Queens Park Rangers

QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink speaks out over corruption allegations

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 30 September 2016

QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink vehemently denies allegations of corruption, but admits that he was "naive" to hold talks with undercover reporters.

Queens Park Rangers manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has vehemently denied allegations of corruption, but admits that he has been "naive".

The 44-year-old has been implicated in The Telegraph's investigation into illegal activity at the top level of English football.

Hasselbaink was secretly filmed by undercover reporters posing as representatives of a fictional Far East investment firm looking to get around the Football Association's ban on third-party ownership.

The QPR boss is alleged to have been open to the prospect of signing players represented by the firm, and he was also filmed negotiating a £55,000 fee to deliver a speech on behalf of the company.

In an interview with Sky Sports News, Hasselbaink said: "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.

"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. I have never been offered any money and I would never entertain that.

"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."

Sacked England manager Sam Allardyce, Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino, sacked Barnsley assistant coach Tommy Wright and Southampton number two Eric Black have also been implicated by the newspaper.