Former Celtic manager Wim Jansen has passed away aged 75 after suffering from dementia.
Jansen's death was confirmed by his former club Feyenoord on Tuesday, who said they had lost "an icon and child of the club" and described him as "one of the greatest football players who has ever played for the club".
Jansen spent one season at Celtic between 1997-1998 and helped the club win a league and cup double, in the process stopping Rangers winning 10 league titles in a row.
He will also be remembered as the manager who signed Henrik Larsson, from former club Feyenoord.
Jansen confirmed in October last year that he had been living with dementia before his 75th birthday.
FEYENOORD STATEMENT
Feyenoord has learned with great sadness of the death of Wim Jansen, one of the greatest football players who has ever played for the club. He died Tuesday at the age of 75.
In Wim Jansen's biography 'Mastermind', which was published in October last year, it became clear that he was suffering from dementia. Although the intense sadness of course predominates, Jansen's family is at the same time relieved that he has been spared a long agony. The family is pleased that their Wim has been able to keep control until the last moment, they have informed the club.
Feyenoord loses an icon and child of the club with Wim Jansen. He became a member of Feyenoord at the age of ten, after which he played in the first team for no less than 15 years and won many prizes. Even after his playing career, Jansen remained loyal to the club and was, among other things, assistant and head coach, technical director and advisor. 'I left Feyenoord a few times, but always came back. You could call it a blood tie," he said in his biography.
In his time as a player, Jansen was part of the most successful Feyenoord teams ever. The midfielder was a permanent fixture in the team that in 1970 was the first Dutch club to win the European Cup I and the World Cup. Four years later, Jansen also lifted the UEFA Cup as captain. Three national titles and a KNVB Cup complete the impressive honours list of his period as a player in De Kuip.
Jansen played 476 official games for Feyenoord, scoring 39 times. Not only in red and white he belonged to the top, he was also allowed to compete with the best in Orange. Already at the age of 20, Jansen made his debut in the Dutch national team, with which he reached the World Cup final in both 1974 and 1978. The midfielder eventually came to 65 international matches.
The name of Jansen is also inextricably linked to the resurrection of Feyenoord in the early 1990s. After a long period of adversity, Jansen led the club as a trainer to 'the turnaround'. The historic 1-0 win over PSV in the semi-finals and the eventual cup win in 1991 proved to be the prelude to better times and more sporting success, including the national title in 1993.
Over the past ten years, Jansen has mainly been a familiar face at Varkenoord. As an advisor to the youth trainers, preferably in the background and far away from the spotlight. That role suited him the most, he said in the summer of 2011. 'Educating youth is my great passion and I will never get rid of Feyenoord.'
With that last statement, Jansen underlined the close bond he built up with Feyenoord throughout his life. He beautifully expressed how much the club meant to him at the beginning of 2017. 'I have been a member of Feyenoord for over 60 years. Essentially this club has ruled my life. First as a youth player, then as a football player, later as a trainer, technical director and now at the youth academy. Feyenoord is my life.'