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Written by Ramaz Mitaishvili   
Friday, 24 August 2007
Under-fire Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol received support from an unlikely source on Friday in the shape of Sir Alex Ferguson. Jol has come under intense pressure this week with reports suggesting that he was close to the sack at White Hart Lane.

And the Dutch man faces a pressure test on Sunday when his team visit Old Trafford where he will find a United side equally desperate for a result after their poor start to the season.

Ahead of the Londoners' trip north Ferguson insisted that the Dutchman has earned the right to be given the time to take Spurs into the top four, the stated aim of club chairman Daniel Levy.

He said: "There have been managers sacked in the past after just four or five games, but you just ask yourself 'what are they doing?'

"I interviewed Martin Jol for the assistant manager's job here when Carlos Queiroz left for Real Madrid a few years ago, so I know enough about him to know his qualities, but he doesn't need me to trumpet his ability.

"Spurs haven't won the league for 45 years and they are a big club with a great tradition, but this isn't the right time for people to question him. He has bought well, but he needs a lot of time to turn it around and win a championship there."

Jol will have his first opportunity later Friday to air his views on a traumatic week at White Hart Lane at his pre-match press conference.

In almost three years in charge the Dutch coach, who appeared to be heading for the sack a few days ago, has never been under such scrutiny for his usual media briefing.

Jol only received Levy's "100 per cent" support at the third attempt on Thursday, two previous statements from the Spurs' board this week notably failed to give him their full backing.

As Jol prepared to give his version of events Spurs were forced to deny rumours that Fabio Capello was next in line to take over the helm after a reported offer made to Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was turned down.

According to The Times someone purporting to represent the former Real Madrid manager had approached Tottenham to offer the Italian's services.

But the club was forced to issue a hasty retraction after learning that Capello was distinctly unhappy to be linked to a move to the Premiership.

Capello, who was in London on Thursday for a business meeting, told The Times: "At no time did I have any contact with Tottenham and I did not come over for the Tottenham job."

The paper quoted a Spurs spokeswoman as saying: "We have been approached by many managers in the last few days but we have met all of those approaches with a polite but firm 'no'."
Last Updated ( Friday, 24 August 2007 )
 
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