Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Washington admits ‘contempt’ for Hasselbaink
NORTHERN Ireland striker Conor Washington held “contempt” for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s vision for him at QPR and credits the Dutchman’s successor Ian Holloway for his renewed confidence.
The striker signed for QPR in January 2016, saying at the time that working with former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink was a “massive pull for me”.
Yet he returned only two goals in 31 appearances under Hasselbaink, who often deployed Washington on his own up front or on the wing.
Hasselbaink was replaced by Ian Holloway in November and both Washington and QPR have since found their form, with the 24-yearold netting four times in his past 10 appearances and the Hoops winning five of their past seven in the Championship.
Washington has, therefore, arrived on international duty with Northern Ireland this week with a spring in his step again, having admitted he was left with a post-Euro 2016 hangover working with Hasselbaink.
“Within the year I’ve gone from the highest point to the lowest point back to where I am now,” said Washington.
“It was a really tough time after the Euros to be honest. Going from playing and scoring and being the main man at Peterborough and coming to QPR and having a few disagreements with the manager, not really understanding how he wanted me to play.
“It was not so much disagreements as miscommunication, maybe, probably from both of our parts.
“I didn’t really understand the job he wanted me to do within the team and I’ve always found playing up top on my own doesn’t really suit me particularly well. There was a lot of contempt on my part in that.”