 In May 2013, Hasselbaink was announced as the new manager of newly relegated Belgian Second Division club Royal Antwerp. He stated that the club was "a two or three year project" and he aimed to win promotion by playing attacking football with younger players on a reduced budget. He made a number of signings for the club, including former England under-19 international John Bostock. He led the club to a seventh-place finish in the 2013 – 14 season, before turning down a new deal at the club in May 2014.
