Danny Blind

Danny Blind
Personal information
Full name Dirk Franciscus Blind
Date of birth 1 August 1961 (1961-08-01) (age 50)
Place of birth Oost-Souburg, Netherlands
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)[1]
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club AFC Ajax (assistant-trainer)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1979–1986 Sparta Rotterdam 165 (18)
1986–1999 AFC Ajax 372 (27)
Total 537 (45)
National team
1986–1996 Netherlands 42 (1)
Teams managed
2005–2006 AFC Ajax
2007–2008 Sparta Rotterdam (Director of Football)
2008– AFC Ajax (assistant-trainer)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Dirk Franciscus "Danny" Blind (born 1 August 1961) is a football coach and former Dutch international player. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team.

Blind was born in Oost-Souburg, Netherlands. He is the only Dutch player to have won all international club competitions recognised by UEFA and FIFA .[2]

Contents

Playing career

Blind made his professional football debut on 29 August 1979 with Sparta. He would stay under contract with Sparta for seven seasons. In July 1986 he transferred to Ajax, attracted there by the then manager Johan Cruijff. However, Blind's signing was much to the chagrin of then Ajax superstar Marco van Basten, who was upset that his manager had brought in a relatively unknown, defensive player from a fairly small cub like Sparta, instead of splashing out on a big-money, big-name transfer.[3] With Ajax he amassed an amazing trophy list. Winning all three European trophies (UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1987, the UEFA Cup in 1992 and the UEFA Champions League in 1995). He secured the Intercontinental Cup, in 1995 against Brazil's Grêmio, by scoring the winning penalty in the penalty shoot-out. He would again be a penalty hero when he converted twice against Real Zaragoza in the European Super Cup Final of 1995, which Ajax won 4 – 1 over the two legs. The two penalties that Blind converted where in the 65th and 69th minutes of the second leg effectively putting the title out of reach for Real Zaragoza. Domestically, with Ajax, he won five Dutch Eredivisie Championships and four national cups. He retired on 16 May 1999. Blind was known for being a solid, dependable defender and a leader on the field. However, he was also a technically-gifted and cultured player who could pass and strike the ball well for a non-attacking player. Whilst famous for being a centre back, Blind started his career as a left full-back.

Management career

Blind was head coach at Ajax from 14 March 2005 (appointed as successor to Ronald Koeman) until 10 May 2006, after only 422 days in charge. He led Ajax to victory in the Gatorade Cup and the Johan Cruyff Shield.

In 2007–08, he became football director at his old club, Sparta. On May 15, 2008 he returned to Ajax, to become the new football director in Amsterdam but switched roles when Martin Jol joined the club to assistant-trainer.

Personal life

Blind is the father of professional footballer Daley Blind, who is currently contracted to the same club that Danny made his name at, AFC Ajax. Unlike his father, Daley rose through Ajax's youth ranks and, other than loan signings, has so far only played for the Amsterdam club.

In December 2006 Blind crashed his car into a parked vehicle, injuring a 48-year old woman. A two-year-old child in her car remained uninjured. Blind had three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.[4]

His son, Daley, has followed in his footsteps and plays as a defender for Ajax,.[5]

Career statistics

[6] [7]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Netherlands League KNVB Cup League Cup Europe Total
1979–80 Sparta Rotterdam Eredivisie 13 0
1980–81 10 0
1981–82 10 2
1982–83 34 3
1983–84 34 5
1984–85 30 3
1985–86 34 5
1986–87 Ajax 29 4
1987–88 31 0
1988–89 30 2
1989–90 34 0
1990–91 34 2
1991–92 30 2
1992–93 28 4
1993–94 30 1
1994–95 34 5
1995–96 31 3
1996–97 16 0
1997–98 26 1
1998–99 19 3
Total Netherlands 537 45
Career total 537 45

Honours

AFC Ajax

As player
As manager

See also

References

  1. ^ "Biography for Danny Blind". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2296579/bio. 
  2. ^ UEFA competition records
  3. ^ http://netherlands.worldcupblog.org/dutch-eredivisie/danny-blind-returns-to-ajax.html
  4. ^ Danny Blind betrokken bij aanrijding, rtl.nl
  5. ^ "Ajax sign Daly Blind". Ajax.nl. 29 March 2007. http://english.ajax.nl/web/show/id=154814/contentid=62320. Retrieved 11 December 2008. 
  6. ^ Danny Blind
  7. ^ http://www.world-soccer.org/p-21017.htm

External links

Awards
Preceded by
Ed de Goey		 Dutch Golden Shoe Winner
1995–1996		 Succeeded by
Jaap Stam
AFC Ajax – managers