Ruud Gullit in tribute to Steve Clarke the 'rough, dour Scotsman' leading the charge to Qatar 2022

In many ways they were as odd a partnership as you could imagine in football management.

Ruud Gullit: the flamboyant, charismatic, dreadlock-flowing, Euros-winning global icon.

Steve Clarke : in Gullit’s words, “the dour, rough Scotsman”.

They do say that opposites attract though.

And when Gullit was handed his first job in management, replacing Glenn Hoddle as player-boss of Chelsea, there was only one character he wanted by his side – his Blues team-mate Clarke.

Fast forward two years, when the Dutch superstar took over as manager of Newcastle in 1998, he was straight back on the phone to his trusted sidekick to ensure he was on board for the journey to St James’ Park as his assistant.

Gullit knew back then that the man who would become Scotland boss 21 years later was a top operator.

The hidden humour, the man-management skills and ability to treat everyone as equals in a changing room, above all else his meticulous knowledge of the game made him stand out.

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Gullit, now 59, has played for and worked with some of the biggest names in football during a career that saw him collect silverware with Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven, AC Milan, Sampdoria and, of course, the Netherlands.

But he insists that Clarke