Chelsea should consider newly appointed QPR manager Jimmy Floyed Hasselbaink if they finally axe Jose Mourinho, suggests his former club Burton owner Ben Robinson.
Hasselbaink has been named as new QPR manager after his excellent managerial work at the Pirelli Stadium. He replaced Chris Ramsey, who was axed a month earlier following the Ranger’s inconsistent start of the season.
Former Chelsea striker, 43-year-old Hasselbaink, helped the Brewers to win the League Two title last season and also guided them to the League One top spot this term.
The Dutch international had a 64% win ratio in his spell at the club and Burton owner Robinson revealed he was already prepared for his inevitable exit.
Robinson said: “Jimmy Floyd can manage right to the top – his win percentage here wasn’t a fluke.
“If I was at Chelsea I would get Jimmy in, assuming they wanted to get rid of Jose Mourinho. I am not saying sack Jose Mourinho but if the position became vacant, then yes, I would.
“Jimmy Floyd is a very astute clever guy. The players liked the training and his team talks and how he inspired them.
“He has so many abilities – he is a great man-manager, the way he has nurtured the players individually and brought them on.
“He has a great work ethic and his understanding of the game and the way he can convey that to the players. There aren’t many players who have played at the top of the game like he has who can come in and be successful coaches or managers.
“He has tremendous self-belief and to be a successful manager you need that. He is an amazing guy, it was a great 12 months. Jimmy Floyd, when you meet him for the first time, he has that wonderful smile. It was great working with him, it was great fun and he has a good sense of humour.”
Robinson believes Hasselbaink chose QPR for at a minimum 10-fold pay increase.
Robinson further said: “When he left he was the lowest-paid manager in League One – trust me.
“But he didn’t go for the money, he went because he thought it was the right career move – but he probably would have increased his income by 10-fold.”
Hasselbaink joined Chelsea for a then club record £15 million fee in 2000 summer and went on to score 23 league goals in his first campaign, which earned him a second Premier League Golden Boot award (his first was with Leeds in 1998-99 season). He also featured in the 2002 FA Cup final and made a career high second-place league finish in 2003/04 season. The Dutch striker then moved to Middlesbrough on a free transfer in 2004, and also played in the 2006 UEFA Cup final. The former Leeds and Chelsea striker netted nine times in a four-year international career for the Netherlands playing 23 matches.