would follow.
But he had no form of working relationship with his immediate boss Jock Brown or McCann.
Wim said: “When Celtic offered me the job I knew within one second it was right for me.
“The club reminded me of Feyenoord with its history – we were the first Dutch team to win the European Cup like Celtic in Britain and also had great supporters.
“I thought I could do well with them and it will be the same again for my next job. That is the normal way to feel. Of course, it didn’t end the way I wanted in terms of leaving Celtic. It was a hard decision to make because I wanted to see it right through with the team we were building but it was growing on me to leave, especially after David Hay was away.
“I did not feel I had 100 per cent backing from those in charge and we would not talk to each other during the week.
“They wouldn’t spend the money and I didn’t want to fight with them anymore. That is the last thing a coach needs when he is trying to get success.
“The people who are now in charge of Celtic understand what it is all about and know what they have to do to help the coach turn them in to a top European team.
“If they had been in charge when I was there I wouldn’t have left. Could I end back at Celtic some day? Well, you never say `no’ in soccer.
“But I made up my mind by myself to go. I thought it was the right thing to do to help the club start early to find my successor. At the end McCann made the best of it all and left with a lot of money.”
Fergus walked away from Parkhead with around pounds 40million after his five- year stint as head honcho at Celtic Park.
Jansen spent less than pounds 5m during his year and would have loved more cash to improve the team and help bring in the quality he knew he could attract to the East End of Glasgow such as Pierre van Hooijdonk, Nwanko Kanu and Keiron Dyer.
But the McCann piggy bank remained closed and Jansen sighed: “I wanted to bring Pierre back because I knew he would be perfect with Henrik.
“He wanted to return but Celtic wouldn’t spend the money.
“I also wanted to keep Paolo di Canio. Could you imagine the team with those three?
“It would have been easier for me if I had been allowed to bring in the players I wanted but at least I had a strong and faithful coaching staff beside me.
“We all got on well and knew what we wanted to do for the team. We were also close to the players and I know we would all have done anything for each other.”
Jansen and Paul Lambert formed a particularly close relationship and would often spend the day after a game going over a few things and preparing for the next match.
As the other players relaxed on a day off, the Scotland star would be in doing some light exercises and receiving instructions from the Dutchman for the next game as they spoke in the home dressing-room.
Jansen had absolute faith in his midfield star and said: “Paul is a very intelligent footballer. He was my coach on the pitch.
“For example, when we were alone together and getting ready for an Old Firm game I would tell Paul what I wanted him to do on the pitch if certain situations arose. I had to do that because
it was impossible to shout out instructions with all that incredible noise at a Celtic-Rangers match.
“So Paul would know when to move this guy or that guy into a different position depending on how the game was going.
“He is a fantastic pro and I’ve no doubts he can go all the way in coaching and take charge of a big club.”
Lambert has had the good fortune to play under some of the best during his career, such as Jansen and Ottmar Hitzfeld.
Wim also had that as a player with the legendary Ernst Happel and equally brilliant Rinus Michels.
Happel, an Austrian, led Feyenoord to the European Cup Final triumph over Celtic in 1970 and later took the Dutch national team to the final of the 1978 World Cup when they were beaten 3-1 by Argentina.
Jansen played in that one and in the Final four years earlier when they lost by the same score to West Germany.
He said: “I have enjoyed my whole career but what sticks out are winning the European Cup against Celtic and lifting the league with Celtic.”
There was almost a tragic end to Jansen’s playing career. He nearly lost his right eye when an irate Feyenoord fan hit him full on with a snowball during the warm-up before a game against Ajax, whom Wim had joined after leaving the Rotterdam club.
Only an operation saved his sight.
But the wounds have healed and the way Jansen was treated by the Feyenoord supporters during our interview was incredible. Hardly a moment passed without someone coming over for a chat about yesteryear.
Feyenoord is his spiritual home and always will be. He looked at ease inside the stadium, using his influence to have the security guard open the door and allow us out beside the pitch. All this makes you wonder if the Feyenoord post is the job he is waiting for.
If it does come up, and something must because this guy is too good for the game to lose forever, he will be well prepared.
Wim has spent the last three years building up his own personal soccer manual, which he has been working on for the past 15 years and which is now more than 10 inches thick.
He said: “I’ve been lucky to work under some talented coaches throughout my career. Happel was incredible and kept everything simple.
“During our 1970 European Cup run we had to play AC Milan at a time when Italian football was the tops. They had the brilliant playmaker Rivera and we knew if he was stopped his team would not function.
“Everyone assumed van Hanegem would man-mark him but the day before the game Happel strolled past me and said one word `Rivera’. He didn’t have to say any more.
“I knew what my task was and Rivera didn’t get a kick at the ball in the two games. We lost the first leg 1-0 over there but won the return 2-0. I scored the first and van Hanegem the second.
“It is stuff like that from Happel I remember and have used in my own coaching career. I have never liked to make things complicated.
“That’s why in my own little coaching manual – my soccer dictionary – all my notes are almost in one line. It is all about different things such as tactics, skills – mental and physical issues.
“I have also written things down about positional play because only one guy can have the ball, which leaves 21 others without it. That means it is just as important for the others to make the right runs to help the guy with the ball.
“My little book will be handy for my next job. But so will the foundations of the club.
“It’s important to have a good scout and a good youth coach. If the wrong guy is practising with the kids then he could spend 100 hours with them and they will learn absolutely nothing.
“The right coach could teach them things in just one hour. Things like positional play. I know some people think you shouldn’t confuse kids with that at an early age but if they are good enough they will pick up on the points and use them to their advantage.
“Look at Johan Cruyff, he knew about all of that by the time he was 10.
“A good youth coach might cost about pounds 200,000 a year but is worth it for that alone.
“A good scout might cost the same but if he works for 10 years and can find you the next Henrik Larsson – or just one good player every two years – then he could bring in maybe pounds 40m or pounds 50m in transfer fees against his salary of pounds 2m. Surely, that makes sense?
“But I have been involved in football long enough to know not everyone’s mind works that way,” Jansen said.
And it certainly doesn’t need four adults and a dog to know that.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday
Wim was not fourth choice; BROWN BACKS JANSEN.
COPYRIGHT 1997 Scottish Daily Record & Sunday
Jock Brownlast night furiously denied claims that Wim Jansenwas fourth choice for the Celtic job.
The Parkhead general manager hit out after Dutch agent Bob Maskaant alleged he was asked by Fergus McCannto offer the head coach position to Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddinkand Dick Advocaat.
Brown said: “Any story suggesting that Wim Jansen was the fourth choice Dutch coach for the Celtic job is totally untrue.
“Guus Hiddink, Dick Advocaat and Louis van Gaal were certainly not offered the Celtic job and none of them were ever spoken to by anyone at Celtic.
“It is only professional and sensible for a club such as Celtic to obtain all relevant information on the credentials and availability of all potential candidates.
“Celtic did just that before offering the post to Wim Jansen.
“Bob Maskaant acted for us as one of several research consultants.
“I have asked him to clarify his position and he states `I was consulted by Celtic and supplied them with information on potential candidates. To my knowledge only one person was interviewed and offered the job – Wim Jansen’.”
Maskaant’s claims rocked the Dutch press.
He even alleged that Holland boss Hiddink knocked back McCann three times.
Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsbladquoted Maskaant as saying: “McCann called me to try and arrange a manager.
“He asked me to contact them to find out if any of them would be interested in managing Celtic. But all of these coaches simply didn’t want to know.
“McCann came back and I had to ask Hiddink THREE times whether he would take the Celtic job.
“But he said he wasn’t interested in managing anyone apart from the national side.
