Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Barcelona chief executive Joan Oliver claims that the board of directors of FC Barcelona has unanimously decided during today's board meeting to nominate former Barcelona player and manager Johan Cruyff as honorary president of the club:"At the proposal of the president the decision has been approved that Johan Cruyff is from now on the honorary president, a position that also other clubs have.
The Board considered that Cruyff meets all the requirements as player, coach and person who has inspired or founded a model and a way to understand the club that has led us to the successes of the last years. He is the father of the successes of 2009. Guardiola, Alexanko or Txiki, who are now part of the club, are sporting sons of Johan and this is a form of recognition.
This is a honorific post that is included in Article 16 of the club statutes. It is a reinforcement of him at the institutional level but it does not affect the daily life of the club. Cruyff knew about the decision because everyone who knows the club knows that if you don't talk to him before you decide something like this, you're comitting suicide."
Article 16 of the statutes of FC Barcelona, entitled 'Meritorious and Honorary Members and Protector Members', reads as follows: "The Board may distinguish those individuals and legal persons who deserve it with the nomination as meritorious or honorary members, in recognition of their dedication or importance to the Club [...]."
Johan Cruijff played for Barcelona from 1973 to 1978. In his first season he helped the club win the first league title since 1960. As a player he also won the Spanish cup in 1978. In 1988, Cruijff returned to Barcelona as manager.
As the coach of the so called "Dream Team", he won four consecutive league titles between 1991 and 1994, the club's first Champions League in 1992, one Spanish cup in 1990, one European cup winner's cup in 1989 and two European super cups in 1989 and 1992. Cruijff left Barcelona in 1996.
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