These are the days it never rains but it pours
Well. Valencia vs Barcelona was sad. Valencia this year is just sad, period. Los Che lost Ayala, and then Quique, and it seemed they never recovered from the heartbreaks. Neither did I. Our proud warriors now seem to be struggling, in defense and offense both.
But throughout the match I was actually thinking about something else altogether. I was thinking about how Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman are together again, except this time they are on opposing sides. I haven't followed their career much before they became coaches of Barcelona and Valencia respectively. But I'm sure this is their first meeting as coaches in La Liga.
Rijkaard and Koeman used to be in the 1988 Europe Cup Holland team. They were part of one of the best ensemble of footballers I've ever watched. The team had Marco Van Basten as striker, Ruud Gullit as playmaker, Frank Rijkaard as... I don't remember, I think he was a forward. And then Ronald and Erwin Koemans as midfielders. And they were going against teams like the Germans with their Juergen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthaeus, and five other Juergens.
Oh the good old days...
We're half a month away from New Year. I can't believe it's almost 2008.
EDIT: Huh, my memory failed me... I just checked in Wikipedia, and it turned out that both Ronald Koeman and Frank Rijkaard were centerbacks, and they played alongside each other in that 88 team. Erwin Koeman was one of the midfielders.
But throughout the match I was actually thinking about something else altogether. I was thinking about how Frank Rijkaard and Ronald Koeman are together again, except this time they are on opposing sides. I haven't followed their career much before they became coaches of Barcelona and Valencia respectively. But I'm sure this is their first meeting as coaches in La Liga.
Rijkaard and Koeman used to be in the 1988 Europe Cup Holland team. They were part of one of the best ensemble of footballers I've ever watched. The team had Marco Van Basten as striker, Ruud Gullit as playmaker, Frank Rijkaard as... I don't remember, I think he was a forward. And then Ronald and Erwin Koemans as midfielders. And they were going against teams like the Germans with their Juergen Klinsmann, Lothar Matthaeus, and five other Juergens.
Oh the good old days...
We're half a month away from New Year. I can't believe it's almost 2008.
EDIT: Huh, my memory failed me... I just checked in Wikipedia, and it turned out that both Ronald Koeman and Frank Rijkaard were centerbacks, and they played alongside each other in that 88 team. Erwin Koeman was one of the midfielders.