“I then suggested the name of Wim Jansen.”
Andreas Thom, meanwhile, could be the next expensive import to be shown the door at Parkhead.
Crisis-hit Werder Bremen want to take the 31-year-old home in a pounds 1 million deal.
Celtic could be keen to do business as they try to raise funds to finance more signings.
Jansen axed Thom from his starting line-up on Tuesday at St Johnstone and that coincided with a move by Bremen president Dr Franz Boehmert.
He may press ahead with a bid despite firing boss Dixie Doerner earlier this week after Bremen were stuffed 8-0 in a friendly with Atletico Madrid.
A move for Thom could help ease through a Celtsswoop for Hamburg keeper Richard Golz.
Celtic have offered around pounds 330,000 for him but the Germans want pounds 900,000.
Jansen quits Celtic
BBC 11 May 1998
Jansen exercised a get-out clause in his contract less than 48 hours after the title was secured with a 2-0 home win over St Johnstone.
Jansen was a relative unknown when he arrived in Glasgow last summer as a replacement for the sacked Tommy Burns.
But he has had huge success in his first season in Scotland, winning the Coca-Cola Cup in November before finally prising the championship away from Rangers’ relentless grasp.
The news will be a huge disappointment to Celtic fans who were looking forward to seeing Jansen lead the club into the Champions League next season.
But Celtic Managing Director Fergus McCann has insisted that Jansen’s departure will not hold the club back. “Celtic has risen through adversity and has become stronger and stronger every season for the last four years,” he said.
“I have no doubt this will continue next season as the club moves onwards and upwards.
“Many people said it was wrong to appoint a new coach this time last year and there were headlines screaming criticism at the appointment of Wim Jansen.
“But despite all the noise, Celtic has kept its eye on the ball, the League and League Cup have been won, a 60,000-seat stadium will have 50,000 season ticket holders and the scene is set for the next exciting stage in Celtic’s history.
“All of this was not the result of the efforts of one season, or of one man,” added McCann. “I want to pay tribute to all those at the club, especially the players, all of whom have worked so hard for success, some for four years or more.”
“Individuals will always come and go but the legend that is Celtic continues.”
McCann insists that Jansen had originally only wanted a one-year deal but had agreed to the longer deal with both sides having the option of terminating the contract after 12 months.
“The club agreed a three-year term, with the option for both sides to terminate the contract after one year,” said McCann.
“This was one of the key elements of the agreement, as well as a commitment to maintain its content confidential.”
“The decision Wim has taken is one the Board also believes is best for the club.
“On behalf of everyone at Celtic, I would like to thank Wim for his time at the club and wish him all the best for the future.”
Jansen ‘wanted to quit Celtic after two weeks’
(BBC)
Wim Jansen claims he never knew how much money he had to spend on players
Wim Jansen insists he wanted to resign as Celtic head coach within a fortnight of his arrival, after early clashes with manager Jock Brown.
The Dutchman, who resigned on Monday less than 48 hours after guiding the Parkhead outfit to their first Scottish championship title in a decade, claims his relationship with Brown began badly, and got worse.
Speaking from Portugal, where Celtic are due to face Sporting Lisbon in a friendly fixture, Mr Jansen said: “My relationship with Jock Brown was bad from the beginning to the end and it was not the best way to continue at the club for me.
“I cannot work with him and our relationship has been getting worse and worse and I haven’t spoken with him in the last month.
“There was no base to work with. This is the reason I am going because the important thing is you have to work together.
“I wanted to resign after two or three weeks, but they didn’t allow me to do it.”
‘Strategic plan’
Mr Brown refuted Mr Jansen’s claims of a personal disagreement.
“Any clash there was, was in the approach to strategies and policy. It is clearly set down by the board how we are going to operate,” Mr Brown insisted.
“There is a long-term strategic plan, I am in charge of putting it into place,” he added.
“That means relating to Wim in the correct manner and it was clear the policies the club had didn’t coincide with Wim’s policies.”
Lambert
Paul Lambert is considering leaving the club
Scotland international midfielder Paul Lambert has said he is considering his future with Celtic, describing Mr Jansen’s departure as “a real disaster for the club”.
“We must be the only club who could win two trophies and then let the manager leave,” said Mr Lambert.
“Wim Jansen was one of the reasons I came to Celtic and he’s up there with the best after what he has achieved.”
Fans protest
On Tuesday about 200 irate fans protested outside Celtic Park stadium against Mr Brown and club chairman Fergus McCann, who earlier said: “The decision Wim has taken is one the Board also believes is best for the club.”
Mr Jansen has responded angrily to Mr McCann’s accusation that he was only thinking about club affairs on a short-term basis.
“How can I plan for next season when I don’t know if I have £1m or £20m to spend on players?” he said.
Jansen was a relative unknown when he arrived in Glasgow last summer as a replacement for the sacked Tommy Burns.
But he achieved huge success in his first season, winning the Coca-Cola Cup in November before prising the championship away from Rangers’ relentless grasp.
Former Celtic manager Wim Jansen lifts the lid on why he left as soon as he’d stopped Rangers making history
-https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/why-wim-jansen-left-celtic/
By Mark Walker
October 31, 2021, 10:15 am
© SNS Group
Wim Jansen enjoys Celtic’s 1998 title win with Murdo MacLeod
Wim Jansen enjoys Celtic’s 1998 title win with Murdo MacLeod
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Wim Jansen has finally broken a 23-year vow of silence.
The Dutchman has revealed why he quit Celtic less than 48 hours after leading Celtic to the title which ended Walter Smith and Rangers’ hopes of a historic 10-in-a-Row.
Jansen was Celtic boss for only one season in 1997/98. His appointment was initially greeted with derision after he was brought in after a spell in Japanese football – just like current boss Ange Postecoglou – to succeed the axed Tommy Burns.
But he formed a formidable partnership with his No. 2, Murdo MacLeod, and won Celtic their first league flag since their Centenary season in 1988.
More significantly, he was the man who stopped Rangers from becoming the first club to reach double figures after they had matched Celtic’s achievements under Jock Stein.
However, while the party celebrations were in full swing, Jansen stunned the Scottish football world by walking out on Celtic after he invoked a get-out clause in his contract.
The reasons why he walked out on a chance to lead Celtic into the following season’s Champions League have never been fully disclosed.
But in Jansen’s new book, Meesterbrein (Mastermind), he has finally revealed that a complete breakdown in his relationship with Celtic owner, Fergus McCann, and general manager, Jock Brown, left him with little option but to resign.
And he recalled that he never spoke with them at all for half of his time at Celtic Park.
Wim Jansen with his wife, Cobie
Jansen said: “The truth is, I hadn’t spoken to the board from January that season.
“Everything went through Murdo MacLeod. Of course, you cannot sustain such a situation. If you enjoy your job and what you do, it’s very easy.
“But if you don’t, it takes up a lot more energy. I wanted to continue to build a team at Celtic, but they didn’t want to spend any money.
“If you want to keep improving and go higher up, you have to spend money. It got to a certain point that I didn’t want to wait for the next argument anymore. I couldn’t go any further.
“For me, a big decision like that doesn’t depend on success or sympathy – it depends on vision. Do you move forward, or do you want to stay still?
“My gut instinct told me to leave. And everything I do, I do by instinct.”
Jansen, who turned 75 last Thursday, and has announced he is suffering from dementia, has many fond memories of his time in Glasgow where he also led Celtic to a League Cup victory against Dundee United in his only season in charge.
But he was stunned to discover Celtic had got rid of the men McCann had dubbed “The Three Amigos” – Pierre van Hooijdonk, Jorge Cadette and Paulo di Canio – before he arrived in Glasgow.
