SNS GroupFormer Celtic manager Wim Jansen has died aged 75 following a battle with dementia.
His former club Feyenoord announced the news on Tuesday.
Jansen was the Celtic boss when they won the league and stopped Rangers winning ten in a row in the 1997/98 season.
The former Dutch international played against the Hoops in the European Cup Final of 1970 when he played for eventual winners Feyenoord.
He also turned out for the Netherlands against Scotland in the famous 3-2 World Cup win in Argentina 78.
During his playing career he won the European Cup and played in two World Cup finals, losing to West Germany in 1974 and Argentina in 1978.
He only spent one year in Glasgow but will be forever remembered by the supporters as the man who stopped their biggest rivals beating Celtic’s long-held record of nine league titles in a row, a record that still stands to this day despite being equalled twice.
In a statement released on the club’s website, Celtic said the Dutchman “set the wheels in motion” for continued success in the year’s ahead, with the Hoops winning 15 of the following 22 league titles.
It said: “Everyone at Celtic Park was saddened to hear of the sad passing of former manager Wim Jansen this morning at the age of 75.
“Wim, of course, will forever be remembered as the manager who arrived to stop the 10 in season 1997/98 by lifting the championship on the never-to-be-forgotten day of May 9, 1998.
“Also forever remembered as the man who delivered Henrik Larsson to the club, it should also be remembered that Wim rebuilt the team that term with other signings such as Harald Brattbakk, Paul Lambert, Marc Rieper, Craig Burley and Jonathan Gould among others, not only stopping the 10, but setting the wheels in motion for continued success at the advent of the following decade.”
All at Celtic Park offer their most sincere thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Wim Jansen at this sad time.
The Tweet from Feyenoord said: “A wonderful person and great Feyenoord player is no more.
“Wim Jansen, rest in peace…”
A statement from the Dutch club said: “Feyenoord has learned with great sadness of the death of Wim Jansen, one of the greatest footballers who has ever played for the club. He died on Tuesday at the age of 75.
“In the biography ‘Meesterbrein’ by Wim Jansen, which was published in October last year, it became clear that he suffered from dementia. Although the intense grief obviously prevails, Jansen’s family is at the same time relieved that he has been spared a long ordeal. The family likes that their Wim has been able to keep control in their own hands until the last moment, as they have let the club know.
“Feyenoord loses with Wim Jansen an icon and child of the club. Already at the age of ten he became a member of Feijenoord, and then played in the first team for no less than fifteen 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 bond,” he said in his biography.”
Simon Donnelly, who played under Jansen in the east end of Glasgow, is among a host of former players paying tribute.
He tweeted: “Sad, sad news, Wim Jansen.”
And Craig Burley, who played a key-role in Jansen’s title-winning side, said it was a “very sad day”.
The former Scotland midfielder said: “It was a privilege to play with you boss with this group of players at this club. A most magnificent time that can never be taken away from the memories.”
Chris Sutton and John Hartson, who signed for the Hoops after Jansen left, also paid their respects to the “Celtic legend” on Twitter.
Sutton wrote “Really sad news about Wim Jansen… Wim will always be a Celtic legend.”
Former league rivals Rangers also paid tribute to Jansen with a post on social media.
It said: “Rangers Football Club are today saddened to hear of the passing of former Celtic manager, Wim Jansen.
“Everyone at Rangers sends their condolences to the family and friends of Wim Jansen.”
And Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who worked under Jansen as a youngster at Feyenoord, said: “Very sad news on Wim Jansen. I know the family for many years and I am thinking of them.
“He was the coach when I was a youth player to let me train with the first-team, he really helped me in my development.”
Jansen took over from Tommy Burns at Celtic Park in 1997 and was replaced by Josef Venglos after stepping down from the role 12-months later.
During that year he won the Premier Division title, Celtic’s only league title out of 12 between 1989 and 2000, and the League Cup.
He will also be remembered by supporters as the man who signed fans’ favourite and club legend Henrik Larsson, who he brought to Glasgow from Feyenoord for £650,000.
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