Ruud Gullit: Portrait of a Genius

CHAPTER THREE

Gullit Mania

Stamford Bridge was a building site. The underground car park was under construction and planks of wood were used as a walk way to cover the dirt, nails and general debris. Hardly the San Siro. But Gullit had now swapped Italian football for the Bridge. It was certainly a culture shock.

Ruud had no concept of the impact his arrival would have. It began to dawn on him on Friday, 28 July when nearly fifty fans waited for hours to catch a glimpse of Gullit as Chelsea held a photo-call followed by a training session. They were not to be disappointed. Even a little old lady managed to overcome the ‘building site’ and waited for five hours to find herself among the throng stationed patiently outside the dressing room area. Coach Peter Shreeves took the players through their paces in glorious sunshine with Gullit teaming up with his manager Glenn Hoddle, other new boy Mark Hughes and midfielder Nigel Spackman in one training group. ‘It was nice and tough, quite hard, that’s because Mark Hughes and myself started a week later than the rest,’ said Gullit, ‘I can tell I still have some catching up to do.’ When Gullit emerged, the fans surged forward pleading for him to sign shirts, photographs, autograph albums or any piece of paper. He signed them all.

Carrying a bright coloured rucksack over his shoulders, under his arm the Italian Gazetto dello Sport and the Dutch Telegraph, he was perfectly relaxed as he surveyed the rebirth of the Bridge. He observed: ‘Brilliant, isn’t it? The place is really buzzing. I mean, the whole of English football is exploding and blossoming. Stadiums are being expanded, the fans turn up in their thousands, all the stars want to play in the Premier League. It could not be better for English football. That is why I want to enjoy what is happening here.’

In the club’s reception area, Gullit practised his colloquial English on the telephonist. ‘Can I make a phone call?’ he asked in perfect Cockney. He told a Dutch journalist who had made the trek from Holland on the off-chance of an interview: ‘I like the sound of the language here, I like to speak in English and I can pick it up quite quickly.’ Proud of his grasp of the. Cockney slang, he laughed out loud.

Once the crowd had dispersed, Gullit and one of the club’s member of staff strolled down the Fulham Road and stopped for a snack at the newly opened Calzone Pizza Bar. A local, upper crust sounding, elderly gent with white handlebar moustache and shorts, held out his hand and said: ‘Nice to see you here Mr Gullit, we are ever so glad you chose Chelsea.’ Gullit smiled and politely said ‘Thank you’, and swaggered down Park Walk feeling very much at home in the Royal Borough of Chelsea.

The attitudes and reactions of the fans helped Ruud to settle down instantly. He said at the time: ‘In Italy everyone is so obsessed about football that they try to own you and think nothing of coming up to you in a shop or in a restaurant in a group and crowding you for an autograph or a photo. In England, the people are much more dignified and they respect your space.’

As for the heat wave hitting London, he said: ‘They told me about England … so much rain, wet pitches. So far it’s been hotter than in Italy in my first few weeks here! I just love this weather.’

And, he was convinced that Hoddle was getting it right on the training ground. ‘Glenn Hoddle knows how Chelsea must play in the Premier League to become a hit. He has organised the club very well and is running things almost perfectly. I was surprised to see that our training sessions are almost a copy of the ones at AC Milan. We do exactly the same things. Before I came here, I did not think any English club would train like they do.’

On Saturday, 22 July, the little non-league club Kingstonian had seen nothing like it. Director Matthew Harding turned up in a Chelsea shirt with Gullit’s name on the back! Gullit and Hughes were presented to the King’s Meadow crowd and the duo waved to the supporters. They got a great reception on their first public appearance together. Unfortunately for the 5, 000 fans the club’s new signings took their places in the stand to watch their opening pre-season game – Chelsea winning 5–0. They were not quite fit enough to play as assistant manager Peter Shreeves said: ‘They are in the squad but haven’t done enough training.’ But the fact that they were there was enough, at half-time, for a Gullit lookalike to cause a pitch invasion of autograph hunters! Before the end Gullit left to avoid any crowd problems, with reserve team manager Graham Rix as his chauffeur.

Reminiscent of Jurgen Klinsmann’s first appearance in a friendly at Vicarage Road, Watford, exactly a year earlier, it was near hysteria at Gillingham for the welcome of Ruud Gullit, on Tuesday, 25 July. Gullit led out the team and took centre stage as he was chased by a posse of cameramen and eager autograph hunters who streamed on to the pitch. Four thousand Chelsea fans made the journey to watch Gullit and Hughes.

