Jorge Luis Pinto learned from Dutch
5 July 2014 5:44 AM IST
Rio de Janeiro: At this point in the World Cup, the Dutch know plenty about Costa Rica, once one of the surprise packages of the tournament. What they may not have heard is that Costa Rica’s Jorge Luis Pinto learned his coaching from the Dutchman who invented ‘total football.’ Pinto studied at the University of Cologne early in the 1980s.
‘In those years I spent my time watching him training and talking to him. When I didn’t have classes, I went to see the club practice. I saw many things and learned a lot,’ he said. Bryan Ruiz too had a successful spell with Dutch side FC Twente before joining Fulham and now plays at PSV Eindhoven alongside likely Netherlands starter Georginio Wijnaldum and super-sub Memphis Depay. ‘I haven’t had any contact with Memphis or Georginio. Of course, the day of the match, we will greet each other, chat a bit and then get focused,’ he said.
‘In those years I spent my time watching him training and talking to him. When I didn’t have classes, I went to see the club practice. I saw many things and learned a lot,’ he said. Bryan Ruiz too had a successful spell with Dutch side FC Twente before joining Fulham and now plays at PSV Eindhoven alongside likely Netherlands starter Georginio Wijnaldum and super-sub Memphis Depay. ‘I haven’t had any contact with Memphis or Georginio. Of course, the day of the match, we will greet each other, chat a bit and then get focused,’ he said.
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