April 1988

[CumbrianRam]

Just found an article about the 1987/88 season, using the summary from the year books and few things took my interest.

 

8 – Derby chairman Robert Maxwell invites Johan Cruyff to become technical director.

15 – Johan Cruyff announces that he will become Barcelona coach for a year, declining the offer from Derby.

First time I have ever heard about this failed approach to get Cruyff in a techincal director. Was it a serious move or just paper talk?

 

Also from February in the same year

3 – The Welsh FA announce the termination of Mike England’s contract, which had 6 months still to run.

4 – FA of Wales secretary Alun Evans denies reports that Brian Clough is to be offered the job as part-time manager.

8 – Brian Clough expresses his eagerness to become part-time manager of Wales, against the wishes of Forest chairman Maurice Roworth, and is due to discuss terms with the Welsh FA subcommittee tomorrow.

9 – Brian Clough is set to take the Welsh job on the 24th, although he still has not got the nod from Forest.

11 – Forest refuse Brian Clough permission to manage Wales.

12 – Brian Clough says he will not resign from Forest over the Welsh job disappointment.

http://spiritofmirko.com/2013/08/15/19871988-a-review-of-the-season-as-told-by-the-panini-football-yearbook/

[Cisse]

I remember there was a news about the Cruyff offer at the time. Shame it didn't work out.

[Ambitious]

Brian Clough would have no-doubt won the world cup with Wales, so.. good, good for Forest.

 

and was before my time, but what a horrible thing to learn - instead of coming to Derby, he spent nearly a decade at the biggest club in the world, won several european trophies and domestic trophies as manager.

 

Makes me wonder how we could have enticed him to Derby after being so successful at Ajax though? 87/88 season, we just managed to stay up, by a point (the next season admittedly we went on to finish 5th) and Arthur Cox was a fond favourite, but still... look what could have been 

[Smalley Ram]

Bob bob bob Maxwell was full of this sort of stuff, I remember him saying we had signed Shilton for £1m when it was nothing even close, he was full of it. I remember reading the Cruyuff thing and probably rolling my eyes, never believed it even as a naive teenager

[davenportram]

Bob bob bob Maxwell was full of this sort of stuff, I remember him saying we had signed Shilton for £1m when it was nothing even close, he was full of it. I remember reading the Cruyuff thing and probably rolling my eyes, never believed it even as a naive teenager

But Shilton did sign for us - or did I imagine that.

[AndyinLiverpool]

But Shilton did sign for us - or did I imagine that.

It was all just a dream.

[Smalley Ram]

But Shilton did sign for us - or did I imagine that.

but not for a million

[AndyB]

It was meant to be a million if you added up his fee plus 3 years wages. Maxwell made out it was a million fee.

[Boycie]

but not for a million

i feel cheated.

[LeedsCityRam]

I remember Cloughie in discussions with the Welsh FA - he clearly wanted a crack at international management & was probably quite bored with Forest at that point.

 

Don't remember the Cruyff thing at all. It seems even more unrealistic considering the English Division One was pretty unglamorous in 1988. At the time English clubs were banned from Europe, the football was agricultural hoof at best & any half decent players went to Italy & Spain as that's where the money was.

 

I do like the idea of him taking a week to think about it though!