The gates were locked minutes after kick-off and hundreds of broken-hearted youngsters were led away in tears by disappointed dads. The luckier ones watched from windows and garage roofs overlooking the ground. Gullit was mobbed at every opportunity. The media interest overwhelmed a club that had finished three places from the bottom of the Endsleigh Third Division the season before. He tried to warm up as he signed autographs, and followed, like some footballing Pied Piper, by the adoring kids. He said: ‘It is the first time in my entire career that I have played without being able to warm up. It seemed as if there were hundreds of fans around wherever I went.’ And, with a flash of his wicked sense of humour he said: ‘The people seemed to go mad … I suppose that’s what the papers describe as Gullit-mania!’

The capacity 10, 425 Priestfield crowd witnessed Gullit strolling through his first 45 minutes in English football as Chelsea won 3–1. For the Kent club it was a massive pay day. Gullit might earn more in a week than a Gillingham player would earn in a year, but the club were loving the way the turnstiles never stopped clicking. The estimated £60, 000 receipts brightened the life of a club that had faced extinction. Only four weeks earlier Gillingham was saved from bankruptcy after six months in receivership. New chairman Paul Scally, the Sevenoaks businessman who rescued the club, was delighted with the evening’s takings. He said: ‘That will pay the wages for July.’

When Gullit left the spectacular surroundings of Serie A, he probably never expected to pull on a Chelsea jersey for the first time at a ground that can boast the oldest stand in the League, built in 1899 by dockers for beer and cigarettes on their summer break. It’s still there because the club cannot afford to replace it.

But here he was, starting his practise sessions in earnest as a sweeper. Flanked by Frank Sinclair and Erland Johnsen, Gullit was immediately in evidence, switching neatly with Nigel Spackman as he raced forward, abandoning defensive duties when he saw the opportunity to join the attack. The Dutchman conceded two early corners, and he would have been disappointed with himself with his first two shots. However, he soon got his aim, and his third shot, a cracking 30-yarder, forced a full length diving save from keeper Jimmy Glass after Gillingham had stolen the lead.

Chelsea’s defence was embarrassed by the power of student Leo Fortune-West, a £5, 000 buy from Stevenage, with the money paid by Gillingham fans. He put Andy Myers under pressure and the Chelsea left-back knocked the ball past Dmitri Kharine. Chelsea levelled when Mark Stein converted a penalty after Dennis Wise had been brought down.

Gullit stayed in the dressing room at half-time, needing treatment for blisters. Mark Hughes came on, to inspire a Chelsea victory with a virtuoso goal, dribbling past a bewildered defence before aiming low into the corner after 68 minutes. Chelsea made sure with a second penalty supplied by Gavin Peacock.

Afterwards Gullit said: ‘I had never heard of Gillingham before coming here, but that did not matter, it was just good to play against a team which plays the English way. It was good to have a tough game. I’ve had hundreds of letters from supporters telling me how pleased they are that I have decided to sign for Chelsea. I have a great feeling about this move already. There are some good players at Chelsea and I am impressed. We have a team that is technically very good. The players have great skill and English football is changing. It is no longer kick and rush. I’m impressed with everything I have seen in this match and in training but we won’t get carried away. Rome was not built in a day.’

The Chelsea fans got their first sight of Ruud at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 30th July in a 1–1 draw with FC Porto for Paul Elliott’s testimonial. Just as anticipated, the fans flocked to the Bridge wearing their brand new Gullit shirts. And, there were Gullit wigs on sale outside of the ground at £10 a time.

Porto manager Bobby Robson drooled over the conversion of Gullit to the sweeper role. The former England manager, who took England to the World Cup semi-finals in Italy 1990, described Gullit as ‘another Franz Beckenbauer’.

Apart from Gullit’s class, the huge crowd were also treated to a stunning Hughes effort. Only five minutes had gone by when the Welshman jack-knifed to bludgeon a characteristic header into the net from Mark Stein’s cross. Both Gullit and Hughes were substituted before the end. Gullit stayed on until 65 minutes and Hughes lasted until eight minutes before the end. Hoddle chose the occasion to give most of his squad a run-out, including himself, as he came on for the last 14 minutes.

With rebuilding work still taking place, the local council cut the ground capacity to 19, 000, yet 16, 689 turned out to witness Gullit and Hughes in their first home game. Elliott, whose career ended two years earlier in a tackle with Dean Saunders, had faced a legal bill for £500, 000 after losing to the former Liverpool striker in court. Ladbrokes presented Elliott with a £500 bet on Chelsea winning the title at 40–1. But on Hoddle’s own admission, Chelsea’s best hope for a trophy was in one of the Cups. He was to be proved exactly right.

