In his new book, The Mixer, Michael Cox looks at the tactical evolution of the Premier League and how the game has developed over the last quarter-century. Here, he details Ruud Gullit's sensational arrival in English football.
English football was changed significantly in the mid-1990s, courtesy of the arrival of top-class foreign players who demonstrated the value of different roles, positions and styles, and encouraged managers to think outside the box -- and outside boxy 4-4-2 formations.
A classic example was Ruud Gullit, who was unquestionably one of the greatest players of his generation, having won the Ballon d'Or in 1987 and then captaining the Netherlands to European Championships glory the following year, playing as a No.