1993 to 1996
Glenn Hoddle, a graceful former Spurs and England midfielder, was appointed Chelsea manager on 4 June 1993.At his first training session of pre-season he stood before his squad and performed an impressive keepy-uppy, taking in both feet, knees shoulder and head. If it was intended to impress, it did: David Webb had never done the like. ‘If you don’t master the ball, the ball masters you,’ was one of Hoddle’s mantras from his illuminating time in France.
He arrived saying he aimed to reintroduce ‘a touch of class’ at the club – and succeeded. Massive improvements were immediately demanded in basics such as passing and trapping, and all playing surfaces would be overhauled. He broke up the cliques that had developed over the years and introduced team-building principles as well as dietary rules. More left-field innovations included a reflexologist, soon nicknamed ‘Tootsie.’