Quotes from Frank Rijkaard

Ronaldinho is very happy at Barcelona.

It's my belief that Barcelona are successful because they have a number of youth teams alongside the first team. They are where it begins.

I'm not a guy who believes in revenge.

He was always brilliant, but when Pep Guardiola started to use him as a 'false' No. 9, he got even better. It's impossible to be more of a footballer than Messi.

Every manager feels a responsibility to his board of directors and the public and the players.

Success is built on organisation, determination, and experience, not to mention following the regulations, so of course it's no easy matter.

When you are a coach, you are watching how the team is positioning itself on the field - if your team is in possession of the ball, you are already anticipating what could happen if you lose the ball.

I have no desire to be 60 years old and standing on the side of the pitch.

Short-termism is no good: plans must be carried through to the end.

Players are sometimes sad, sometimes happy during their sporting career.

I made Edgar Davids vice-captain. Nothing to do with colour, just because he was playing excellently and because he lives like an athlete.

It's always the losers who are complaining about a result.

It's normal that if you are working with a lot of people, then you have a lot of different mentalities and characters. You have the serious guy, and you have the one who is always complaining and the one who is always talking. Everyone is different.

When it's a clash between two big teams, you know your players will concentrate.

If someone is quite tall, the people will sing songs about his height. We don't have to overreact. You just have to do your job.

It is very tough to beat an English team. The type of football they play is only in the Premier League. They defend as though their lives depend on it. And they are very successful.

One thing was crystal clear to me: if you're centre-back, you first of all have to perform your task.

Africa has produced some good players.

There is a part of football I would describe as 'serious' and one part I would describe as more 'playful,' i.e. more technical.

Someone said that my coaching is a combination of Milan's defensive discipline and the Dutch propensity for attacking football, and I think that is a fair description.

When a parent has two children, it is difficult to pick one favourite.

All the big clubs set their goals. We have to do that because it is necessary to explain to the fans. But this does not mean I am thinking only of the final results. The work you are doing every day with the team is often more important.

Mourinho is very intelligent; he knows what he's doing. He has the right to act like he wants to act, and he's very successful with it, so who am I to criticise him?

From the moment Messi was introduced, we all knew he was a unique talent. I remember Deco and Ronaldinho immediately realised how special he was, and they took him under their wing.