He said: “When I agreed to manage Celtic, they didn’t tell me anything.
“Whatever team in the world you manage, if you sell your three top attackers, there is little left.
“Working with Murdo was blissful for me because I was able to let him do a lot.
“In the team meetings, I focused on the game and he did the analysis of the opponents.
“Back then, you didn’t have the same information at your disposal as you have now, and I didn’t have the time to go to games.
“But because of the knowledge and work of Murdo, I knew exactly what to expect every week.
“John Clark was our kitman. He kept track of what was being written, and who we could and could not trust.”
But Jansen got off to a dreadful start, and the critics were baying for him initially.
New signing Henrik Larsson gave the ball away in a defeat at Hibs in the first game of the season before they crashed to a 2-1 home defeat to Dunfermline in their second league game.
And Jansen’s son, Wim Junior, revealed his father was reassured after a potentially-hostile incident after the game.
He said: “A supporter broke through the gates to speak to my dad. The stewards panicked.
“But I will never forget that the man just walked up to my father and said: ‘Mr Jansen, don’t be a ‘Yes’ man’.
“That was his message. Set your own course.”
And the former Feyenoord legend – who played in the side that beat Celtic in the 1970 European Cup Final, and in two World Cup Finals – began to get it right as his new signings gelled.
Wim Jansen discovered he could no longer work with Fergus McCann and Jock Brown at Celtic Park (Pic: SNS Group)
He stated: “You need time for these kinds of jobs, that’s all. We turned it around by making things change, and that will not happen overnight.
“For example, we got Alan Stubbs to play as a libero, and not as one of four defenders in a line.
“Tommy Boyd was the quickest of the two centre-backs, so we used him as cover.
“ I had a very nice right-back in Jackie McNamara. I pushed him up to the right wing because I saw that he was not only fast, but could also beat a man and could make a good cross.
“And Henrik Larsson needed crosses.
“We played Rangers in the second Old Firm game, and equalised in injury time. In retrospect, those were crucial moments. If we had lost, then the gap would have been too big.
“What happened when we won the league was immensely enjoyable. It was special.
“It is always the people who create the atmosphere. That love is incredibly deep.
“You can compare it with Feyenoord. There, the fans are also a twelfth man. It’s great for a manager to have something like that behind you.
“That’s why I chose to come to a club like Celtic.
“My wife, Cobie, still has letters from all sorts of people after we won the league.”
And Jansen’s son revealed his father is still revered wherever he goes by Celtic fans.
He explained: “Once we were waiting at Glasgow Airport. A stranger stood in front of my father, stammered a bit about Jansen the legend, sprinted to the nearest bookshop, bought the first book about Celtic he saw and ran back to get his autograph.
“He was as happy as a kid!
“I get asked about him all over the world. Ask Celtic supporters about him and you always get two responses like they are bible verses.
“He stopped 10-in-a-Row, and he brought the King of Kings to Scotland.”
Meesterbrein by Yoeri van den Busken is published in the Netherlands. An English-language edition will be available soon.
‘MY PAL WIM,’ DAVIE HAY SORROW AT THE PASSING OF EX-BOSS JANSEN AT 75
By CQN Magazine on 25th January 2022 Latest News
CELTIC legend Davie Hay has expressed his sorrow at the news Wim Jansen has passed away at the age of 75.
The former Hoops manager and player worked with the Dutchman in the never-to-be-forgotten 1997/98 season when the Parkhead side prevented Walter Smith’s Ibrox side from making history with a tenth successive title.
Jansen was diagnosed with dementia in October last year and, in another CQN EXCLUSIVE, Hay, speaking to author and friend Alex Gordon, who co-wrote the icon’s autobiography ‘The Quiet Assassin‘, said: “This is dreadfully sad and, naturally, my thoughts are with his family and close friends.
“It was a pleasure to work with Wim who was a thorough professional in everything he did. He was a real football man and we got on well with each other from day one.
SILVERWARE SUCCESS…Wim Jansen with the championship and the League Cup trophies.
“We spent a lot of time together and he struck me as an individual who knew exactly what he was looking for in a player. Henrik Larsson, of course, was his type of player.
“Wim knew what he was getting with Henrik after working with him at Feyenoord. He was aware of the clause in the Swede’s contract that would allow him to leave the Dutch side for £650,000.
“It was clear Henrik wanted to join up again with his former coach and that helped immensely in getting the deal over the line. Of course, there is no such thing as a clear-cut transfer, there is always a snag with so many people involved outwith the actual buying and selling teams and the player.
“As chief scout at the time, I was involved all the way through the process, but I was impressed by Henrik’s absolute determination to work again with Wim. That told me all I needed to know.”
Hay fell foul of owner Fergus McCann during a behind-the-scenes power struggle with General Manager Jock Brown and was sacked as the season neared its completion. Brown would later suffer the same fate as his adversary.
DUTCH TREAT…Davie Hay listens intently to Wim Jansen as he discusses all things football.
The Hoops great added: “Yes, it was sore to leave Celtic, particularly following all the hard work to get them into a challenging position in a year of transition after Wim had taken over from Tommy Burns.
“I didn’t dwell on my farewells with Wim, I realised he was far too busy with his own thoughts. I didn’t want to be a distraction.
“I wished him good luck and told him I would be cheering him all the way from the terracings.
“I was on my way to East End Park for the second last league game of the season against Dunfermline. Believe it or not, I was on the Davie Hay Paisley Celtic Supporters’ bus when it broke down en route to Fife.
“I thought I was going to miss Celtic winning the league for the first time in a decade. A win would have given my old team the championship, but a late goal from Craig Falconbridge denied them and the game ended 1-1.
“But Wim, Henrik and Co did get their hands on the silverware a week later with the 2-0 victory over St Johnstone in a truly marvellous day at Celtic Park.
“I would like to thank Wim for that unforgettable moment, my wee Dutch pal certainly played a major role in his Celtic history in his solitary season.
“Wim Jansen delivered when Celtic needed him most.”
Requiesce in pace Wim Jansen and Thank You
By Niall J 25 January, 2022 No Comments
https://thecelticstar.com/requiesce-in-pace-wim-jansen-and-thank-you/
With the sad news of the passing of Wim Jansen announced today, all connected with Celtic, alongside all who knew and loved the former Celtic manager, will be in mourning.
It’s not many men who could go down as a Celtic great having spent one sole season at Celtic, but Wim Jansen was such a man. And it’s not many managers who could leave the club just three days after winning a title yet be held in the highest regard by everyone connected with the club but that was the case when it comes to Wim Jansen.
After all the title the Dutchman won was no ordinary title and the circumstances under which he prevailed simply couldn’t be underestimated, and his reasons for leaving were fully understood.
Wim Jansen spent only a year in Glasgow but he led Celtic to arguably our most important League title, the club’s first since 1988, but also the one that ensured Celtic’s record of nine-in-a-row was not surpassed. Whether Wim Jansen really appreciated the magnitude of that season when he arrived, I’m not so sure, but during a nerve-shredding season that went to the final day he certainly picked up on the importance along the way.
Having arrived much like Celtic’s current boss from Japan, like Ange Postecoglou he was an unknown manager to many of us. His playing career of course had taken in the European Cup, when he was part of the Feyenoord team who defeated Celtic in Milan in 1970, and he had been both a club and national icon as he played his part in arguably the greatest national side never to win a World Cup with Holland at both the 1974 and 1978 World Cup Finals, but as a manager, he was an unknown to many in Scotland, yet within 12 months he was a Celtic legend.
