JIMMY FLOYD HASSLEBAINK cuts an unlikely figure on a League One touchline.
Yet even yesterday, as Burton Albion's campaign suffered a controversial setback, it was clear the former Premier League star is at home in a quiet corner of Derbyshire.
In a town famous for beer, the Dutchman has created a potent brew that led last season to promotion from League Two and looks set to bring some exciting times in League One during this campaign.
Its ingredients are strong bonds between manager and players and adoration from a small but vocal footballing public.
The result was a rock-solid backline that took the Brewers to League Two promotion.
A famous poacher he might be, but Hasselbaink is a man who builds success from the back.
This summer, in the wake of promotion, he signed 12 new players, almost all of whom are now pushing for first-team places.
Just like in his playing days, Hasselbaink is not a manager happy to stand still.
After celebrations in May, the start to this campaign has been impressive and victory yesterday over Coventry would have taken Hasselbaink and Co to the top of League One.
It was not to be, though, as Vincelot netted the disputed winner in the 56th minutes to condemn Burton to defeat.
The home players were convinced the Frenchman was offside. Replays, however, showed he was level with Aaron Martin when the Coventry defender flicked on a cross that Burton keeper Jon McLaughlin had failed to gather.
"The referee has given the goal so it is what it is," said Hasselbaink. "I can't do anything about it. I can moan but it is not going to give us another 10 minutes or the goal back.
"We made our own problems. At times we made them look good and that was the problem."
Martin, who played an unwitting part in the winner, had given Burton the lead with an unfortunate own-goal, turning a cross from Mark Duffy into his own net.
Coventry players Aaron Martin (left) and Reda Johnson celebrating their 2-1 away win at the Pirelli |
Coventry manager Tony Mowbray |
But that lead, claimed in the 11th minute, was cancelled out when Marcus Tudgay prodded home for Coventry after slick play out wide by Jacob Martin and Ruben Lameiras.
The win took the Sky Blues second in the table but their manager Tony Mowbray said: "That doesn't really matter at the moment. Like I always say, we're just accumulating points at the moment and then, after Christmas, you can start to worry about where we are in the league table."
For Hasselbaink, the start to the season has been impressive. But the 43-year-old remains a man in a hurry.
"The start is gone now," he said. "It's about today, and today we are disappointed.
"On Tuesday morning we will be in, working as normal. We will show them some highlights from the game, learn from them and move on."
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