Wim Jansen breaks his silence after 23 years on his reasons for leaving Celtic in his biography Meesterbrein which is published this week in The Netherlands. An English version of Meesterbrein – Mastermind – is also being published and will follow shortly.
“The truth is, I hadn’t spoken to the board from January that season. Everything went through Murdo. 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,” Jansen reveals in Meesterbrein, in an extract in Sunday Post. “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 point that I didn’t want to wait for the next argument. 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 told me to leave. And everything I do, I do by instinct.”
The Dutchman who famously stopped Rangers winning Ten-in-a-Row back in May 1998 also revealed that the powers that be at Celtic at the time – Fergus McCann and Jock Brown – told him next to nothing about the situation at the club and that he was stunned to discover that Celtic had got rid of the Three Amigos — Pierre Van Hooijdonk, Jorge Cadette and Paulo Di Canio — before he arrived in the East End of Glasgow.
“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. 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 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.”
Losing the opening two matches to Hibs at Easter Road then to Dunfermline at Celtic Park had many people doubting the wisdom of appointing Jansen who only the older supporters really knew as he played for Feyenoord in Milan in the European Cup Final win over Celtic in 1970. Jansen as we reminded everyone last week also played for Holland in two World Cup Finals – something one Scottish hack that season seemed to have had no knowledge of!
Dumbest Question a Celtic Manager has been asked by MSM…
One of my most magic moments ever. My first Celtic presser ahead of a crucial OF match:
MSM Eejit: “Wim, is this the most important match you’ve ever been involved in?”
Wim: [Smiles] “I’ve played in two World Cup Finals. You tell me…”
One of my most magic moments ever. My first Celtic presser ahead of a crucial OF match:
MSM Eejit: Wim, is this the most important match you’ve ever been involved in?
Wim: [Smiles] I’ve played in two World Cup Finals. You tell me
— SFM (@TheSFMonitor) October 29, 2021
Despite these two early set-backs Jansen found a way to share a new side, added of course by his signing for £650,000 signing of Henrik Larsson from Feyenoord.
“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. We got Alan Stubbs to play as a libero. Tom Boyd was 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 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. Those were crucial moments. If we’d lost, then the gap would have been too big. What happened when we won the league 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 12th 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.”
* An extract from Harry Hood – Twice as Good which we are very excited to say is published this week by Celtic Star Books. To receive a copy signed by both Matt and former Celtic star Tommy Callaghan simply order using the link below….
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