Testimonials at the Bridge have been notoriously poorly attended, even stars like Kerry Dixon attracted a meagre 5, 000 fans. Colin Hutchinson said: ‘Paul must have thought he’d won the national lottery when after arranging his game against Porto we went out and signed Gullit and Hughes.’ The club handed over all the £250, 000 receipts to Elliott. In addition, the player had the programme, advertising, and peripheral rights including a TV deal with Sky.

Two weeks later, Chelsea journeyed to Gullit’s homeland to take on Feyenoord in their final pre-season friendly. Gullit was still not entirely happy with his game. He explained: ‘I am still making mistakes, I need a few more 90-minute games under my belt to get things right. We have eased through preseason without too much trouble, so maybe we need to lose a game before we begin the season in earnest. We will be better for it, and will all learn from it. You don’t really know how well you are doing until you have tasted defeat.’

The team arrived on Thursday evening in Rotterdam, on 11th August. They engaged in light training, returned to the hotel and then Ruud took the opportunity to re-acquaint himself with some of the night spots in the city. He said: ‘I needed a little break, and it’s so nice to comeback to the town where it all started for me. I have seen a lot of my old friends.’

The tears flowed for Ruud as he made an emotional return to his old club on the Saturday. He was guest of honour at the opening of Feyenoord’s superbly refurbished stadium. A crowd of 38, 000 turned out to see his ‘homecoming’ at the ground where he forged his reputation.

But there were two very unexpected ‘fans’ who brought the big man to his first burst of tears. The Chelsea team coach arrived at the ground at 6.30 pm for the 8.15 kick-off and as the player disembarked from the bus Gullit’s eyes met two little girls … his daughters from his first marriage, Felicity and Sharmayne. His former wife, Yvonne, stood in the background as the two girls were delighted to see their father, It was a total surprise for Ruud. He was extremely emotional with the reunion, but at the same time deeply annoyed that the TV cameras and Dutch media were present to record a very private event. His two girls watched the match, and so did Ruud’s mum. After the match, the girls presented Ruud with a drawing of him inscribed ‘Our dad is the best.’ The only English newspaper to refer to this touching moment was The Times a week or so later. Rob Hughes wrote: ‘He protects those girls from every contact with the media, with football, with the publicity that is essential to his and their wealth.’

There was another highly charged moment for Ruud, when during the warm up he was presented with a special presentation in his honour. A leading Dutch journalist explained: ‘The chances are that this was his final game on Dutch soil as he will never play again for the national team and Chelsea are sure to be his last big club. The last time he played here he was booed and whistled because he had just walked out of the Dutch camp and refused to play for Holland. Everyone now feels it was a terrible way to say goodbye and wanted to rectify that for such a great player.’

Leading Dutch celebrity Koos Postema, the Terry Wogan of Holland and a very close friend of Ruud, gave him a big kiss as he made the presentation. Ruud was handed the microphone and made a speech to the crowd. He was applauded for a full ten minutes! When he took the microphone the crowd sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and there was another bout of tears.

Ruud told the crowd: ‘I am so surprised and honoured and flattered. I am so proud that you the public, in the city where all the big things started to happen for me, are doing this. It means so much. With Feyenoord I won my first championship, and won the double. It was the club I met the two biggest characters in football, Johan Cruyff and Wim van Hanegem. That’s why this club will always be special to me and why I will keep this club close to my heart for the rest of my life. Whether I’ll return to this club as a player, I don’t know. My future, as you all know, is in England. I hope Feyenoord do well. I honestly wish them all the luck in the world.’

Ruud put on a five-star show but got the defeat he asked for! The Dutchman sprayed his long range passes all over the field, but Chelsea’s new continental system failed to click. Gullit almost inspired Chelsea to take the lead. Mark Stein sped away behind the Feyenoord defence to pick up a glorious Gullit pass but, instead of picking out Mark Hughes, he flashed the ball across the face of the goal. A 40 yard Gullit pass early in the second half enabled Andy Myers to cross for Gavin Peacock, whose diving header was just wide. Then Gullit picked out Stein whose cross for Hughes was wasted. The game was settled in the 68th minute with a goal from Feyenoord’s Orlando Trustfull.

After the game Ruud told journalists: ‘Chelsea is a bigger challenge than any other club could have given me after eight years in Italy. I am still very ambitious and Chelsea have not won anything for a long time. It would excite me, tremendously, if I could get things going there and win a major trophy. It would follow the same pattern at the other clubs I have joined.’