When Wim Jansen arrived at Celtic, the club had parted company with Tommy Burns, there was turmoil within the changing room, that saw the Three Amigos of Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Jorge Cadete and Paulo di Canio leave, and every real chance of the goals that could challenge high spending Rangers went with them. To be clear, to everyone outside Celtic the 1997-98 season was seen as an extended coronation as Rangers were expected to stroll through the league and collect 10-in-a-row.
9 May 1998: Celtic Coach Wim Jansen and Murdo McLeod celebrate after a Scottish Premier League match against St Johnstone at Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Celtic won the match 2-0 to become the league champions. Photot: Shaun Botterill/Allsport
Wim Jansen also was the first Celtic boss to be named as Head Coach, as not only was the Celtic playing staff in a state of flux, the footballing structure too was being modernised, as Jock Brown stepped into a newly created position of General Manager, with Brown tasked as being the buffer between chairman Fergus McCann and the Head Coach, following a somewhat problematic relationship between manager and owner during Tommy Burn’s time in charge.
Add to that, Wim Jansen, with Murdo McLeod beside him to help bring some understanding of the peculiarities of the Scottish game, started the season with some uninspiring results and Celtic were playing catch up from the beginning of the season. However soon Jansen’s message, initially explained as being lost in translation, seeped through and results started to improve, in part due to some inspired recruitment that brought the likes of Craig Burley, Stephane Mahe, Marc Rieper, Paul Lambert and Jonathan Gould to the club, but also the jewel in the crown, a certain Henrik Larsson.
As things began to gel, Jansen lifted Celtic’s first League Cup in 15 years with a 3-0 over Dundee United at Ibrox and with it an optimism started to grow, bolstered further by an excellent European performance before going out on away goals to Liverpool. Then came Celtic’s 2-0 win over Rangers at Celtic Park in the New Year Derby as goals from Craig Burley and Paul lambert turned optimism into belief.
It was far from plain sailing of course, after all this was Celtic and this was the 1990’s, and when Celtic had the chance to win the title at East End Park on the penultimate weekend of the season, having taken the lead through an early Simon Donnelly, the nerves got the better of some and Dunfermline equalised late in the day, but with the benefit of hindsight it was meant to be, as despite a few shaky moments after Henrik Larsson opened the scoring against St Johnstone on the final day of the season at Celtic Park, Harald Brattbakk scored the second and allowed ten long years of hurt to be exorcised in the sun at a brand new Celtic Park.
From next to no hope at the start of the season Wim Jansen had turned a club around and delivered a title for Celtic, that had it not happened, not only would a proud Celtic record have been surpassed, it’s difficult to believe Celtic would not have gone into a complete tailspin once again.
Yet three days later Wim Jansen was gone and Celtic did have to start again, but at least with the solid foundations of a title winning squad and a world class striker from which to build.
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 18: Wim Jansen is seen during the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Motherwell at Celtic Park on February 18, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
It soon came to light Wim Jansen wasn’t altogether certain Celtic was suitable a long-term option for him, nor were the club it would seem, as a termination of contract option was available to both manager and club at the end of the season, and Wim Jansen took up that option, with long standing rumours of a breakdown in the relationship between the general manager, the owner and Wim Jansen and Murdo McLeod, indeed Murdo McLeod followed suit soon after.
With much of this known to fans, and with the celebrations still going strong, Celtic supporters, although bitterly disappointed, in no way blamed Wim Jansen, instead their ire was directed elsewhere.
Instead, Wim Jansen having arrived as an unknown, left as a modern-day miracle worker. The man who stopped the Ten was forever more a Celtic legend, created in possibly the shortest possible time in which you could become one.
It is a dreadfully sad day for his family and friends, and all connected with Celtic, to hear of the passing of Wim Jansen. Yet he will long live on in the hearts of those he leaves behind, and in the stories and the songs of a club who remember their history like few others. And the page that belongs to Wim Jansen will be one returned to today and tomorrow but also for many years to come, as the legend of the man who stopped the Ten is passed down through the generations.
Requiesce in pace Wim Jansen, and Thank You.
Niall J
Wim Jansen: Celtic tributes to former manager who has died aged 75
Celtic have paid tribute to former manager Wim Jansen who has passed away at the age of 75.
By Matthew Elder
Tuesday, 25th January 2022, 1:47 pm
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/wim-jansen-celtic-tributes-to-former-manager-who-has-died-aged-75-3540825
The death of the Dutch legend, who had been living with dementia, was announced by Feyenoord on Tuesday, who described him as “a special person” and “one of the greatest football players who has ever played for the club.”
Jansen spent one season at Celtic but is remembered as the manager who stopped Rangers winning 10-in-a-row under Walter Smith in 1998. He completed a double by also lifting the Scottish League Cup in the same season.
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The Dutchman was also responsible for signing Henrik Larsson, who he worked with at Feyenoord before bringing with him to Parkhead in 1997.
Celtic paid tribute in a club statement which honoured his achievements and also credited him with “setting the wheels in motion for continued success at the advent of the following decade.”
It read: “Everyone at Celtic Park was saddened to hear of the sad passing of former manager Wim Jansen this morning at the age of 75.
“All at Celtic Park offer their most sincere thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Wim Jansen at this sad time.”
Former Celtic midfielder Craig Burley, who played under Jansen, posted his own tribute on Twitter.
He wrote: “Very sad day today. You delivered one of the most important league titles in the history of Celtic. It was a privilege to play for you boss with this group of players at this club. A most magnificent time that can never be taken away from the memories. RIP Wim Jansen.”
Rangers also paid their respects in a short statement which read: “Rangers Football Club are today saddened to hear of the passing of former Celtic manager, Wim Jansen. Everyone at Rangers sends their condolences to the family and friends of Wim Jansen.”
Jansen’s death comes after it was revealed last year that he had been diagnosed with early onset dementia.
The 65-times capped Netherlands international made over 500 appearances for Feyenoord, which included beating Celtic in the 1970 European Cup final in Milan, before going on to manage the club, as well as various other roles.
The Rotterdam outfit stated: “Feyenoord has learned with great sadness of the death of Wim Jansen, one of the greatest football players who has ever played for the club. He died Tuesday at the age of 75.
“In Wim Jansen’s biography ‘Mastermind’, which was published in October last year, it became clear that he was suffering from dementia.
“Although the intense sadness of course predominates, Jansen’s family is at the same time relieved that he has been spared a long agony. The family is pleased that their Wim has been able to keep control until the last moment, they have informed the club.”
They reflected on a line from his book, which read: “I left Feyenoord a few times, but always came back. You could call it a blood tie.”
Wim Jansen’s Celtic legacy: A footballing Buddha dubbed Willy Wonka by unconvinced players who left his lasting mark
The ultimate demonstration that what truly endures in football is not shaped by length of service but making such time count was provided by Wim Jansen and his Celtic association.
By Andrew Smith
Tuesday, 25th January 2022, 4:54 pm
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/wim-jansens-celtic-legacy-a-footballing-buddha-dubbed-willy-wonka-by-unconvinced-players-who-left-his-lasting-mark-3541344
The Dutchman, who has died at the age of 75 following struggles with dementia, spent only 10 months and seven days at the helm of the club, following his universally-panned appointment on July 4, 1998. Yet, across that period he was not just responsible for delivering Celtic from their decade-long title wilderness but delivering them their greatest modern-day performer in Henrik Larsson. An astonishing double-play that effectively redrew the entire landscape of the Scottish game, and which assures his iconic status in the annals of Celtic’s history is utterly unimpeachable.
