Guus Hiddink was a teammate of Willy van der Kuijlen at PSV in the 1970s. They later met at the club in various staff roles. When Hiddink returned as head coach in 2002, Van der Kuijlen became a scout and match analyst. In 2016, he told PSV about his bond with Mister PSV.
Competitors
"When I think of the football player Van der Kuijlen," says Hiddink, "I see someone who looked as if it was all very easy for him. Willy was sometimes criticized for that. People are quick to think that these players don't care or that they are not that passionate about football. Then the word 'lazy' is easily heard. De Kuijl also suffered from this. Whereas a natural and unforced attitude is often a characteristic of great quality."
"Willy and I were competitors in a way. I joined PSV in 1970 and he already had a big name. In midfield it was fighting for your spot. PSV also had Gerrit van Tilburg, Jacques van Stippent and Wietze Veenstra under contract. I ran into a wall. Because I couldn't live up to what I wanted in my dreams. When you are young, you like to point to others, but basically it often comes down to yourself. The competition was very strong and Willy was super, a phenomenon. Technically very good, plus scoring a lot and easily. A class apart. In the process we were not complementary. We both couldn't defend, for example."
Football Insight
"When I became Head Coach in 1987, Willy was working at PSV youth. He got the chance to become assistant coach under Jan Reker at Roda JC and did so. Upon my return in 2002, I brought him into the first because of his tremendous football insight. Willy was a kind of filter for me when looking at new players and analyzing opponents. He could clarify a football situation or fathom the quality of a player with three comments. Willy didn't need five A4 sheets for that. Those three comments from De Kuijl were enough for me to go ahead with a particular scouting project or not."
"As a scout, Willy was someone who recognizes not only the qualities of a football player, but also his potential. That is the most difficult thing: to estimate how that player can perform in your team or how he can develop in a few years. Willy had that feeling. He didn't even need words to convey that. Often, you can already tell by the facial expressions or charisma of real football people how they judge these things."
Craft
"Willy was a true craftsman. There aren't that many of those. You have plenty of craftsmen in every industry, but people who are artisans are just a little more special. They have a nose and an intuition for what it takes to achieve something beautiful or a certain result. Willy already had that as a football player."
"When I was Head Coach, PSV wanted to cut back on scouting so Willy actually had to leave. At such times the other side of him came out. Willy was loyal, but if he smelled injustice or was not appreciated he could be recalcitrant. At such moments something bubbled up inside and his legs - like a donkey's - went stretched into the ground."
Always
"In the end, Willy was retained for PSV. The club found it an objection at the time that he didn't like going abroad on his own. I got excited about that and said: 'Willy will stay with the club until he is 65 or, if necessary, until he is 70. Mister PSV will decide for himself when he no longer wants or needs something.' He then got a private driver with Klaas van Baalen, with whom he started scouting. With that, they did valuable work for PSV for years."
"Every club needs people like Willy. You have to have people the common people can identify with. When I became coach of Real Madrid I was offered lunch with Alfredo Di Stefano. When you joined Manchester United, they carried Bobby Charlton to his seat, so to speak. Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly return to Liverpool at some point in the future. In whatever position. Willy came under the same heading. He is with thick, gold-curled letters Mister PSV. Forever."
Photos in this article are from Matty Verkamman