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Cruyff is regarded as a cult footballing figure in Spain and his native Holland MANU FERNANDEZ/AP/Press Association Images
Total Football

Double Dutch: Liverpool put Cruyff and van Gaal on wishlist

The former Ajax and Barcelona coaches have been lined up as successors to deposed director of football, Damien Comolli

LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB are aiming for the Dutch stars as they move swiftly to fill the director of football role vacated by Damien Comolli.

Fenway Sports Group, owners of the Anfield club, are reported to be in the process of drawing up a shortlist of footballing greats to take over the directorship and oversee scouting and player development.

The list is said to include Holland legend Johan Cruyff, who played and managed Ajax and Barcelona with distinction over four decades. Louis van Gaal, another man that has coached the Dutch and Spanish giants, and Txiki Begiristain.

After wishing the outgoing Comolli the best for the future on Thursday, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner added that ‘the club needs to move forward’ and focus on a strong finish to the season.

Summer signings

It seems that the FSG board are intent on moving forward at pace and bringing in a new director of football before the end of the season. Indeed, while manager Kenny Dalglish insisted that he was behind all transfer decisions, a strategy will surely be put in place in accordance with the new director.

The speculation about Cruyff coming into the role follows his resignation from a supervisory board at Ajax Amsterdam on Wednesday.

The Dutch club said in a statement that Cruyff will ‘remain involved with the implementation of his football vision within the club’.

Whether Cruyff has the desire to hitch his post to another footballing dynasty at the age of 64 is another matter but the majority of Liverpool fans will be pleased to see such a high profile name, and one of the key figures behind ‘Total Football’, linked to their club.

Begiristain, former technical director at Barcelona and a man that has worked with Cruyff and van Gaal in the past, is renowned for helping to develop the Catalan club’s academy system, La Masia, that has produced players such as Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

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