Jansen, who I worked with for five tumultuous months at the club in that era, understandably will be forever elevated by the Celtic support for ‘stopping the 10’ straight championship quest of Rangers. However, acquiring Larsson for the larcenous fee of £650,000 – through a clause in the Swedish striker’s contract that followed his move to a Feyenoord side then reeling from losing Jansen as manager – was his most outstanding contribution to the Parkhead club’s cause.
A curious, inscrutable character, just as he had fallen out with the powerbrokers at the Rotterdam club, so his relationship would quickly break down with Celtic owner Fergus McCann. It led to him making official his long expected resignation only two days after he had led the club to a title success considered an impossibility when he took over the previous summer with the squad in disarray.
Yet, his diffident, gnomic ways, while maybe not making him an easy man to handle for business executives at football clubs the old school footballing sort viewed with suspicion, were precisely the traits that allowed him to plot a wholly unexpected path to the title. The former full back might have been a World Cup finalist with the Netherlands in 1974 and 1978 – and notably boasted a European Cup winners’ medal from Feyenoord’s success over a certain Celtic in 1970 – but was wholly modest and unfussy in personal dealings. And was the possessor of a gentle, winning smile that could often make him appear a kind of footballing Buddha.
In the utterly bonkers, febrile environment that was all-consuming as Walter Smith’s team sought to eclipse the nine-in-a-row record set in Celtic’s Jock Stein era, Jansen stood apart. His ability to retain his equilibrium in the face of any number of brouhahas was absolutely central to his Celtic team finding theirs despite enduring the most horrendous opening month to his tenure.
Following a difficult spell with Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima in season 1995-96, the Scottish Sun greeted his arrival in Scotland with a despicable, tasteless headline that proclaimed he was “the second worst thing to hit Hiroshima”. He shrugged it off, and never became caught up in anything so gauche as a mission to prove detractors wrong. He simply didn’t allow himself to give headroom to detractors, or distractions. Indeed, when I asked him how he felt about that headline, only minutes after the 2-0 home win over St Johnstone that secured the league championship for Celtic for the first time since the club’s centenary season, his response was typically humane and completely devoid of bitterness. Maybe it shows that people should be given a chance before judging them, was the basic thrust of his reply.
No-one – from we in the media, to the Celtic fanbase, to the very players working under him – were of a mind to give Jansen the benefit of the doubt when Celtic lost their opening two league games of the season. Within the squad, certain unconvinced players were then dubbing him Willy Wonka because of his, somewhat detached, eccentric manner and his curly barnet. It can be forgotten now, but Celtic football under him could be functional and pragmatic, with the demand that players subsumed egos, and the fancy-dan, to operate within a disciplined, defensive structure.
It seemed an approach destined for disaster, Jansen’s early weeks overshadowed by Jorge Cadete and Paolo di Canio working their tickets with dubious ‘verbal agreement’ claims for warranting salary increases following the flair-filled, failing football under the recently dispensed-with, and beloved Celtic man that was predecessor Tommy Burns. However, backed by David Hay’s keen scouting eye that allowed such as Craig Burley, Marc Reiper and Paul Lambert to be recruited as the squad was comprehensively reconstructed, Jansen quietly moulded his personnel, and made them recognise the worth of his instructions. The League Cup triumph in November 1998 proved the launch pad for Celtic, at times, grinding their way to the top of the table ranged against Ibrox rivals who had splashed out a UK summer transfer record sum of £16m to guarantee – in the minds of all – they would be unstoppable in a journey to the 10.
Celtic’s assurance frayed towards the end of that maelstrom of a league campaign. Rangers, though, were too flaky themselves to take advantage…subsequent to a much earlier telling announcement that came with owner David Murray decreeing the season would be Smith’s final one in charge. Yet, as it became a very real possibility Celtic could mess up in May – despite the league crown having appeared their destiny two months earlier – Jansen kept his head, kept trusting that, in such as Larsson, he had the talents to drag his team over the line. He was proven so right on that score… and every instinct he had as to the splendour of Larsson would betray masterful judgement across the further six seasons the striker was central to a slew of silverware successes. Jansen then, even if only in charge for one unforgettable campaign that alone earns him a place in the pantheon of crucial club figures, should really be considered a Celtic man for many seasons.
Wim Jansen, his talent and his undoubted charm
202
By Paul67 on 25th January 2022 CQN BLOG & Comments
https://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/wim-jansen-his-talent-and-his-undoubted-charm/
Wim Jansen was one of the main reasons Celtic did not win a second European Cup. He was in the midfield of the Feyenoord team which overcame Jock Stein’s Celtic in extra time the 1970 final in Milan. He went on the play in two World Cup Finals for Netherlands, losing to host nations Argentina and West Germany on both occasions.
A brilliant player, hard as nails, apparently, he was one of a handful of Dutch players who ranked below the Great Johan Cruyff.
On retirement, he coached at Feyenoord, managed briefly in Belgium, before taking the reins at Feyenoord in 1990. As was the Dutch way at the time, a fall out caused him to leave, eventually moving to Japan. His year there was not successful.
Few of my generation had heard of him the morning he was announced as Celtic manager in 1997. Such was the media back then, we were told he was “the second worst thing to hit Hiroshima” – honestly, that was a newspaper report!
His first league game saw defeat at Easter Road. In his second, a halftime penalty lead at home to Dunfermline was not enough to prevent the Fifers leaving with all three points. Rangers seemed assured of 10-in-a-row, but Wim was only getting started.
Like many of you, I lived through that season. I did not understand how we were able to win the league from such a position and still don’t. We lost our best players going into the campaign and although the incomparable Henrik Larsson arrived from Feyenoord, Wim was not familiar with the bulk of the players who came in.
Gradually results improved, but honestly, the entire campaign was fragile. Each game required enormous effort. A League Cup win meant more than anyone would believe now. A heroic win over Rangers at New Year made us consider the unimaginable may just be possible. Then in April, points were dropped at home to Hibs, who were on their way to being relegated.
Then Dunfermline’s role in that season came into sharp focus again. A win in Fife in the second last game and Celtic were champions after Rangers had lost at home to a last minute Kilmarnock goal the previous day. Simon Donnelly put Celtic ahead but Craig Falconbridge equalised in the closing stages. Was it ever to be Celtic’s time?
I wasn’t there at Dunfermline that day, most of us were watching at home, but we were there in our droves at the final game of the season at home to St Johnstone. Being there when history came home meant so much. In all the great Celtic games I’ve attended, the beating of Barca, Milan and Real Madrid, nothing, NOTHING, matches standing on the slopes of Celtic Park that day.
Our celebrations were cut short, the newspapers the following day reported a fall out, Wim was leaving Celtic after a single glorious season. He would never manage again. Dementia took him today.
You do not need to stay here long to make a lasting impact. What Wim did at Celtic will forever be a credit to his talent and his undoubted charm. May he rest in peace.
‘MY PAL WIM,’ DAVIE HAY SORROW AT THE PASSING OF EX-BOSS JANSEN AT 75
0
By CQN Magazine on 25th January 2022 Latest News
CELTIC legend Davie Hay has expressed his sorrow at the news Wim Jansen has passed away at the age of 75.
The former Hoops manager and player worked with the Dutchman in the never-to-be-forgotten 1997/98 season when the Parkhead side prevented Walter Smith’s Ibrox side from making history with a tenth successive title.
Jansen was diagnosed with dementia in October last year and, in another CQN EXCLUSIVE, Hay, speaking to author and friend Alex Gordon, who co-wrote the icon’s autobiography ‘The Quiet Assassin‘, said: “This is dreadfully sad and, naturally, my thoughts are with his family and close friends.
“It was a pleasure to work with Wim who was a thorough professional in everything he did. He was a real football man and we got on well with each other from day one.
