Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes his former club Cardiff City can still make the play-offs – but confesses he would have file to the possibility in the “crazy” category.
Hasselbaink was full of compliments for the Bluebirds after seeing his QPR team gain a 0-0 draw in the capital on Saturday.
The Dutchman, one of the great Premier League strikers of the 1990s, spent one season with Cardiff in 2007-08, just prior to his retirement.
He retains an obvious affection for the club and was keen to stress the progress that has been made in recent years, even though he believes they will need to win all four of their remaining matches if they are to sneak past Sheffield Wednesday for the sixth Championship play-off place.
“In my day we did not have this beautiful stadium. It’s changed just a little bit since Ninian Park,” said Hasselbaink.
“The club has moved on, hasn’t it? It’s a beautiful club with beautiful supporters. I can only wish them all the best.
“Should Cardiff be playing in the Premier League? Well, the league says no, you know. If they get themselves in the play-offs then they have a chance.
“It’s the same for us, you cannot say we should be in the Premier League because we are 11th. The table in that way does not lie.”
Hasselbaink, now 44, took over at Rangers midway through the season after success at Burton Albion – too late, though, to haul Rangers into play-off contention.
But he believes Cardiff have a gambler’s chance, even though odds are stacked against it.
“Sheffield Wednesday drew, Cardiff are still five points behind, so there is a possibility of the play-offs still there,” he added.
“They have four matches to go and if you win all four then you have a big chance. Cardiff still play Sheffield Wednesday away and that is going to be a big match.
“You never know, I have seen crazier things in football. Cardiff have got a good team, but now they need to keep the belief and just go for it.”
Hasselbaink and Cardiff manager Russell Slade could not be more different in terms of background and public perception.
Yet the former Holland and Chelsea striker is a firm admirer of ex-schoolteacher Slade and his achievements as a manager in the lower divisions.
“Russell Slade has always been a very positive person in the way he goes about things and the way he has his team playing.
“He is somebody who is well experienced in the game and he knows what he is doing. It was not easy for us to play against him, Cardiff have only lost twice at home all season and that is certainly not a bad record.”