Johan Cruyff Slams Real Madrid over Zinedine Zidane Castilla Role

Several months after Zinedine Zidane was temporarily banned from being an assistant manager on Real Madrid's reserve team, Castilla, for not having the proper coaching licenses—the ruling was later overturned by the Spanish Administrative Court for Sport—former Barcelona manager Johan Cruyff has spoken out on the issue.

AS English has his comments:

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The Dutch ex-international said during an interview with website "El Eganche" that the decision had created an "absurd problem" by not looking into the matter further before it exploded in the international press "because they know that he didn't have the license."

"Why didn't they say anything? It's a lack of dexterity on their part. After all the years Zidane played and having been Ancelotti's assistant, who has anything to teach him?"

The "Dream Team" coach added that Zidane "has to be registered [with UEFA]. I don't understand why it all came out two months after the event. That's what annoys me. Madrid have made a mess of the whole thing because whoever is in the office should have told them with a phone call."

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Zidane and the manager at Castilla, Santiago Sanchez, were originally suspended three months for Zidane's failure to hold the proper managing licenses, though Real Madrid claimed that he was in fact licensed by the French Football Federation.

In the end, Real Madrid won the appeal.

It's a bit interesting that Cruyff would comment on this incident now, long after it has been resolved. To his credit, Cruyff also mentioned that it's a bit silly that someone with Zidane's experience and background in the game would be required to go through the licensing motions. 

One would guess the Real Madrid supporters will view this as a former Barcelona man simply taking any opportunity he gets to take a shot at Los Blancos.