HENRIK LARSSON has been paying tribute to Wim Jansen, the man who brought him to Celtic back in the 90s after it was confirmed the Dutchman has been diagnosed with dementia.
Wim and Henrik came into the club back in 1997 and in one season managed to top the Ibrox juggernaut so they did NOT break Celtic’s nine in a row record.
Together, it was magic. Some things are just meant to be and Wim coming into the club then bringing Henrik from Feyenoord was fate.
However, Larsson told RecordSport Wim’s association with him nearly never happened. Back in 1993, Jansen was scouting another Helsingborgs striker when he came across Henrik.
 “As a player you have some matches where everything you touch is good. I had a game like that in 1993 when I played for Helsingborgs in a derby against Trelleborgs.
“That was my lucky day, because Wim Jansen was in the stands. I was up front with Mats Magnusson. He was an experienced striker of 29, had played for Benfica for years and scored a lot.
“I was just 22 and only recently played at the highest level in Sweden. We clicked. That day I scored two or three goals.
“Wim was actually there to watch Mats Lilienberg, Trelleborg’s striker. But he saw how I moved, both with and without the ball. And that is why he brought me to Feyenoord instead of Lilienberg.”
Speaking about what went into stopping ten in a row, the Celtic legend admitted it was chaotic at times.
“The preparation for that season was chaotic. Wim only had 13 or 14 players when he started.
“The guys had never experienced a trainer like Wim before. He was always so calm and you could speak to him about anything. Everyone wants to work hard for a man like that.
“But we had so many new players that it took time. And you hardly ever get time in football. I could feel the pressure from the start. Every day.
“Rangers were going for a tenth successive title and we knew that couldn’t happen. Every Celtic fan who spoke to me told me how important that was. So you knew, if you don’t stop Rangers this year, it’s over.
“In that respect, it was an advantage there were so many new players. They had no affinity with the Old Firm yet. The rivalry with Rangers was less deep.
“As a result, they were better able to handle the stress. Because if you had known then what you know now, that team wouldn’t have made it. And then we can count ourselves lucky that there was no social media at that time.”
Paying tribute to Wim, Henrik just simply doesn’t know how his career would’ve panned out without the Dutchman’s influence.
He said: “Without him I don’t know how my career would have progressed. It was no fun that our time together ended early after that season, for the second time.
“I knew the press would start asking questions, because I was seen as Wim’s boy. We had a good relationship and lived in the same neighbourhood.
“My wife Magdalena got on well with his wife Cobie. Our son Jordan had just been born when we came to Scotland and Cobie would babysit for us sometimes.
“It’s an art to properly convey what you want from players. Wim was a master at that. He peels off the layers. He gets to know you, layer by layer.
“At a certain point he knows how you are and what you are thinking. Then he comes up with something that makes it so easy for you that you don’t have to think about it anymore.
“You need a lot of people knowledge for that. And that characterises the really great trainers.”
Celtic sent their support to Wim Jansen on Monday through their social media channels.
Dementia is a horrible disease that has affected so many former footballers.
The link between dementia and football has to be studied further and players from back in the day and their families should have support from football authorities.
We wish Wim and his family all the best. The manager brought us our first title in ten years and Henrik Larsson – we are eternally grateful!