SILVERWARE SUCCESS…Wim Jansen with the championship and the League Cup trophies.
“We spent a lot of time together and he struck me as an individual who knew exactly what he was looking for in a player. Henrik Larsson, of course, was his type of player.
“Wim knew what he was getting with Henrik after working with him at Feyenoord. He was aware of the clause in the Swede’s contract that would allow him to leave the Dutch side for £650,000.
“It was clear Henrik wanted to join up again with his former coach and that helped immensely in getting the deal over the line. Of course, there is no such thing as a clear-cut transfer, there is always a snag with so many people involved outwith the actual buying and selling teams and the player.
“As chief scout at the time, I was involved all the way through the process, but I was impressed by Henrik’s absolute determination to work again with Wim. That told me all I needed to know.”
Hay fell foul of owner Fergus McCann during a behind-the-scenes power struggle with General Manager Jock Brown and was sacked as the season neared its completion. Brown would later suffer the same fate as his adversary.
DUTCH TREAT…Davie Hay listens intently to Wim Jansen as he discusses all things football.
‘MY PAL WIM,’ DAVIE HAY SORROW AT THE PASSING OF EX-BOSS JANSEN AT 75
The Hoops great added: “Yes, it was sore to leave Celtic, particularly following all the hard work to get them into a challenging position in a year of transition after Wim had taken over from Tommy Burns.
“I didn’t dwell on my farewells with Wim, I realised he was far too busy with his own thoughts. I didn’t want to be a distraction.
“I wished him good luck and told him I would be cheering him all the way from the terracings.
“I was on my way to East End Park for the second last league game of the season against Dunfermline. Believe it or not, I was on the Davie Hay Paisley Celtic Supporters’ bus when it broke down en route to Fife. Thankfully, the problem was sorted and I got there in time to see Simon Donnelly putting us into the lead.
“A win would have given my old team the championship, but a late goal from Craig Falconbridge denied them and the game ended 1-1.
“But Wim, Henrik and Co did get their hands on the silverware a week later with the 2-0 victory over St Johnstone in a truly marvellous day at Celtic Park.
“I would like to thank Wim for that unforgettable moment, my wee Dutch pal certainly played a major role in his Celtic history in his solitary season.
“Wim Jansen delivered when Celtic needed him most.”
Wim Jansen; He Came, He Saw, He Conquered
https://celtsarehere.com/wim-jansen-he-came-he-saw-he-conquered/
By
Craig F –
January 25, 2022
It’s a sad day for football, it’s a sad day for Celtic.
The news Wim Jansen had passed away hit me like a ton of bricks this morning.
Celtic Football Club is a collective; an amalgamation of heroes, villains, supporters, managers and players who have passed through Parkhead’s gates and contributed to a rich history we continue to celebrate as we carve out the future.
Celtic is also a very personal thing; something that might be significant to you and your fandom might not be as pivotal to the next guy or girl. We all have our memories, we all have those moments that stick out in our mind, for whatever reason.
Wim Jansen holds a special place in my personal Celtic story.
I was born in 1989, and by the time I started going to football, Celtic was in disarray on and off the field. I went to the games with my father and can vaguely recall some games – I’m told I was in the Jungle the day Tony Cascarino managed to find the back of the net. I recall many parts of Tommy Burns tenure, the three amigos and the entertaining football that was on show.
When Wim arrived in Glasgow, I was a young lad, but I remember it well. Not knowing any of his back story or where he came from, only knowing, he was now tasked with winning Celtic’s first title in ten years.
The enormity of the task the Dutchman took on was only fully appreciated as I got older. The man himself didn’t think twice.
“When Celtic offered me the job I knew within one second it was right for me.” Wim recalled.
The former Feyenoord man walked into Celtic Park knowing he was responsible for trying to protect Celtic’s record breaking nine-in-a-row feat, set by Jock Stein and his famous Celtic sides.
Rangers were rampant, while Celtic just a few years prior had nearly gone out of existence.
Brought in by Fergus McCann, Wim broke a Celtic barrier; he was the first non-Scottish, Irish or British manager to take on the role of Celtic boss. More would follow, but none of them can match his impact.
The 97/98 season saw Celtic claim their first League Cup in fifteen years which would set Celtic up for success on the final day in May of 1998.
Signing Henrik Larsson would be the catalyst for everything that followed. But it wasn’t just Henrik. Guys like Paul Lambert, Stephane Mahe, Craig Burley, Rieper and Jonny Gould would all play their part.
Unbeknownst to me and many Celtic fans at the time was Wim and newly appointed chief executive Jock Brown were constantly at odds during the most famous of seasons. Something that would ultimately cut his time at Celtic short but not before he made history.
That season, I watched a Celtic team full of courage and talent not only try to win but win the Celtic way.
We were never going to win the league at a canter and the champagne was already on ice down at the Louden Tavern [An infamous Rangers pub]. A famous quote by then Dundee Chairman Ron Dixon was also telling of the times.
“The only thing they should discuss [in Scotland] is how long they’re going to play the League each year before giving the Championship trophy to Rangers.”
There were thrills and spills as Wim tried to achieve where so many others had failed.
Celtic could have won the league with a game to be spare away from home at East End Park, but could only manage a draw against Dunfermline.
The league title would go down to the last day of the season – Celtic vs St Johnstone.
Many believed Celtic would choke again as they did at East End Park the week prior.
I walked up to the game that day with my Dad who was as apprehensive as I’d ever seen him. We got into the stadium that day and even as a young boy, I could feel the tension, the anticipation – how was this story going to end?
Celtic Park wasn’t finished construction fully yet, and believe me when I say there were more Celtic fans in the stadium than had a ticket. Squashed between a lot more Hoops fans than usual, I watched Henrik Larsson give us an early lead with a cracking goal. There was a wave of fans behind me falling into the row below them and I remember my Dad trying to shelter me from the madness.
As the game wore on, St Johnstone grew into the game and was looking the more likely to score. Was I about to see Celtic choke on a colossal scale?
News filtered through to the stadium – Rangers had taken the lead at Tannadice. Adding to the angst.
Pre-dating smartphones, there was a lot of misinformation about what was going on at Rangers vs Tannadice. People with pocket radios were being harassed for the scoreline as Celtic kept their slender lead.
Enter Harold Brattback.
Coming off the bench in the second half for Simon Donnelly, the striker would send Celtic Park into utter chaos. Jackie McNamara played the ball through to Harold who adjusted his stride and slotted home the all-important second. There were cheers, tears and a whole lot of grown men gripping onto each other for dear life. This was it, this was the moment.
Wim Jansen had brought Celtic to the brink of their first title win in a decade and the Celtic fans were rejoicing. I can still picture the view from my seat as Tom Boyd gets set to take a free kick in the St Johnstone half when the referee walks towards the ball, lifts it up and points to the tunnel. The league was ours, Wim and his unlikely heroes had done it, Rangers did NOT beat Celtic’s record.
The stands emptied as many fans rushed onto the pitch to celebrate with the players. I stayed in the stands with my Dad and watched the madness unfold. I was watching Celtic lift the league title for the first time.
BBC Radio 5 man Roddy Forsyth perfectly summed up the emotion of the day as Celtic Park belted out You’ll Never Walk Alone “Scarves, banners, jerseys, green and white hoops raised in triumph.
It may not have been a vintage championship but believe me it will taste as sweet to these Celtic supporters as any they have ever secured because they have stopped Rangers from taking away the history book record of ten in a row.
And perhaps the best tribute should be paid by simply listening for a few seconds to the Celtic fans singing their beloved anthem.”
I still get shivers when I hear the commentary.
