Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink recently shared details about his unexpected Chelsea departure, expressing disappointment over Jose Mourinho’s lack of communication during the process.
After making waves in the Premier League with Leeds United, Hasselbaink joined Atletico Madrid for a year before returning to England.
Chelsea signed him for £15 million, a then-record fee, and he wasted no time proving his value. Scoring on his league debut against West Ham, Hasselbaink quickly became a key player at Stamford Bridge. And he also praised the new Chelsea Star calling him an Exceptional Talent Describing Him As a player with only one weakness
Under Claudio Ranieri, he formed a lethal partnership with Eidur Gudjohnsen, netting 46 league goals in his first two seasons.
Though his form dipped slightly in later seasons, he remained Chelsea’s top scorer in 2003-04. However, the managerial shake-up that saw Ranieri replaced by Mourinho cast doubt on Hasselbaink’s future. He was also an ex-England coach He Coached England In March 2023 and he also Coached Northampton in the year 2017
Mourinho’s arrival coincided with Didier Drogba’s signing, and the Dutch striker was deemed surplus to requirements. Without so much as a personal conversation, Hasselbaink was moved to Middlesbrough. Reflecting on this, he admitted Mourinho’s approach surprised him.
“Jose came in and said I could leave, but there wasn’t even a phone call from him,” Hasselbaink told BetMGM’s The LineUp. “Peter Kenyon called my agent, but that was it. I expected more decency from Jose, but that’s football.”
Years later, the two reconciled, with Mourinho apologizing for the situation. “He admitted he handled it poorly,” Hasselbaink shared. “But football is about opinions, and sometimes managers don’t rate you. I still had a lot to offer and scored 18 goals at Middlesbrough that season.”
Following his stint at Middlesbrough, Hasselbaink played for Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City before retiring. Over his career, he scored an impressive 249 goals in 591 appearances, including 87 in 177 games for Chelsea.