Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth has praised the job Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has done since returning to Burton Albion.
The two friends will lock horns for the third time this season on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign, with the Chairboys pushing for a place in the play-offs.
Albion on the other hand are safe from relegation and can finish in either 16th or 17th place once the full-time whistle blows, in what has been a challenging campaign for them.
😍#EFL | #SkyBetLeagueOne pic.twitter.com/BA78QvNrRQ
— Sky Bet League One (@SkyBetLeagueOne) April 27, 2022
The Brewers currently have one of the smallest budgets in League One and after a brilliant start to the campaign which saw them pick up nine points from their first three games, they would lose 20 of their next 42 league fixtures.
However, Hasselbaink’s men are mathematically safe from the drop, and will have a fifth straight season in League One for the 2022/23 campaign.
The Dutchman is in his second spell managing the club, after he took charge of the Brewers from 2014 to 2015, achieving promotion to League One in that time.
That's the first goal for Burton with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in charge courtesy of Phil Edwards. Wycombe 0-1 Burton pic.twitter.com/3uulQ9i6Ux
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) November 17, 2014
Speaking ahead of their visit to the Pirelli Stadium on April 30, Ainsworth said: “I’m looking forward to seeing how we do against Burton.
"They are solid defensively as they don’t concede a lot of goals at home, they’re good a set pieces and we’ve studied them.
"We know what we have got to do but Burton will want to beat us.
“Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a proud man and manager as his team works very hard so it’s going to be a tough test for us.
“They have achieved safety which is brilliant and knowing Jimmy, he will want to win the game and the end season strongly but I am hoping we get the win on Saturday.
In the reverse fixture with the Brewers...#WYCvBUR pic.twitter.com/3IbeNVDWQw
— Wycombe Wanderers (@wwfcofficial) April 28, 2022
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“He is also a good friend of mine, and he has done a fantastic job [at Burton].
“People will underestimate what kind of a job he has done because Burton were in the Championship a few years ago, but believe me, that’s a football club very similar to Wycombe Wanderers and for him to survive in League One is awesome.
“He’s a good friend of mine and we’ll have a beer after the match and hopefully it’ll be a celebratory one for me.”
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