JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK has categorically denied any wrongdoing after being implicated in a recent investigation of corruption in football.
The Telegraph showed a video of the QPR manager agreeing to fly to Singapore to speak to investors in a Far Eastern firm that was seeking to be involved in the transfer of players.
But Hasselbaink told Sky Sports he is innocent of any wrongdoing, insisting he was only guilty of naivety.
Asked whether he had ever been offered money to sign players, he emphatically replied: “No, never. I have never been offered any money and I would never entertain that."
Hasselbaink was videoed being offered £55,000 to work for a fake Far Eastern firm who was seeking to sell players to QPR.
However, he adamantly maintains he was under the impression it was a mere speaking engagement — despite the astronomical fee.
Related Stories
Watch ALL the goals from the Premier League before anyone else for FREE plus all the latest news, fixtures and results and live match commentary all on the go with the new Sun Football App – click here to download
He added: "I understand for the English public, or whatever public, that £55,000 is a lot of money. And it is a lot of money.
“But in the industry that I am in I am fortunate that I can make those kinds of figures.
"I was negotiating to go Singapore for a speech. That's it. That's it. No favouritism, no strings attached.
“What I would never ever do. Never ever do. I would not put myself in that position."
Hasselbaink was asked if he regretted the meeting, and admitted he did — and added it was not in his nature to sign a player for personal gain.
He said: "Big time. Big time. You know you reflect, you think back and you criticise yourself and you must say, that I have been naive. I have been naive.
"But then with everything with it, I have never asked for money for myself to take a player or to bring a player to the club. I would never do that.
"That is the painful thing about it. The painful thing about it is that I take my job very serious. Very, very, very serious and I want to succeed in this business."
The recent investigation implicated Sam Allardyce — and he was forced to resign from his role as England manager.
And Hasselbaink refused to defend the former Bolton and Sunderland boss, adding that he can only talk for himself.
He said: "I can't speak for others, I can only speak for me and this, taking money, is not what I stand for.
"It is not what I stand for, I have never done it and I would never do it just to get a player to the club so I can benefit from that. No."
Leave a comment