They’ve got the right attitude and the desire to do well.” Hughes, possessor of one of the strongest pairs of legs in the game, is now building up his upper-body strength.If Hughes’s eyes have been opened by others, so they have recognised what he offers to them. Zola is wary of being asked about his highly productive partnership with Hughes – he doesn’t want to be seen to be comparing him with his compatriot Vialli – but acknowledges his importance to the side. “He holds the ball up very well,” he said.”That gives everyone the chance to reorganise.”As an unshakeable, back-to-goal link-man prepared to take any amount of punishment – and give it back too – Hughes still has few equals “I’ve always felt I could benefit a side,” he said. “I do a certain job, and I think the lads know that if they play it up to me they’re more than likely to see it again.”It also means that goals become less of an issue – Hughes has a modest four to his name so far this season.

In that respect he is under less pressure than he was at United, and he admits that “it did cross my mind” that when he left Old Trafford at the end of the 1994-95 season he would be going to a club where the fear of failure did not grip so tightly.As it has turned out, thanks first to Glenn Hoddle and now Gullit, expectations at Chelsea have gone through the roof, and suddenly Hughes and his team- mates find themselves being required to make up for 27 trophy-less years, a situation not dissimilar to that at Manchester United when, with Hughes to the fore, they were striving for that elusive League title. “I think where we are now is similar to United around about 1990,” Hughes said “It takes time for players to settle in. But we’re much better now than we were 12 months ago, that’s for sure.”It took United another three years to become champions In three years from now, Hughes will be 36. Not even he can go on that long, can he? He certainly isn’t ruling it out. “I look after myself much better these days.” As for life after football, Hughes has surprised himself by coming round to the idea of coaching, and exposure to Gullit is one of the reasons.”I never thought I’d be interested in that side of it, but as you get older you find yourself discussing the game more with coaches and the other senior lads and sometimes you think, `Well, I might have something to offer.’” What impresses Hughes about Gullit, quite apart from his tactical know-how, is that “he’s single-minded and not afraid to upset people” And when did Mark Hughes ever fear anybody?. He has says the man who was briefly his assistant, “the aura of Brian Clough about him”.

So it appears: Nottingham Forest had three days off from training last week and Stuart Pearce was doggedly avoiding all media contact. Compare and contrast with Newcastle United, Forest’s opponents at St James’ Park in the fourth round of the FA Cup today. A week earlier Kevin Keegan departed and Kenny Dalglish arrived in high-profile hullabaloo. An announcement that Pearce had agreed to remain player-manager at the City Ground at least until the end of the season was accompanied by, well, nothing very much.
Pearce, we were informed, was concentrating on team matters – though he did manage a television appearance on TFI Friday with another well- paid figure who likes Fridays off, Chris Evans. It has to be admitted, though, that so far Pearce’s way of dealing with the demands of both playing and managing by eschewing administrative or press work has been vindicated. Under the former electrician, believed to be the only Premiership manager with a tattoo, Forest have sparked into life by winning five of seven matches, making today’s encounter by no means the foregone conclusion it might have been six weeks ago.All this against a backdrop of turmoil by the Trent, with the Forest takeover growing more tedious and tortuous by the week.

One consortium has already been spurned, accusing shareholders of greed – imagine that, coming from prospective owners of a Premiership club – and another which has tabled a pounds 24m offer is now complaining about the Forest board ignoring its 13 February deadline and scheduling a meeting for the 24th.Quietly in public but vociferously in private, Pearce has been seeking assurances about his own future and that of the club. Meanwhile, he has managed to galvanise a team previously wearied by a potential relegation struggle under the frustrated Frank Clark.”As you’d expect, Stuart has good motivational and leadership qualities,” said Alan Hill, who briefly became general manager and Pearce’s right- hand man before going on to join Clark at Manchester City. “But I am sure he wants to get the right people around him, a couple of old friends.” It could be that Nigel Clough’s permanent transfer and entry into coaching is one of Pearce’s aims.Hill recalled the day of the instant result Pearce achieved, a 2-1 win over Arsenal four days before Christmas. “There was a lot of choice language in his team talk but there is no doubt he lifted the players. He told them they had to knuckle down, think of their families and bring some pride back into their lives. He said he knew all about the nights out – and he was probably the leader – but wouldn’t worry as long as they were performing on the pitch.

It was basically `don’t mess me about, do it for me’.” The punk rock that Pearce insists on in the dressing-room was doubtless drowned out.Hill was surprised that Pearce was prepared to take on management, though clearly the captain, now in his 35th year, was the best and easiest option for the Forest board. “I always thought he would go into the horse-breeding business he is already involved in,” said Hill. “It was only a few months ago that he told me he fancied the idea I think he felt `I can do that’. No, he doesn’t have a coaching badge and whether he can put on a training session I don’t know but I’m sure he’ll sort all that out.”By contrast, Pearce’s former team-mate Neil Webb always believed that he was destined to manage Forest. “When I mentioned it to some of the players they laughed but I always thought he had it in him and he’s taken to it like a duck to water. We all know about his motivational qualities but I think there is a technical side to him, too.