'I never wanted to be a manager' - Ruud Gullit reveals he was 'dragged' into Chelsea role and what he 'hated' about Stamford Bridge sacking

Ruud Gullit has admitted he never aspired to be a football manager but was thrust into the role at Chelsea. The Dutchman was named player-manager at Stamford Bridge in 1996 and went on to win the FA Cup a year later, but a dispute with the hierarchy over compensation led to his dismissal in 1998.

Gullit's comments shed light on the pressures and uncertainties of modern football management, highlighting the demanding nature of the role and the brutal decisions that can override on-field performance. Chelsea notoriously ran through managers during the Roman Abramovich era and have already been led by Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Enzo Maresca since BlueCo completed their takeover in 2022.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Gullit said: "I didn't want to be a manager anyway. I never wanted it. I just got dragged into it.

"The one certainty you have is that you get sacked, that is what you know for sure, and it's not a nice feeling when you get sacked.

"There's a lot going on behind your back, a lot of things happening around you that you have no influence on. And that's what I hate about the job."

Many managers are now scrutinised more than ever and a shorter tenure is commonplace, with Pochettino only getting a season at Chelsea before current boss Maresca was brought in as his successor. Gullit, meanwhile, remains retired from management and focuses on punditry.