Clubs need former players at the helm, says Bergkamp

LONDON (Reuters) - More clubs should follow the Ajax Amsterdam model of promoting former players to executive roles, according to the Dutch side's assistant manager Dennis Bergkamp.





"The best directors are the ones who worked on the factory floor," he told his former Arsenal team mate Martin Keown in an interview for Britain's Daily Mail on Friday.

"The ones who make the decisions should be the people who know what's really happening and how it impacts down below."

Dutch great Johan Cruyff, who died last month aged 68, was instrumental in putting that sort of system in place at the Amsterdam club he played for with such distinction.

Former Ajax defender Frank de Boer is the current manager and, along with Bergkamp, is assisted by another retired centre-back, Jaap Stam, while ex winger Marc Overmars is director of football.

Former goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar works on the commercial side as marketing director.

Former forward Bergkamp, 46, believes that helps continue the playing philosophy that Cruyff embodied in his 11 years as an Ajax player and three years as manager.

"He felt to win games without attacking football is boring but to play attacking football without winning is useless," Bergkamp said.

An English league and cup double winner twice with Arsenal in 1998 and 2002, Bergkamp still keeps an eye on the London club's results and believes his old manager, Arsene Wenger, will stay on if given the chance, despite criticism from some supporters.

Bergkamp, born in Amsterdam, is happy where he is for the moment, though, ensuring the Cruyff legacy endures.

"I feel I'm not finished here," he said.

"I want to be alert, now that Cruyff has gone, that it doesn't change.

"There are many people who would like to change it again and I want to make sure that doesn't happen."





(Reporting by Steve Tongue. Editing by Patrick Johnston)


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world