'An enormous loss to football'

'The guru'
Andy Roxburgh, UEFA's technical director, led the tributes to the man who won the European Champion Clubs' Cup with AFC Ajax and the UEFA European Championship with the Netherlands. "We called Rinus 'the guru'," Roxburgh said. "It was an affectionate term we had. Few coaches could match his achievements. He invented 'total football', one of the most advanced tactical methods we've ever seen."

Sadly missed
Describing the Dutchman as "a master of his art", he added: "Rinus was wonderful as a friend, as a person and as a most incredible football mind. He will really be sadly missed by the Dutch FA and by us at UEFA, because he was a leader.

Sense of humour
"His career as a coach was phenomenal. He was vice-chairman of our technical committee, and at the moment he was adviser on our technical committee. The speeches I've given over the last ten years are littered with quotes from him. His public persona was strong and tough, and he had to be to manage a team of superstars, but privately he had a fantastic sense of humour."

Flags at half-mast
Henk Kesler, the Royal Netherlands Football Association's (KNVB) manager of professional football, added: "Dutch football has lost an outstanding personality. He was one of the best ever Dutch coaches. We are very sad to lose him. In Zeist [at the KNVB headquarters], the flags will fly at half-mast to salute him."

Cruyff tribute
Johan Cruyff, perhaps the greatest-ever Dutch footballer, who played under Michels with both Ajax and the national team, said: "I always greatly admired his leadership. Both as a player and as a coach there is nobody who taught me as much as him. He was a sportsman who put the Netherlands on the map in such a way that almost everybody still benefits from it."

Ajax mourning
Ajax general manager Arie van Eijden spoke for the Amsterdam club, saying: "I am shocked by the passing away of Rinus Michels. He was the face of this club and of the Dutch national team. A great Ajax man has fallen and that makes us sad."

Natural leader
Former international defender Ronald Koeman was part of Michels's team that lifted the trophy at EURO '88 and until last week was coach at Ajax. "Rinus was a coach with natural leadership that we players respected," he said. "He was a man of few words, although he became a bit more open with time. These days a coach always has to explain himself, but for him that was not necessary. He stood above the group. I have learned a lot from him."

Inspirational figure
Ruud Gullit, captain of that 1988 side, said: "The death of Rinus Michels is not just a great personal loss to me, but I also consider it a great loss to Dutch society and the international football family. Rinus Michels was an inspirational figure, who was of the utmost importance to both my personal career and Dutch football as a whole."

Attacking football
The Feyenoord coach added: "He was a charismatic visionary, with a love for attacking and dominant football, the kind of play that has made Dutch football well-loved all around the world. It was an honour to be the captain of the Dutch team that won the European Championship. I will always consider Mr Michels an example. He will be dearly missed."

Perfect blend
Meanwhile, current Netherlands coach Marco van Basten, who like Gullit scored in the 1988 final, described Michels's passing as an "enormous loss". He said: "He knew exactly how to motivate a group of players - he was a master at lifting the tension in the dressing room, especially with his special sense of humour. At certain moments he could be very hard in making his decisions, but at other times he showed his warmer side."