Arnesen leads tributes to pioneer of total football
Michels, who will be remembered as the man who pioneered 'total football', passed away in a hospital in Aalst, Belgium, after complications resulting from heart surgery two weeks ago.
Known as the 'Sphinx' in his homeland, he led Holland to the 1974 World Cup final where they were defeated by Germany, while he was also manager when the Dutch claimed the 1988 European Championship - the country's only major trophy.
Arnesen has many personal memories of Michels, who plucked the Spurs supremo - then a fledgling amateur with Danish side Copenhagen - from relative obscurity and signed him for Ajax.
"It is a big, big loss," admitted Arnesen.
"He was one of the greatest personalities of Dutch football. He was very progressive in every way he thought about football - he developed total football in the late '60s.
"He didn't need to speak to get your respect. When he came into a room, everybody respected him."
Michels played for Ajax in the 1940s before returning to the club as head coach in 1965.
During the following six years, Ajax won the national champion-ship four times and the KNVB Cup three times before they picked up the first of three consecutive European Cups in his final year in charge in 1971.
The 2-0 victory over Panathinaikos was his last match in charge at the club.
Michels then enjoyed a brief but successful spell in charge of Spanish giants Barcelona, whom he helped to the Primera Liga title in 1974 before taking charge of the national team.
The Holland of the mid-'70s, which featured the likes of Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens and Ruud Krol, were remembered for playing 'fantasy' football during Michels' reign.
The term 'total football' was coined to describe how all 10 outfield players seemed comfortable and creative with the ball at a time when defenders were not generally renowned for their skills.
In 1988, a 2-0 victory over the Soviets by a Michels-led Dutch side saw them lift their first major prize - the European Championship.
Marco van Basten, the current Holland manager, who was one of the scorers that day, also paid tribute to Michels by comparing him to Nestor, a figure from Greek mythology renowned for his wisdom.
"The death of the Nestor of the trainers' guild, the father of Dutch football, is an enormous loss for the football world," said the former AC Milan striker.
"Michels was a man who had all the qualities of a top coach.
"He could motivate a group and could at the right time ease the pressure because of his special humour."
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