TOTTENHAM TRIO
Dutch League title in 1961 as his 'total football' philosophy
continued to evolve. He returned to England to take over
at Sheffield Wednesday before going back to Ajax in 1964
where he spotted the emerging talent and potential of a
young Johan Cruyff.
Within a year he was back in England with Fulham, then on
to Ethnikos in Greece followed by Barcelona where he led the
club to the Copa del Rey in 1971. Buckingham subsequently
managed Sevilla and Olympiacos, then went back to Ethnikos
before finishing his career in Kuwait with Al-Salmiya.
Returning to England, Vic settled in Chichester where he
died in January, 1979, at the age of 79.
England international Jack Rowley, who played for us as a
'guest'during World War Two, managed Ajax between 1963/64
Our former boss Martin Jol took over from Marco van Basten
as Ajax manager in May, 2009, and steered the club to a
second place finish in the Eredivisie, pipped to the title by
one point by Steve McClaren's FC Twente.
They also won the Dutch Cup- Jol's third success in the
competition - and qualified for the Champions League as
the former Netherlands international midfielder enjoyed his
return home where he had enjoyed two spells at Den Haag
as a player either side of stints with Bayern Munich, Twente,
West Brom and Coventry City.
Born in The Hague, Jol started out on his professional
coaching career with Roda and RKC Waalwijkwhere he was
named 2000/01 Eredivisie 'manager of the Year' - before
arriving at White Hart Lane in June, 2004, as assistant manager
under Jacques Santini who Martin subsequently replaced in
the November when the Frenchman resigned.
Jol left us in October, 2007, and was in charge at Hamburg
the following season before embarking on his spell at Ajax
that ended in June, 2011, when he returned to London to take
over at Fulham. He left Craven Cottage in December, 2013,
and had a brief spell with Al Ahly in 2016 during which they
won the Egyptian Premier league.
Martin Jol in the Ajax dugout
Vic Buckingham carried his simple but eye-catching
playing philosophy to one of Europe's biggest clubs -
Ajax Amsterdam - where he was appointed manager
in 1959.
"Whether you are playing well or badly, all of you
must want the ball and look for it," was the mantra Vic
installed in his players. As his team started pickingup
results, so people begantalking about Ajax asateam
playing'Total Football!
This wasn't a completely new concept as fellow
English manager Jack Reynolds had seen his Ajax side
described as having played in the same way during
his time in Amsterdam. The Hungarian national team
of the 1950s, the so-called 'Magical Magyars! were
also said to be a 'Total Football'side under manager
Gusztac Sebes.
Roughly described,TotalFootball'referstoa style
of play in which any outfield player can take over the
role of any other player. A player who moves out of
position is then covered by a team-mate, thus a shape is
maintained despitethe system being completelyfluid.
Perhaps the most well-known exponent of'Total
Football' was Johan Cruyff, who despite being a
centre-forward, used to pop up all over the pitch
during a match to cause maximum damage to the
opposition. His teammates adapted themselves
around his movements accordingly.
In is no sheer coincidence that Cruyff played under
Buckingham at Ajax, indeed having identified the
player in Ajax's famous youth academy, the English
manager handed him his debut on 15 November,
1964, aged just 17.
Buckingham once said of Cruyff: "He could do
everything.set movements up, fly down the wing run
into the penalty area, head the ball in. Left foot, right
foot, anythingand such speed. God's gift to mankind,
in the football sense. That was Johan!'
By Andy Greeves
CTl
10
OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
