Former Chelsea frontman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was previously part of Gareth Southgate’s England coaching staff but departed his role last August prior to the appointment of Thomas Tuchel
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink hopes Thomas Tuchel can help erase his painful Euro 2024 final heartbreak. Gareth Southgate’s former Three Lions assistant insists he is still suffering following last summer’s agonising 2-1 defeat to Spain in Berlin when England were unable to end 58 years of hurt. However, the ex-Chelsea striker claims he will eventually be at peace if Tuchel fires England to World Cup glory next year – given he still played a role in the development of the team. Hasselbaink told Gambling Zone : “There is an element of regret because we didn’t win as we went to Germany to win. It was a massive achievement as well because of the problems that we had, how we had to navigate around them and we still got where we got, England playing in its first ever final outside of England.
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“You have to take the pluses but I’m a competitive person and I wanted to win badly and we were very close. “It was a great experience that will always stay with me forever and I’m very grateful that I was part of that experience. “So yes, a lot of happy memories, because in the camp it was great, a lot of laughter and I made lots of friends which will always stay with me. “But in the end it’s all about winning and we didn’t win so there will always be bitterness, always. “After the final, I didn’t sleep. I had so many nights where I was awake thinking about what might have been – it really hurt me, it was hard, and I’m not even an Englishman! We were that close, hopefully Tuchel will win and that bitterness might go away a bit.”
Hasselbaink believes Tuchel already has his eyes on the prize – the 2026 World Cup – even if England have only just begun their qualification campaign. In his view, the prospect of winning the tournament will have been the key driving force behind the German’s decision to take the job. He added when assessing Tuchel’s first Three Lions squad: “Trust me, Thomas Tuchel would have been thinking about the World Cup since his appointment as England’s manager was confirmed. The preparation starts on day one because the prize is so great. “Obviously, they need to qualify but I would think that he would be confident enough that qualification won’t be too difficult given the talent that he has at his disposal.
“In terms of his first selection, I think he is selecting players that he is 100 per cent sure of but wants to find out about their character. “The most important part is getting the right characters in the building, it’s not only about getting the best talent. “You need the best team, mentally, physically, how they work together, the camaraderie, because you’re going to be on each other’s toes for six weeks, in a high-pressure environment. You need team players, players that are number 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 are just as important as your first 11.”
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