REVEALED: New England coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will stop producing content for bookmakers after his interview with a sanctioned bookmaker surfaced just 48 hours after the Three Lions clash with Ukraine.
- Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink of England will stop producing content for bookmakers
- The attacking coach gave an interview with a PariMatch after the Ukraine match
- However, that gambling company is currently sanctioned in Ukraine.
England attacking coach Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will stop providing promotional content for betting companies after an interview he gave to a betting company that is banned from operating in Ukraine surfaced on Tuesday.
Hasselbaink, recently named in Gareth Southgate’s backroom squad, was part of England’s party facing Ukraine at Wembley on Sunday night.
The match gave English football the chance to show solidarity with Ukraine, which is suffering at the hands of Russia in a war that has shocked the world.
But just 48 hours after England’s 2-0 victory at the national stadium, an interview by betting firm PariMatch, which has been sanctioned in Ukraine for continuing to operate in Russia during the conflict, with Hasselbaink was published in the official website of the firm.
Sportsmail understands that the interview, in which the Dutchman discusses current England international Bukayo Saka, James Maddison and Marcus Rashford, took place on February 10, a month before Ukraine made the decision to sanction PariMatch.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink of England will stop providing promotional content for bookmakers
Hasselbaink’s interview with PariMatch, a sanctioned betting company in Ukraine, was published shortly after England’s game against Ukraine.
However, the fact that the interview was made public so soon after the Ukraine clash comes as an embarrassing episode.
In addition to the complexities linked to PariMatch, providing advertising content for betting companies in general is an additional concern for the Football Association given the current concerns regarding sports-related betting.
The Government is currently finalizing a revolutionary White Paper that will have consequences for the advertising of the game in soccer.
And Hasselbaink has now agreed to no longer be involved in the promotional work of gambling companies given its position in England.
PariMatch, which is based in Cyprus, was founded in the Ukraine in 1994 before entering the Russian market four years later.
The company is listed among Chelsea’s official partners, but Sportsmail revealed that the west London club was reviewing its sponsorship deal with them after finding out the bookmaker had been sanctioned.
Hasselbaink gave an interview to Safe Betting Sites in January and has a history of providing content for betting companies.
In the January interview, the former Chelsea striker implored his former employers to sign England captain Harry Kane, a player he now works with internationally, from Tottenham for £50m this summer.
“The only person you could go to and get that type of player who will strengthen Chelsea in that position is Harry Kane,” the former Netherlands international said.
If I were in charge, I’d go after him. I know I might not make the move because of the rivalry with the Spurs, but I would at least try.
Given his role with England, such interviews create a conflict of interest for Hasselbaink.
I know he is 29 years old, but at the end of the season he will only have one or two years left on his contract.
“He won’t cost £100m this summer, he’ll cost more like £50m or £60m, which is much better value.”
Providing such interviews now would create a clear conflict of interest for Hasselbaink, who has also worked as a regular television commentator, given his new role with the FA.
Going forward, Premier League clubs will seek guarantees that any future media work Hasselbaink undertakes will not compromise any of their England internationals.