Danny Blind

Danny Blind

Personal information
Full name	Dirk Franciscus Blind
Date of birth	(1961-08-01) 1 August 1961
Place of birth	Oost-Souburg, Netherlands
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Netherlands (head coach)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1979–1986	Sparta Rotterdam	165	(18)
1986–1999	Ajax	372	(27)
Total		537	(45)
International career
1986–1996	Netherlands	42	(1)
Managerial career
2005–2006	Ajax
2009–2011	Ajax (assistant coach)
2012–2015	Netherlands (assistant coach)
2015–	Netherlands
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Dirk Franciscus "Danny" Blind (Dutch pronunciation: [dɪrk frɑnˈsɪskəz ˈdɛni blɪnt]; born 1 August 1961) is a former Dutch international football player and current coach. He played as a defender for Sparta Rotterdam, AFC Ajax and the Dutch national team. He currently works as head coach of the Netherlands national team, succeeding Guus Hiddink on 1 August 2015, after Hiddink's contract was terminated.

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.

Playing career

Club career

Blind made his professional football debut on 29 August 1979 with Sparta. He stayed under contract with Sparta for seven seasons. In July 1986 he transferred to Ajax, attracted there by manager Johan Cruijff. However, Blind's signing was much to the chagrin of Ajax superstar Marco van Basten, who was upset that his manager had brought in a relatively unknown, defensive player from a fairly small club like Sparta, instead of splashing out on a big-money, big-name transfer. 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 was again a penalty hero when he converted twice against Real Zaragoza in the European Super Cup Final of 1995, which Ajax won 5–1 over the two legs. The two penalties Blind converted were in the 65th and 69th minutes of the second leg.

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 right full-back.

International career

Blind gained 42 caps for the Netherlands over a 10 year period, scoring once against Greece in a UEFA Euro 1992 qualifier. He made his debut in 1986 against Scotland but was not capped at all in 1987 or 1988, an absence which meant he missed being a part of the triumphant UEFA Euro 1988 side. He did however appear at the 1990 and 1994 World Cups and the 1992 and 1996 European Championships, after the latter of which he retired.

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 15 May 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. Moving to the position of technical director for Ajax at the beginning of the 2011–12 season, on 9 February 2012, it was announced that Blind would retire from his duties as Technical Director at Ajax, concluding a heated dispute surrounding the club's board of directors.

On 1 July 2015, he was named Guus Hiddink successor as a coach of the Netherlands national team.

Personal life

Blind is the father of professional footballer Daley Blind, who plays for Manchester United.

Career statistics

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					6	0
1983–84			34	5
1984–85			30	3
1985–86			34	5					4	0
1986–87	Ajax		29	4	5	0			7	0	41	4
1987–88			31	0	1	0			8	1	40	1
1988–89			30	2	3	0					33	2
1989–90			34	0	4	0					38	0
1990–91			34	2	3	0					37	2
1991–92			30	2	3	1			12	1	45	4
1992–93			28	4	5	0			8	0	41	4
1993–94			30	1	4	3			6	0	40	4
1994–95			34	5	3	0			10	0	49	5
1995–96			31	3	1	0			8	0	40	3
1996–97			16	0	0	0			5	0	21	0
1997–98			26	1	4	1			7	0	37	2
1998–99			19	3	2	0			3	0	24	3
Total	Netherlands		537	45	38	5			84	2
Career total			537	45					84	2

Honours

AFC Ajax

As player

• Eredivisie: 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98
• KNVB Cup: 1987, 1993, 1998, 1999
• Johan Cruijff Shield: 1993, 1994, 1995
• UEFA Champions League: 1995
• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1987
• UEFA Cup: 1992
• UEFA Super Cup: 1995
• Intercontinental Cup: 1995

As manager

• KNVB Cup: 2006
• Johan Cruijff Shield: 2005

Individual

• Dutch Golden Shoe: 1995, 1996
• ESM Team of the Year: 1994–95, 1995–96
• Intercontinental Cup Most Valuable Player of the Match Award: 1995

Managerial Statistics

As of match played 13 November 2015

Team	From	To	Record
			G	W	D	L	Win %
Netherlands	July 2015	Present	6	2	0	4	33.33

See also

• List of players to have won all international club competitions
• List of players to have won the three main European club competitions

External links

• Danny Blind profile and stats at Wereld van Oranje (Dutch)

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