Football is about having the best offensive play possible. I always like to play offensive football, and nobody will convince me otherwise.
Interpretation
The essence of football lies in offensive strategy, and that's the approach I firmly believe in.
Johan Cruyff emphasizes the importance of an aggressive and offensive style of play in football, arguing that it is the best way to approach the game. His unwavering belief in offensive football reflects a larger philosophy about taking risks and seizing opportunities, suggesting that success in football, and perhaps in life, comes from a proactive, rather than reactive, stance.
In practice
This quote can be used in a sports team's locker room to motivate players before a big match.
Ajax is a multicultural club, and we have found that many talented immigrant players quit when they reach puberty. So we wanted to tackle this problem with someone from the same background who had come through it. And that was Edgar Davids. During one of our fights, I pointed that out to him. But it had nothing to do with his skin colour.
It's disappointing to see how football, the world's No. 1 sport, is not No. 1 when it comes to development. It seems to me that a wealth of practical football knowledge is being squandered.
Football is not about suffering. It's about enjoyment. Control the ball, be friendly with it, try to attack, try to score goals. Of course defending is part of it, but you can defend in a lot of ways.
If you look at other countries, you see they have different values: defend more, pass the ball out more, winning is holy. In England, you could say that sport itself is holy. They say, 'Look, guys, it's about more than just winning.'
If you take golf, you have a teacher for the drive, a teacher for the approach play, and a teacher for the putt. That's three specialist coaches for one player. In football, one coach looks after 25 players.
The most important part are the fans, that people going home are happy. It's their time off, and you should give them something to enjoy.
I get a feeling about where a teammate is going to be. A lot of times, I can turn and pass without even looking.
Cycling is a sport of the people. How many people in the world have never been on a bike? Not many.
One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.
All ballplayers should quit when it starts to feel as if all the baselines run uphill.
In baseball, there is something electrifying about the big leagues. I had read so much about Stan Musial, Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson. I had put those guys on a pedestal. They were something special. I really thought they put their pants on different, rather than one leg at a time.
It doesn't matter which era you play in. Wickets are the only way you can contain. Restricting the batsmen to six runs in the first over may look okay but in the next over they will hammer the other bowler. Giving ten runs and taking a wicket - I'll take that any day.
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