Frank Rijkaard
I always had much respect for Rudi Voller.Collection: Respect
No person is the same, and so you can't treat each player identically.
From the moment Messi was introduced, we all knew he was a unique talent. I remember Deco and Ronaldinho immediately realised how special he was, and they took him under their wing.
Ronaldinho is another special player, probably amongst the most talented players I have worked with. At Barcelona, he was outstanding.
It's always the losers who are complaining about a result.
We win together, and we lose together.
Someone said that my coaching is a combination of Milan's defensive discipline and the Dutch propensity for attacking football, and I think that is a fair description.
I'm not a guy who believes in revenge.
The goal is always to win.
Without a doubt, it is easier to produce a defensive soccer team, because it does not need you to have talent for it but simply to be well organised.
The situation with Anders Frisk is clear: he was threatened by the supporters of Chelsea, and he retired because he was in fear. This is serious.
I see a lot of fouls on Messi, and he's not the type to overreact.
We have to remember, Mourinho worked at Barcelona. He has good memories of Barcelona. The club did well when he was here.
With every coach you work with, you learn something. Then, at the end of your career, when you become a trainer, you take something from every coach that you think is useful for you.
There are coaches with habits you don't like, and you tell yourself, 'I don't want to be like that.' But there's no one way to success.
The Dutch public always wants to see a team that is trying to be dominant, trying to play attractive football, and after that, hopefully, a team that is winning.
The differences between the top teams in Euro 2000 are so minimal that I think you have to be very clever in defence and stop your opponents getting opportunities.
In the end, every coach wants the same - that's to win.
Mourinho is very intelligent; he knows what he's doing. He has the right to act like he wants to act, and he's very successful with it, so who am I to criticise him?
We can be confident about our qualities, but the qualities need something to come out.
You always need to have the highest respect for your opponents. If you see them fighting, you know you have to give something extra.
I have a great deal of respect for Sir Alex Ferguson. He has done a great job. Without any doubt, he is one of the best and most influential around. He is the embodiment of football.
I try to stay in the moment.
When it's a clash between two big teams, you know your players will concentrate.
How can you judge a man until you come face to face?
My aim is to get the team to work hard and stay strong together.
There is a part of football I would describe as 'serious' and one part I would describe as more 'playful,' i.e. more technical.
I am completely uninterested in playing beautiful football if the team doesn't win.
I made Edgar Davids vice-captain. Nothing to do with colour, just because he was playing excellently and because he lives like an athlete.
After your career, you go to matches, and you see so many unnecessary goals because a person is just looking where the ball is and not his opponent. Well, a ball alone has never scored a goal.
As a young centre-back at Ajax, I played with Wim Jansen, and of course you learn a huge amount. I made some mistakes, because we Dutchmen want to solve situations by playing football. So we look at the ball, try to judge where it will come.
One thing was crystal clear to me: if you're centre-back, you first of all have to perform your task.
Losing against rivals is always a blow to the morale.
When a parent has two children, it is difficult to pick one favourite.
It would not be honest if I did a review, because I've worked with Leo Messi, whom I consider the best player I've seen. I cannot comment or compare with Cristiano Ronaldo because I have not worked with him. That is not to say that I do not have as much respect for Cristiano as a footballer.
Players are sometimes sad, sometimes happy during their sporting career.
Most of the clubs who have had success against Barcelona have relied on a highly organised and disciplined defence.
He's an incredible person. Messi is not simply a uniquely talented footballer. He's also strong mentally, very bright, and exceptionally dedicated to his job. Personally speaking, I enjoy watching him play, and I'm deeply proud of him and what he has achieved. Quite simply, he's the best.
If you want to come out of a sad moment, you have to work really hard.
He was always brilliant, but when Pep Guardiola started to use him as a 'false' No. 9, he got even better. It's impossible to be more of a footballer than Messi.
I have no desire to be 60 years old and standing on the side of the pitch.
I'm grateful for everything I have achieved in football, but now I'd rather do other things, go and watch games and enjoy discussing them afterwards.
As a player, you are more concerned with the moments when you have possession of the ball or are about to receive the ball. You are watching your team-mates and trying to decide what the possibilities are.
When you are a coach, you are watching how the team is positioning itself on the field - if your team is in possession of the ball, you are already anticipating what could happen if you lose the ball.
I understand very well that if you are a national coach, you want to use all the opportunities that you have to meet up with your team.
The evolution of football has seen a reduction in the space between the teams. It is therefore important for the modern footballer to react and be quicker than in the past, because there is more happening in the restricted space.
Being a manager is kneading people.
Ronaldinho is very happy at Barcelona.
It is always a shame when players are injured.
Pavarotti is not judged on how he sings in the shower. People wait until he gets on stage.