Ruud was cautious on the eve of his Premiership debt. He labelled his new Chelsea team-mates his ‘virgin’ soldiers and warned the Stamford Bridge fans not to let their dreams run away with them. His priority at the outset was all about setting standards and reaching them. For him, victories could wait. It was more about playing well, not so much about winning well. He explained: ‘If we don’t win it is not so important, there will be other games to win. In England there are so many games, so many demands! So many things could happen but what you can be sure of is that the season will be full of ups and downs. We won’t win every game.

‘The secret of a successful team is to stay calm and retain your belief. To keep a cool head when the pressure is on from either the fans, the press or the chairman. We have a good team at Chelsea but we are a young team. If you like, we are virgins, still getting to know each other. My goal is only to play good football. I never think of what I want to win, just to have a good time with my football. If you are playing good, enjoyable football then the trophies will take care of themselves.’

In many ways Gullit’s debut in the Premier League, against Everton, was the classic Beauty verses the Beast confrontation. The Dutch dazzler, who personifies total football, against the team with a mean streak and an all-consuming hatred of getting beaten. He didn’t flinch from the challenge. He was ready to take on all-comers, be they six foot four inch Scotsmen like Duncan Ferguson or five foot seven English midgets. Expectations were running high at Stamford Bridge, which was still undergoing reconstruction work. But the club and their fans were ready to embrace the start of a new and successful era.

CHAPTER FOUR

A New Season, a New Challenge

Remarkable performances, astonishing results, and an inspirational member of the team. Not bad for an opening season. Ruud Gullit inspired a belief that one of the dormant giants of English football is on the march again. Gullit was the catalyst that elevated AC Milan from the obscurity of mid-table in Serie A to the world’s most formidable club. He has not quite achieved that at Stamford Bridge yet, but he has helped restore Chelsea’s pride and renewed the conviction that the club can again challenge for the game’s top honours. On a personal level, Gullit attracted the accolades of everyone in the game as well as winning many awards to mark his first season in English football.

On the first day of the 1995/96 season Football Focus featured Gullit’s debut for Chelsea against the then FA Cup holders, Everton. Gary Lineker picked out Gullit as the potential smash hit of the season.

Lineker told the millions of BBC viewers: ‘The arrival of Ruud Gullit is fascinating. He is such a great figure. He will give the game what Klinsmann did, with his personality, big name and also his ability to entrance the media. Unlike Klinsmann, who always said the right things, Gullit is outspoken, and maybe that will be a good thing. The first time I saw him play was back in 1986 when I first joined Barcelona. It might only have been a pre-season game but he got a standing ovation from 100, 000 Catalans – even though he missed a penalty!’

Not long after the midday Football Focus, the Fulham Road was awash with shiny new blue shirts with ‘Gullit’ on the back. The street traders were doing brisk business in fanzine style T-shirts. Over Gullit’s dreadlocked head were superimposed the words ‘Judge Dread: Chelsea’s Ruud Boy: Judge, Jury and Executioner’. The match day programme featured the inevitable Gullit feature, but also a little dressing room insight from mickey-taking John Spencer who nicknamed Ruud ‘The Big Bird’, from Sesame Street fame.

Anyone complaining about his massive salary, were put to shame by the amount of cash his mere presence was generating. Gullit-mania was out in force. The sold out signs glistening in the glorious sunshine. His long anticipated Premiership debut had finally arrived, and there was a worldwide TV audience of 250 million. More than 60 countries beamed live pictures with an additional 50 nations screening highlights later in the week. There was a bigger audience for the most anticipated kick-off in League history than even for the Mike Tyson comeback fight! CSI, the company which distributes Premiership games, was inundated with requests. General manager Karl Bistany said: ‘You would be hard pressed to find anywhere in the world where you couldn’t watch the Premiership. You’ll be able to see Premier League matches in places like Vietnam and Cambodia.’

All the off the field hype was not wrecked by on the field anti-climax … a goalless draw. A flag with Ruud’s head super-imposed on the body of a Chelsea lion was unfurled and he knew that the fans had taken him to their hearts. He waved back enthusiasti-cally when he was introduced to the crowd. There was a sense of occasion and Ruud Gullit did not disappoint anyone. He enthralled the Chelsea fans and became the most dominant foreign import of the opening Premiership weekend – outshining Dennis Bergkamp and David Ginola. He also spectacularly exploded the myth that he is a geriatric former world number one who has been pensioned off at the Bridge. The Dutchman looked super fit and still a formidable force. One crunching tackle in midfield with the fearsome Joe Parkinson proved that, Gullit showing no fear or hesitation as he lunged into a 50–50 challenge.