Manager 1997 - 1998

Wim Jansen (born October 28, 1946, Rotterdam) is a former Dutch football player and manager.

On July 3rd 1997, Wim Jansen was Celtic's first manager from the continent, although he did not enjoy that title, but rather that of Head Coach, in a new structure which saw Jock Brown being given the newly created post of General Manager of the Football Department. A Dutchman, Jansen had enjoyed an illustrious career as a player (principally with Feyenoord, with whom he won a European Cup winner's medal in 1970 against Celtic). He was a member of the two Dutch World Cup sides of 1974 and 1978 and had played in two World Cup finals, before going on to manage Feyenoord, with whom he won the Dutch league championship. Later he coached in Saudi Arabia and Japan.

He was appointed to the job with Celtic in early July 1997, two months after the departure of Tommy Burns. The announcement was greeted with widespread surprise and some uncertainty about his credentials. It appears that he had some misgivings about coming to the club and took the precaution of ensuring there was an escape clause in his contract which would allow him to leave after one year. After managing the club for one full season, during which he led Celtic to their first league title for ten years--thus preventing Rangers from surpassing Celtic's record of nine consecutive titles--and their first League Cup for 15 years, Jansen announced his resignation on 11 May 1998, less than 48 hours after the title was secured with a 2-0 home win over St Johnstone, citing irreconcilable differences with both Jock Brown and chairman Fergus McCann

He will be mostly remembered for "Stopping the 10", and signing Henrik Larsson.

Wim Jansen

Articles

• Wim Jansen quits Celtic (BBC)

Pictures

• Picture Gallery

Quotes

We must be the only team in the world that wins the double and then loses the manager almost the next day.
Paul Lambert on the day of Wim Jansen's resignation

I had a problem early on at the Darren Jackson signing. He told the press that I saw videos of Jackson, but I never saw them.
Wim Jansen on Jock Brown 1998

They keep bringing up the fact that I didn't go to watch Harald Brattbakk. Well, I didn't see Jonathan Gould, Craig Burley, Marc Rieper or Stephane Mahe and there was no problem for me.
Wim Jansen - May 1998

I couldn't understand his behaviour over Brattbakk. He told us when he came here that he didn't trust videos. But the first excuse for not going to see him (Brattbakk) was that he was going to see Manchester United against Feyenoord, which I believe was a social event. I said I could fix him up to go to Trondheim for the next Champions League fixture in which Brattbakk would be involved. He said he didn't want to miss training. We could have hired him a private jet to take him over at three o'clock and straight back so that no training would be missed but he would not go.
Jock Brown on Wim Jansen - May 1998

The club didn't even make a phone call to ask (if Borussia Dortmund's Karlheinz Reidle was available). Two weeks later he signed for Liverpool.
Wim Hansen on being thwarted regarding signings - May 1998

I found out his age. I ascertained what salary he would require. I found out what transfer fee would be involved. I found out all the figures required. I then said to Wim, "Let's go and look at this guy and see what you think, see if he's still got it." Wim wasn't interested in anything like that, he just wanted Riedle signed.
Jock Brown's response - May 1998

There is no-one in football I have ever found it more difficult to work with.
Wim Jansen on Jock Brown - May 1998

He has no right whatsoever to form a view of me except from the direct dealings we have had. He never ever wanted to find out anything about me and has no right to have an opinion on what I am like and what I do.
Jock Brown's response - May 1998

Sometimes I had to fight more against my own people than against my opponents.
Wim Jansen - June 1998

He was quite a nice guy actually for whom it just didn't work out.
Fergus McCann on Wim Jansen - June 1998

Achievments

* Wim Jansen stopped 10 in a row and brought the league trophy to Celtic Park in hist first season.
* He won the Coca Cola Cup.
* He brought Henrik Larsson to Celtic.
* Most of his other signings were also excellent - Craig Burley, Stephane Mahe, Marc Rieper, Paul Lambert, Jonathan Gould.
* Celtic's 2-0 win over Rangers in the Neer'day game.
* Celtic were awesome against Liverpool over the 2 legs in the UEFA Cup and were robbed of a play in the next round.
* Celtic played attractive football under Jansen.