If the start of what we think of as modern football in England has a moment where the touchpaper was lit, it was the arrival of Ruud Gullit at Chelsea and his elevation to the manager’s job.
Interviewed in FourFourTwo in September 1996, Gullit had all the glamour and charisma that, frankly, Howard Wilkinson and Dave Bassett didn’t, and his mere presence elevated English football to a new level, as did a transfer policy that brought in Vialli, Di Matteo and, eventually, Zola. It also turned Chelsea from a punchline into a team that had to be taken seriously when it came to winning things.
That was a while away as he sat down for this interview, but as he said, “At Chelsea, we often play for the performance, not the result. That’s good but that’s not what we have to aim for. But something is developing, I can feel something starting.”
You can read more on a Dutch inspired English revolution here.