Wim gave me and so many other Celtic fans in attendance that day a moment in time that we simply will never forget. In doing so, the former Celtic manager immortalised himself.
We’re all stories in the end, Wim’s captivating season at Celtic alone is a fantastic read. Of course, there’s much more to Wim than just his season at Celtic, but the year he spent in Glasgow is etched in the history of the club.
There are so many fans now who didn’t see that team and weren’t even born when Jansen was the Celtic manager. It’s important to tell our stories and pass them on to the next generation.
Wim Jansen is a Celtic legend in my eyes.
The announcement of his passing has filled me with sadness, however, sharing my story about how the great man helped shape my memories and my love of Celtic – I can’t help but smile.
RIP Wim the Tim.
You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Wim Jansen’s Celtic legacy remembered by Paul Lambert as Hoops legend salutes ‘absolute genius’ in touching tribute
The Dutchman’s death at the age of 75 was announced yesterday, following a battle with dementia
footballscotland
https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/wim-jansens-celtic-legacy-remembered-22874721
Paul Lambert described Wim Jansen as a ‘genius’
Paul Lambert described Wim Jansen as a ‘genius’ (Image: Daily Record)
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Paul Lambert has described the late Wim Jansen as an “absolute genius” in a touching tribute to the former Celtic boss.
The Dutchman’s death at the age of 75 was announced yesterday, following a battle with dementia.
Jansen spent a solitary yet memorable year at Celtic Park during the 1997-98 season, stopping Rangers from winning a historic ten-in-a-row.
Lambert, who was signed by Jansen, emphasised the magnitude of Jansen’s achievements in Glasgow.
Remembering his old boss, Lambert told the Daily Record: “I always got on unbelievably with him. I used to go into the club on Sundays, the day after a match, for a cool down and he would be there working.
“We would just talk about football and his time playing in a great Dutch team.
“The biggest accolade he could have had as a player is Johan Cruyff said that he would never have been the same player if Wim Jansen had not played behind him.
“Just speaking to him about his career was amazing.
Wim Jansen was Celtic ‘manager of legends’ says 1998 title-winning skipper Tom Boyd as he hails recruitment
“He had played in World Cup Finals and done so many things. I would just listen.
“But when you hear about those things said by Cruyff, that puts him on a pedestal, which is incredible. You had the biggest respect for what Wim did as a player himself and then what he did as a manager at Celtic.
“He preserved the great Jock Stein’s nine-in-a-row record. Stein and all of those great players who set that mark, we were protecting what those greats had done.
“Billy McNeill, Bertie Auld, Stevie Chalmers, Bobby Lennox, he preserved the record they set by winning that title, which was amazing.
“The thing I always say is for Wim to stop the 10 in a row when he did was without a doubt the biggest title I ever won at Celtic and the hardest one to win.
“To do it in just the one season when he absolutely had to do it and produce it was genius.”
The former Celtic boss stopped Rangers from securing 10 in a row
The former Celtic boss stopped Rangers from securing 10 in a row
Read More
Celtic to wear black armbands for Wim Jansen against Hearts as they plan Parkhead tribute
Of course Jansen will also be fondly remembered by Hoops supporters as the man who signed Henrik Larsson.
But his remarkable achievements in such a short period of time are still difficult to truly quantify.
Lambert added: “When I go back to Celtic sometimes, you don’t really see as much of Wim as some others in terms of photos and those things.
“The club should look at that. To stop that 10 in a row in that situation was one of the biggest achievements ever for the club in the circumstances, the way he kept everyone calm throughout that season given the situation and pressure everyone was under. We faced a strong Rangers team that season. We didn’t have that big a squad either.
“The way Wim did it was a phenomenal achievement.
“He was an absolute genius to do that.”
Celtic: ‘Against a backdrop of dysfunctionality, Jansen wrote his name into history with unforgettable feat’
By Tom EnglishBBC Scotland
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60130557
Last updated on
2 minutes ago2 minutes ago.From the section Celtic
Wim Jansen steered Celtic to their first title in a decade in 1997-98 as well as League Cup success
Wim Jansen steered Celtic to their first title in a decade in 1997-98 as well as League Cup success
If there was a blink and you’ll miss it dimension to the late Wim Jansen’s brief time as manager of Celtic, there is also a perplexing glory about his one and only season in Glasgow – a memory that will stand forever.
Jansen’s Celtic ended Rangers’ 10-in-a-row bid and, for that feat alone, he will never be forgotten by anyone at the club, or by anybody at the other club either. But there are more reasons why his name will remain alive – one of them being the towering legacy of being the man who brought Henrik Larsson to Celtic.
He achieved a huge amount in the game, Jansen. He won a European Cup (against Celtic) in 1970, he played in two World Cup finals in a magnificent Netherlands teams in 1974 and 1978.
Somewhere along the line Johan Cruyff said this about him: “Wim Jansen is one of only four men in the world worth listening to when they talk about football.” Given that Cruyff, in the opinion of many experts, could be considered one of the most influential football coaches or managers in the history of the game, that was quite a comment in praise of Jansen.
Former Celtic boss Jansen dies at age 75
When Celtic stopped the 10
And yet, for all of that, in this corner of the world, he will be most remembered for season 1997-98 and one of the wackiest campaigns of them all, a title won not just in the face of the relentless dominance and the indiscriminate spending of their 10-in-a-row-chasing rivals across the city but also a league secured against a backdrop of total dysfunctionality behind the scenes at Celtic Park.
There are many snapshots to illustrate the point. One could be Jansen’s admission that he wanted to resign after two or three weeks in the job, such was the breakdown in his relationship with general manager Jock Brown and the little-big man, Fergus McCann.
Another could be a story from the day they beat St Johnstone, thereby winning the title and heading off the grim prospect of Rangers breaking the record books with 10 straight league championships.
Brown later wrote about that day and how he made his way pitch-side at Parkhead to congratulate his manager. His recollection is that he stuck out his hand when Jansen approached and that Jansen snubbed him, lowering his head and walking straight on by to the dressing room.
“A handshake was out of the question,” wrote Brown years later. Even in the hour of their greatest triumph in many years, there was no thawing in the bitterness and rancour at the heart of the club.
Henrik Larsson (left) went on to become a Celtic legend after Wim Jansen (right) brought him to the club
Henrik Larsson (left) went on to become a Celtic legend after Wim Jansen (right) brought him to the club
To chart what was surely one of Celtic’s most eventful seasons you have to go back in time to the summer of 1997. In the May, Jorge Cadete (38 goals in his 48 games) left and Paul McStay, the beacon of the club, retired. In the August, Paolo di Canio (who had one outstanding season at the club) departed. A few months earlier, Pierre van Hooijdonk – 56 goals in 92 games including the winner in a cup final – had been sold.
At the same time, Rangers signed Lorenzo Amoruso from Fiorentina for £5m, Sergio Porrini from Juventus for £4m, Marco Negri from Perugia for £3.7m. They also signed Rino Gattuso, a future World Cup winner.
Jansen had also spent, but nowhere near as lavishly. Paul Lambert, Darren Jackson, Craig Burley, Stephane Mahe, Marc Rieper and Harald Brattbakk all joined, along with somebody called Larsson (for £650,000), who didn’t look up to much as Celtic lost their first two league games.
At that point, you could have walked into any bookmaker in Glasgow and named your own odds on Celtic winning the league. The 10 looked like the greatest certainty of them all.
The new manager was the first continental to take the reins at Celtic and was only the second non-Celtic player to be given the job. That lack of emotional attachment probably helped him.
