Wilhelmus Marinus Antonius "Wim" Jansen[1] (Dutch pronunciation:[ʋɪmˈjɑnsə(n)]; 28 October 1946 – 25 January 2022) was a Dutch professional football player and manager.
Jansen served in several roles at Feyenoord, including winning the KNVB Cup in consecutive seasons as manager in the early 1990s. He also won the Scottish Premier Division at Celtic in 1997–98.
After a brief spell in the North American Soccer League with the Washington Diplomats, he moved to Feyenoord's rivalsAjax, where he won a league title in 1981–82.[2] His debut for Ajax was against his former club in De Kuip in December 1980; a fan of Feyenoord threw an icy snowball at Jansen's eye during warming-up which finally resulted in Jansen being substituted within 20 minutes into the game.[4][5]
Dutch teammate Johan Cruyff considered Jansen to be one of only four men worth paying attention to when they spoke about football.[4]
Jansen played all seven games as the Dutch finished runners-up to hosts West Germany at the 1974 FIFA World Cup, and repeated the feat in 1978 as they lost to hosts Argentina.[6] He committed the foul on Bernd Hölzenbein in 1974 which allowed Paul Breitner to equalise with a penalty as the Germans came from behind to beat the Dutch.[4] He also played both games of their bronze-medal finish at UEFA Euro 1976 in Yugoslavia.[6]
Style of play
Jansen mostly played as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder, although he was also capable of playing anywhere in the defence, as a full-back, a central defender or even as a sweeper. A holding midfielder, Jansen excelled at breaking up attacking plays from adversaries, getting the ball from them, and covering for his teammates. Despite standing at 5'5, Jansen's defensive skills along with his tenacity, pace, and incredible stamina allowed him to form a formidable midfield trio at Feyenoord with Franz Hasil and Willem Van Hanegem, and in the Dutch national team, with van Hanegem and Ajax player Johan Neeskens. Jansen described his relationship with Van Hanegem as a "blind communication". Van Hanegem remarked that he received all the "smart balls" from Jansen and praised him as a versatile player, noting: "Wim could play anywhere, just not in goal. He was too small for that."[7] Jansen also excelled in offensive duties, such as providing chances for his teammates to score goals, with a record of 113 assists, according to German website Transfermarkt.
Managerial career
Jansen began his managerial career at his old club Feyenoord, where he worked as a coach, and then as assistant manager, between 1983 and 1987. He also spent a season as manager of Belgian club Lokeren.[8] In 1991, he returned to Feyenoord as manager, winning the KNVB Cup in 1991. The result was a surprise, as the club had been near bankruptcy in the preceding years.[9]
The team also won the cup in 1992 and reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1991–92.[8] He became technical director in 1992, and his old teammate, Willem van Hanegem, coached the team to the league championship in 1993 and the Dutch Cup again the following season. Jansen disagreed with van Hanegem's physical tactics, and argued with chairman Jorien van den Herik when the coach was given a contract extension. He left to work as assistant manager of Saudi Arabia alongside compatriot Leo Beenhakker, and also managed Japanese side Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where he struggled with the language.[10]
On 3 July 1997, Wim Jansen was appointed head coach of Celtic, replacing the sacked Tommy Burns.[11] He was their first manager from outside Great Britain and Ireland,[2] and only the second to have never played for the club.[12] He went on to guide them to their first Scottish league championship in ten years, ending the hopes of rival Rangers to win a tenth consecutive championship.[11] Despite winning the league and the Scottish League Cup during his only season in charge, Jansen left the club less than 48 hours after the title was secured, as he was unable to work with general manager Jock Brown.[13] His most notable transfer was the signing of Henrik Larsson from Feyenoord.[14]
At the beginning of the 2008–09 season, Jansen took up the position of assistant to the head coach of the Feyenoord first team, Gertjan Verbeek.[15] He resigned in solidarity when the coach was fired in 2009.[10]
Personal life and death
Jansen in 2013
Jansen was given a Latin name, as is the custom for Dutch Catholics, because his family lived with Catholics in the first year of his life. He and his family were not religious, and he would practice kicking a ball at a pole on Sundays while all his neighbours were at church.[1] As a child, he lived on the same street (Bloklandstraat) as Feyenoord teammate Coen Moulijn.[1]
Jansen lived in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht from the 1970s. In late 2021, he released the biography Meesterbrein ("Mastermind"), written alongside Yoeri van den Busken.[9][10] At the same time, he announced he had been diagnosed with dementia.[16]
Jansen died on 25 January 2022 at the age of 75.[17] His funeral was held four days later at Feyenoord's De Kuip stadium.[18] In January 2024, his son revealed Jansen died by assisted suicide.[19]
Career statistics
Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[20][21][22][23]
