The Cruyff turn

Nicolas Sarkozy emerged from the Lisbon summit (18-19 October) proclaiming the value of a “comité des sages” which is to reflect on the future of Europe. But some of his fellow EU leaders have made it clear that they do not want the committee to be packed with old warhorses such as Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and Jean-Luc Dehaene – retreads from the constitutional convention. One of the more intriguing names being bandied around is that of Johann Cruyff, the legendary Dutch footballer, whose international perspective includes managing at Barcelona and in the US. He would be well qualified to reflect on workers' mobility and the impact of EU competition and single market law. It would appear that the group has been set up to allow Sarkozy to step back from his election campaign pledge to stop Turkey's accession bid: the group will have a look at the limits of enlargement. So maybe Cruyff's best qualification for the job is that as a player he would feint a pass and then do a 180 degree turn to leave his opponent floundering. The political equivalent of the famous ‘Cruyff turn' might come in handy.