He knew his history, but it didn’t consume him. His head didn’t explode under the pressure of stopping the 10. He never felt obliged to win in the ‘Celtic Way’.
His team was well capable of playing some really attractive stuff, but what he attempted to bring more than anything was an element of pragmatism. What helped him enormously was the implosion that was happening at Ibrox in Walter Smith’s final season. Rangers ended up with 72 points, eight worse than the campaign before and 15 behind the season before that.
Slowly, Jansen bred confidence into his team. They lost the first Old Firm derby of the season, drew the second and won the third. They won the League Cup for the first time in 15 years. If only we could have peeked behind the curtain at the time, though, we would have seen what was going on while the team moved towards the title.
Wim Jansen’s relationship with Celtic general manager Jock Brown (left) and chairman Fergus McCann (right) soon disintegrated
Wim Jansen’s relationship with Celtic general manager Jock Brown (left) and chairman Fergus McCann (right) soon disintegrated
The problems between Jansen on one side and Brown and McCann on the other were remarkable, much of it playing out behind the scenes before it all started to tumble out in public. “Sinister,” is how Brown described some of the stuff written at the time.
Jansen said that he didn’t speak to the board from the January of that season. Brown said that, by mid-March – with Jansen apparently showing zero interest in planning for the following year – he was convinced he was going to leave. It all became a tortuous saga.
Jansen said he hadn’t been offered terms, the club said he had. Jansen said that the club didn’t want to spend any money, Brown said that wasn’t true.
“There was a growing impression in my mind that Wim would not be too troubled about the team’s failure as long as no blame for such failure was attributed to him,” wrote Brown, cuttingly, in the aftermath. “I wanted to continue to build a team, but they didn’t want to spend any money,” said Jansen, a few years back. “I didn’t want to fight them any more.”
They all limped on, an unhappy marriage, one party suspicious of the other with the media lapping up every morsel about the friction between them. It’s fair to say that Celtic panted and wheezed their way across the finishing line.
In Celtic’s last nine league games of the season – from that point in mid-March when Brown became convinced Jansen was going to depart – they won four, drew four and lost one (to Rangers).
On the face of it, that was title-losing form, an implosion. But not that season. Rangers blew up, losing three of their last nine. Jansen’s team had to beat St Johnstone to secure the title. Larsson, in the first flush of his Celtic greatness, sent them on their way. Brattbakk scored the second. They’d done it.
Celtic had a superstar player, a manager who achieved what many thought was impossible and a support that was by turns euphoric and relieved. Within 48 hours, Jansen resigned.
McCann waved him away merrily. He later said that, had Jansen not left of his volition, he’d have been sacked. All of this was to cause McCann a world of bother. How could he have let Jansen go? How could the club find a title-winning manager after all these years and then lose him in a season? The questions continued for quite a while.
Occasionally, the whole episode was spoken about again, Jansen pitching in on one side, Brown giving his version on the other. A rapprochement would have been nice.
Jansen had been suffering from dementia and that horrible disease took him at the age of 75. He packed in an awful lot into those years. At Celtic, he only needed months to write his name into history for all time.
Wim Jansen obituary
Dutch football star who coached Celtic to win the Scottish Premier League and League Cup before a characteristic swift exit
Wednesday January 26 2022, 5.00pm, The Times
Obituaries
Football
The Times
JEFF J MITCHELL/REUTERS
Wim Jansen was a quiet, diffident Dutch boy growing up in Rotterdam in the 1950s whose outstanding prowess at football ensured that, alas for him, he would have to get used to public attention. He played for Holland in two World Cup finals — in 1974 and 1978, though ended both with runner-up medals — before embarking on a somewhat erratic coaching career.
Feyenoord, that great sentinel of Dutch football, was Jansen’s home club for 15 seasons between 1965 and 1980, during which he won four league titles, a European Cup — beating Celtic in the 1970 final — and a Uefa Cup in 1974. At a time when Johan Cruyff was the out-and-out Dutch master, the wiry-haired Jansen was his onfield aide-de-camp, a rangy, aggressive and skilful player with bursts of speed and an eye for goal.
Born Wilhelmus Marinus Antonius Jansen, football brought emotions alive in a man who was otherwise reserved. Scoring one goal for Feyenoord in the late 1960s, the then 23-year-old’s exuberant celebrations verged on the acrobatic. Cruyff once said: “Wim Jansen is one of only three or four people I find worth listening to about football.”
It was in Glasgow for ten short months between July 1997 and May 1998 that as manager of Celtic Jansen probably enjoyed his greatest moment as a coach. He had been manager of Feyenoord in the early 1990s, twice winning the Dutch Cup, but it proved — as was so often the case with Jansen — a short stay which ended in boardroom disagreement after he had been appointed technical director and grown aghast at the direction of the team under new coach — and former international team-mate — Wim van Hanegem.
Jansen took himself off to Japan to coach Sanfrecce Hiroshima for a season but that did not work out either: it was said he struggled with both Japanese culture and the language. So the former Dutch great was once more in managerial limbo before Celtic summoned him in the early summer of 1997 to replace the sacked Tommy Burns.
The Scottish sports media in the main greeted Jansen’s arrival with scepticism and even disdain. The mood around him was not helped by Celtic losing their opening two league games under Jansen, to Hibernian and Dunfermline, leading to claims in print and on air that Celtic had appointed “a dud”.
Jansen would disprove the allegation. He signed a 26- year-old Swedish striker he knew from Dutch league football called Henrik Larsson, and the rest is sporting history. Larsson had struggled over three seasons with Feyenoord — constantly played out of position and being hauled off the field after 65 minutes — but Jansen had seen enough to know he “had something”. As it transpired, in signing Larsson, Jansen gave Celtic one of Europe’s greatest strikers, whom the club and its supporters would savour for seven seasons.
In May 1998 Jansen, Larsson and Celtic succeeded in winning the Scottish Premier League title, in so doing stopping Rangers from winning their coveted “ten in a row”. Celtic also won the League Cup that season, trashing the notion that their head coach was an imposter. Under Jansen the club also made impressive transfer purchases: as well as Larsson, Marc Rieper, Paul Lambert and Craig Burley all proved excellent signings.
Yet Jansen, behind the scenes, was not an easy figure to work with and his relations with Jock Brown, the Celtic sporting director, proved strained. When Celtic clinched their 1998 title with a 2-0 home win over St Johnstone there was a moment after the game when Jansen refused Brown’s congratulatory handshake and his fate was sealed. Within days Jansen announced he was leaving the club and was not seen again in a significant position in European football for seven years.
Jansen married his wife, Cobie, early in his playing career with Feyenoord. She survives him. They had a son, Wim, and a daughter, Petra, both of whom work in sports marketing in Rotterdam. Jansen collected old books on football and was a music fan, especially of the Beatles, and of Paul McCartney in particular. In 2021, he finally brought out an autobiography, Mastermind, co-written with the Dutch author Yoeri van den Busken. After his experiences with Celtic it was one of his wishes that the book also be published in English.
His life was a mix of contradictions. There is evidence that he was essentially a “home bird” — he kept the same modest home in Rotterdam for decades — and yet off he went, to Japan, Scotland and even Saudi Arabia, where he assisted Leo Beenhakker as national coach. Jansen was also one of those who made a value judgment about “real football people” which meant he did not easily rub along with some — like Brown — who were perfectly capable, and often essential, to the running of a modern football club.
But his place in European football is secured. He played in every tie of the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals for Holland and, twice a European champion on the field, Jansen remains celebrated in Rotterdam, across the Netherlands, and in Glasgow.
Wim Jansen, footballer and coach, was born on October 28 1946. He died from complications due to dementia on January 25, 2022, aged 75