A quiet man and a fantastic boss.. he’s one of Celtic’s all-time greats
Stars honour man who led them to coveted league title
QUIET man Wim Jansen was yesterday acclaimed as one of the most important figures in Celtic’s history as the football world responded to news of the legend’s death.
The Dutchman passed away at his home in Holland, aged 75, after it was revealed he had dementia.
Despite spending just one season, 1997-98, in Scotland, he overcame huge odds to deny a dominant Rangers team 10 league titles in a row.
He also brought the club’s “King of Kings”, striker Henrik Larsson to Parkhead.
His achievements enshrine Jansen’s name in Scottish football history and in the hearts of Celtic fans, many of whom travelled to Celtic Park to lay tributes yesterday.
Former player Alan Stubbs revealed that the Dutch football great was a man of few words but whose team talks were absorbed in every detail.
He said: “I’m shocked to hear this news because he was a fantastic man, a great human being as well as a great manager.
“Wim was a man of few words and I never once saw him raise his voice or get angry – and that’s something when you consider the pressure that was on that season.
“I remember, in the days before the internet, a newspaper headline said ‘Wim Who?’ and everyone assumed this supposedly unknown Dutchman would be a flop.
“The headline wasn’t ‘Wim Who’ at the end of the season.”
Former defender Stubbs scored a goal to draw with Rangers in the run-in to winning the league and said he’d never seen a manager deal with pressure in such a calm way.
He said: “I honestly don’t know if the season would have ended as it did if Wim rose to all the pressures that were on him.
“Most managers had a bit of ranting and raving in them but it wasn’t his style and the players all loved working with him.”
Fellow Celtic great Paul Lambert echoed his views, saying: “Wim was a fantastic man. Johann Cruyff, one of the all-time greats of the game, said Wim Jansen was one of four people in the game worth listening to. What a compliment that was.
“It was extraordinary that he could go through an entire season without raising his voice but that made you respect him all the more.”
Jansen’s hometown side Feyenoord of Rotterdam confirmed Jansen’s death yesterday.
The club, who Jansen played for when they beat Celtic to win the European Cup in 1970, wrote: “A wonderful person and great Feyenoord player is no more. Wim Jansen, rest in peace.”
Celtic FC said: “Rest in Peace Wim. You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst worked under him at Feyenoord.
He said: “I know the family for many years and I am thinking of them.
“He was the coach when I was a youth player to let me train with the first team. He really helped my development.”
Shortly before the release of his autobiography Meesterbrein (Masterbrain) last year, Jansen confirmed that he had been living with dementia.
Co-writer and friend Yoeri van den Busken tweeted: “Alzheimer’s broke the mastermind. Goodbye
wise man, and one of the friendliest people in football: I give you peace of mind.”
Former Celtic player Chris Sutton said: “Really sad news about Wim Jansen passing away. Thoughts and prayers go out to the Jansen family. Wim will always be a Celtic legend.”
John Hartson tweeted: “Sad news hearing Wim Jansen has passed away. Won the League Cup at Celtic, stopped 10 in a row and brought the brilliant Henrik Larsson to the club. Thoughts are with the Jansen family.”
Craig Burley added: “Very sad day today. You delivered one of the most important league titles in the history of Celtic FC. “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.”
Hoops fan Niamh McIver paid a double tribute to former manager Jansen and to her dad when she left a scarf at Parkhead.
Niamh, 20, came to Celtic’s ground after hearing of death of Jansen, an idol of her dad Barry, who passed away on November 30 last year, just a few months after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
Niamh, from Hillington, Glasgow, said: “When I heard of Wim’s death I couldn’t help but connect it with my dad because he told me all about his achievements.
“He would have been upset and I know he’d have wanted to go to Celtic Park to pay his own respects.”
Other Celtic fans to make a trip to Parkhead included Brian Hartie, who was 21 when Jansen’s Celtic side clinched the league title on May 9, 1998.
He said: “I would say that Wim Jansen is a hugely significant person in Celtic’s history.
“I’m tempted to say he was a cult figure but that is normally a term that gets applied to people who haven’t been hugely successful.
“I’d say he’s one of the most important figures in the entire history of Celtic.”
It was a privilege to play for you, boss, with these players at this club
CRAIG BURLEY ON THE DEATH OF WIM JANSEN