Ex-Bluebirds helping England’s Euro bid

Wales’ failure to reach Euro 2024 means Cardiff City at least have midfielder Aaron Ramsey reporting for the start of pre-season training.

The Wales captain was among those who officially returned to duty at Hensol as preparations for the summer began.

But while Ramsey and Red Wall fans would no doubt prefer to be at the Euros, one of the midfielder’s former team-mates at Ninian Park is still in the thick of things in Germany.

Indeed, many Cardiff fans may have been surprised when they saw former striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink emerge from the England bench to celebrate as the Three Lions overtook Slovakia in their last 16 match on Sunday night.

Former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink has been part of Gareth Southgate’s backroom team since last March, and the pair have known each other since their time playing together at Middlesbrough.

However, the former Dutch international was at the Bluebirds’ side – and alongside them – when a breakthrough performance from 17-year-old Ramsey inspired Cardiff to win the FA Cup quarter-final at Riverside in 2008, en route of that year’s Championship. Final.

Hasselbaink scored memorable goals against Wolves in the previous round of that season, starting the final defeat to Portsmouth. In total, he made 44 appearances and scored nine goals in his only season in south Wales.

He is not the only former Cardiff player on Southgate’s coaching team. Former Bluebirds goalkeeper Martyn Margetson – who was goalkeeping coach during Hasselbaink’s time at the club – made his 100th appearance as England’s goalkeeping coach in the extra-time victory in Gelsenkirchen.

Margetson, who made 32 appearances for Cardiff between 2002 and 2007, is currently in his second spell with Swansea’s coaching staff.