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Getting his feet wet in the heavy dewfall, a familiar figure was waiting for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink when he clocked on for training.

Eidur Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink's former sidekick on Chelsea's front line, had a camera crew in tow and was eager to find out how his old chum was settling in as manager of Northampton Town.

“I asked him if he fancied making a comeback,” said Hasselbaink. "He said, 'If you give me boots, I will play' – he's a good guy but he is retired now.

“He's working over here with Icelandic TV and he asked if he could come and interview me. Since we played together up front for Chelsea, how could I refuse?”

It is reassuring to see Hasselbaink back on the managerial hamster wheel.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

He was on course for back-to-back promotions with Burton Albion when he was headhunted by QPR two years ago.

His reign at Loftus Road lasted only 47 games - including the distraction of inconclusive sleaze allegations in a newspaper sting - before the axe fell, but that was a lifetime compared with fellow Dutchman Frank de Boer's ludicrous four-match peep show at Crystal Palace.

And JFH never believed his coaching career was over at 45.

Hasselbaink did not enjoy his first taste of the manager's dreaded tap on the shoulder, and the goatee beard is flecked with grey whiskers now, but the Cobblers have put a spring back to his instep.

“I don't accept this hiring and firing culture. I think it's ridiculous,” he scowled. “You have to deal with it, but I don't accept it.

“If you look at the business world – and the majority of club owners now are from big business – did they make their money in four weeks or four months? No, most of them built their empires and made their money over years, investing, nurturing and developing their companies.

“Yes, in football you can make big steps in a short time if you win 10 games in a row, but to consolidate short-term success you need a long-term plan.”

When Hasselbaink, who had already made waves at Leeds, returned to our shores 17 years ago at Chelsea from Atletico Madrid, his £15 million fee equalled the British transfer record, matching Newcastle's outlay for Alan Shearer in 1996.

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But he has not been afraid to get hands dirty in the muck and nettles of League One. Like his ex-Leeds team-mate Harry Kewell, now at Crawley, JFH has no qualms about starting low and aiming high.

“I don't see this job as getting my hands dirty in the lower divisions. You can get your hands dirty in the Premier League as well.

“When I was out of work, I was never scared that I wouldn't get another job, but you do worry that the phone will stop ringing and about being forgotten – because people do forget. There are some short memories in football.

“But I believe in myself and what I'm doing. What happened at QPR is gone now - I could stand here and throw mud, but that's not my style. You have to move on in life and I always believed I was going to get another opportunity.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

“Before Northampton came along, I applied for jobs that I really wanted but I didn't get a sniff – but I also had offers that I didn't think were right for me. I came here because I believe we can be successful.

“It's a great project – a club with ambition and potential, it's run on sound principles with investors who want to do things the right way and they want to help the club grow.

“Their story was music to my ears. I know rugby is big in the town, but don't underestimate the pulling power of football. If we can have some success, it will give the whole place a lift.

“I'm not complaining about the squad I've inherited or the training facilities here, although we are always looking for areas where we can improve.

“And I can't complain about their efforts so far – we have won two, drawn two and lost two by a single goal – the spirit is magnificent and we will get better.

“The Championship is not an unrealistic ambition, and we have to have a go, but first we need to make sure we have a sustainable team.”