‘I scored 87 goals for Chelsea – but Jose Mourinho ditched me without even a phone call’

icon Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink bagged 87 goals for the Blues during a successful four-year spell at Stamford Bridge. But his time at the club ended on a sour note after took charge in 2004.

The former striker has revealed that he was shunned by the Portuguese coach as he headed through the exit in west London.

He was replaced in the team by Didier Drogba, who went on to star during two spells in west London and helped the club win four titles and the Champions League.

Hasselbaink joined in 2000 when Gianluca Vialli was in charge after the Blues shelled out a club-record £15million to prise him away from Atletico Madrid.

He was a key player under the Italian’s successor Claudio Ranieri and had one year remaining on his contract by the time Mourinho was appointed.

But the Dutchman was never given the chance to show what he could do under the ex-Porto boss as he was immediately shipped off to Middlesbrough on a free transfer.

And discussing his departure on talkSPORT’s , Hasselbaink explained: “He (Mourinho) didn’t give me any opportunities. He came to the club in 2004 and basically said, ‘Jimmy can go.’

“Simple as that – no phone call, nothing. We got a phone call from [former chief executive] Peter Kenyon at the time, my agent. I had one year left and they said, ‘Jimmy can look for another club.’”

Hasselbaink was then asked if he was still bitter at how he was treated by Mourinho, but insisted: “No, no – football is football, isn’t it. I would have loved him to have had the decency to call me or have a word. That’s it.”

And after being quizzed about whether he has crossed paths with the two-time Champions League winner since leaving , the 52-year-old added: “Yeah, he’s apologised and he’s said, ‘I shouldn’t have done it.’

“But football is a game of opinions. People are going to fancy you, people are not going to fancy you. He was one that didn’t fancy me.”

Hasselbaink went on to bag 33 goals in 89 appearances for Boro during a two-year spell at the Riverside Stadium before moving to Charlton in 2006. He eventually hung up his boots in 2008 after a year with Cardiff.

And he added: “Obviously I went to Middlesbrough and I scored 18 goals that year. And he got Drogba, who ended up being a really good signing. But in the first few years he didn’t do that great.”