Johan Cruyff says "papers" do not make a good football coach, as controversy continues over Zinedine Zidane taking charge of Real Madrid Castilla despite not having the required badges.
Former World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d'Or winner Zidane is coaching and selecting the Castilla side this season, although the Frenchman is officially listed as assistant to get around the regulations.
While the Spanish authorities appear content to accept this situation, Rayo Vallecano coach Paco Jemez last weekend said it was "shameful," leading Madrid first team coach Carlo Ancelotti to reply that "Paco talks too much."
Former Barcelona coach Cruyff entered the debate by telling El Pais he himself had also found a way around regulations which were not required in practice.
"It is a problem with the rules, I prefer what works in practice," Cruyff said. "I prefer a good coach without papers to a bad with one with papers, who has no idea.
"I had the same problem when I began. When I retired as a player I asked and they told me I had to study four years to get the licence. In the end they made me technical director, so I did not need the certificates."
Zidane has a diploma in sports management from Limoges University, while he also spent the 2013-14 season as an assistant to Ancelotti with the Blancos first team.
However, he is reported to only have completed UEFA's A coaching badge, which is not accepted by the Spanish authorities as sufficient to take primary charge of a side in its professional leagues.
Rayo coach Jemez told Cadena Cope last weekend that it was not right for the rules to be ignored.
"It seems shameful to me that Zidane can coach without his licence," Jemez said. "I do not know why I bothered to study for it. It is forbidden to coach without the licence, he is not a colleague as he is not a coach."
Ancelotti hit back by saying Zidane was on the way to getting his licence, while suggesting Jemez mind his own business.
"It is not easy for me to get into this subject, but some people talk too much," Ancelotti said. "'Zizou' is doing a two-year course with the French federation and is getting his licence.
"Here, just in Spain you can train when have the course, but in other countries it is different. While I was getting my licence in Italy I was able to coach. Zidane is doing that now -- I believe Paco talked too much."
Zidane's start to life as acting head coach has not gone particularly well. Castilla have won just two or their first seven games and have lost derbis to both Atletico Madrid B and Getafe B. The youth side currently sit 18th of 20 teams in their division of Spain's third tier.