With Britons Graeme Souness and Trevor Francis leaving the squad, Boškov built his team around young Italian players, with Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli, Pietro Vierchowod and Moreno Mannini among the bulwark of the squad as Sampdoria finished 6th in a tight battle involving several teams for 3rd in the championship.
He was responsible for bringing to the club a number of young players who went on to very successful careers, including Kenny Burns, Trevor Francis, Bob and Dave Latchford, Malcolm Page and Garry Pendrey.
It was at Birmingham where he introduced the young Trevor Francis into league football.
Ian also made a few appearances for England Youth Team during his first spell with Birmingham, during which time many observers described him as "the new Trevor Francis", although he never lived up to this hype.
He has put his signature to many famous transfers, notably that of the first million pound footballer, Trevor Francis.
Francis Bacon | Francis I of France | Francis Ford Coppola | Pope Francis | Connie Francis | Francis I | Francis Poulenc | Francis of Assisi | Francis Drake | Richard Francis Burton | Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor | Francis | Francis Xavier | James Francis Edward Stuart | Francis Scott Key | Trevor Nunn | Trevor Howard | St. Francis Xavier University | Francis Crick | Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor | Francis Galton | Trevor Horn | Francis Toye | Francis II | Francis Fukuyama | Francis Collins | Trevor | Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings | Arlene Francis | Taylor & Francis |
Trevor Francis, for example, is regarded as Britain's first £1m player but was officially transferred for £975,000.
Samuel Trevor Francis (1834–1925) was an English lay preacher and hymn writer, with the Plymouth Brethren.