My Turn: The Autobiography

By: Johan Cruyff

Narrated by: William Brand

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

Johan Cruyff is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history. Throughout his playing career, he was synonymous with Total Football, a style of play in which every player could play in any position on the pitch. Today his philosophy lives on in teams across Europe, from Barcelona to Bayern Munich, and players from Lionel Messi to Cesc Fabrecas.

My Turn tells the story of Cruyff's life starting at Ajax, where he won eight national titles and three European Cups before moving to Barcelona, where he won La Liga in 1973, his first season, and was named European Footballer of the Year. He won the Ballon d'Or three times and led the Dutch national team to the final of the 1974 World Cup, famously losing to West Germany and receiving the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament.

While on the field Cruyff was in total control, off the field his life was more turbulent, with a kidnapping attempt and bankruptcy. After retiring in 1984, he became a hugely successful manager of Ajax and then Barcelona, where he won the Champions league with a young Pep Guardiola in his team. In 1999 Cruyff was voted European Player of the Century and came second behind Pelé in the World Player of the Century poll.

In March 2016 Cruyff died after a short battle with lung cancer, bringing world football to a standstill in an outpouring of emotions. Johan Cruyff was a brilliant teacher and analyst of the game he loved, and My Turn is his legacy.

©2016 Johan Cruyff (P)2016 Macmillan Digital Audio

Cruyff addresses his critics

This is not a bad book. I know that 3 stars can mean the death of a book here, but I don't regret listening to it. But this is because I'm an avid football and Barca fan and enjoyed learning about how things came about in the things that I love. If you're not predisposed to Ajax, Barca, or the concept of total football, I would not recommend.

Mostly this is because 50% of the book seems as though Cruyff has saved every piece of reportage that criticized him in his career and now goes through one by one and counters what they had to say. He is constantly addressing his critics and criticisms made of him long ago. Cruyff is a legend regardless of your opinion of him. One of the games greatest and one of those who had the most influence. I thought he could have told his side without being defensive.

A Powerful Story

It's a well told story by the man himself and the narrator. As Cruyff states, he doesn't get into his match exploits because plenty has been written on that already. What Cruyff does write about is a lot more substantial in terms of learning about who he was as a human being, which is the reason one buys an autobiography. There are also a lot of excellent insights on the game from both the technical and business sides. RIP Johan Cruyff.

Cruyff R.I.P

if you are a football fan, you will love this. The father of modern football. This book was inspirational and honest.

If you love football you will love this

Great insight into the deeper thoughts of one of the greatest players, coaches and creators, The Rembrandt of football.

Great autobiography by Johan Cruyff

"My Turn: The Autobiography" was wonderful and informative. I highly recommend it for any football connoisseur

Johan Cruyff a pure genius.

Johan Cruyff a pure genius. A teacher for generations to come. Not only for having achieved so much in football but also for what he was as a man.

Great nuggets of knowledge

There is a lot of great strategy for new and old coaches. As a person that did not grow up on Ajax, I gained an appreciation for them.

More about club politics than football

I wish Johan had gone out of his comfort zone and shared his experience on the pitch and on the bench with his millions of admirers. More details about great games, tactics and strategies. He spent too much time giving his take on the dysfunctional dynamics of the clubs. Still, I am happy he was able to write about his life.

Not enough stories from his playing days

My favorite player when I was a kid.
So, big expectations.
Unfortunately the focus was too much on his later years, after playing.
Learned why he was not on team Netherlands in -78. I thought the reason was political, not so.

Footballers must read!!!

What a genius man Cruyff was!!! If you love football you will love this book.

Really enjoying listen

It really was a fantastic listen, really great insight into one of the great footballing minds.

A must for those interest in football history, Ajax and Barcelona

An excellent book and it works well as an audio version. His thoughts on how best to develop technique in young players are well worth taking seriously as he is analysing how he and the astonishing group of players he played with at Ajax developed not just the ‘Total Football’ system, but the technical and tactical understanding they developed while they were youth players that made their total football work

No Complaints

Nice insight in to Johan's thoughts and life. There was a lot of club politics in the book but it was necessary, so I don't think the complaints of others are warranted. The narrator was slightly hard to listen to for the first couple of minutes, but after that, I had no issues with the narration at all, I guess I got used to the guy's speech. The narrator really wasn't bad in my opinion. Johan's my favourite football personality ever, it's a shame this book wasn't longer.

Poor narration, good book.

The book of a legend, spoiled somewhat by the narrator. His ludicrous, laboured pronunciation of names was off putting, highlighted by his pompous pronunciation of Cyrille Regis' name. It was truly laughable. Think he let his ego run away with itself. Otherwise, an interesting listen, the tactical insights were good and clearly Cruyff used the latter stages of his book to have a pop at the men in suits ruining the game. Good on him.

good book for football.lovers

worth a listen...great person with a straight forward attitude.Good football knowledge usefull.for any youngster.Atleast we get to know ehy cruff dint play in 1978 world cup

poor. I was expecting more.

includes shocking nonsense. the ridiculous section about Wimbledon moving to Ireland is simply embarrassing. ghostwritten drivel

Ajax Legend

Interesting listen. Narrator an acquired taste. Pronouncation of Dutch personal especially . Author very sure of his own abilities and failings.Would recomend

Masterpiece!

If you like sports and specifically football this is a must read/listen. This book has inspired the best coaches and Pep! to achieve all of their achievements. Thank you Johan, we will always be grateful for your ideas and advice!

Strange Narrator

I really enjoyed the book but for some reason when the narrator says any names of people and sometimes places and football teams, he suddenly talks louder and slower, like it is google translate reading it out. Very odd and off-putting. But that aside, I really enjoyed the actual book!

Average at best

Didn't enjoy this book, narration was awful and the story was essentially the same theme from start to finish, a footballer confronting the board relentlessly. Pity, was expecting more