SOCCER:Martin Jol officially became a target for Ajax last night after their coach, Henk ten Cate, walked out on the club to join Avram Grant's coaching team at Chelsea.
The Amsterdam club will appoint a caretaker manager after admitting their targets are working for another club, or for a national team. An approach from Ajax to the Dutch Football Federation to consider the release of the Netherlands manager Marco van Basten was quickly rebuffed.
Jol has been courted by Ajax before, during his time at White Hart Lane. The Netherlands' biggest club came calling in February, 2005 only for Jol to rebuff their advances, saying he owed a debt to Frank Arnesen, then Tottenham's sporting director. Ironically, Arnesen agreed to join Chelsea that summer, as their head of youth development.
Tottenham have endured a horrendous start to the season, with results and the board of directors conspiring against Jol. Daniel Levy, the chairman, led a delegation to Spain to visit Juande Ramos, the Sevilla coach, with a view to installing him as Jol's successor. The move foundered and Jol has remained, rather uncomfortably, in the position since. Tottenham also made overtures to Jose Mourinho, following his departure from Chelsea three weeks ago.
Jol could yet be offered the opportunity to leave on his terms, although his club said last night they had heard nothing from Ajax.
Ten Cate, who flew into London last night to finalise his move, has had a difficult season. His Ajax team fell short of the lucrative Champions League group stages, losing in the final qualifying round to Slavia Prague and, last Thursday, they went out of the Uefa Cup, on away goals to Dinamo Zagreb. Before that, Ten Cate, who had nine months of contract remaining, held talks with Chelsea, to the dismay of Ajax, and they felt that they had no option but to sanction his release.
He will work under Grant and, it is intended, alongside Steve Clarke on the training field. Grant has always worked with two assistants and confirmed last Friday he wanted a European coach to work with Clarke. Clarke was upset at the manner of Mourinho's departure and has considered his position but John Terry, the captain, hopes he can stay.
"It is very important to have someone like Clarkey around," said Terry. "He knows the club inside out, he is passionate for the club and when he speaks, it is from the heart. That is very important not only for the English boys but for the foreign lads who have not been here too long. Hopefully, we can keep hold of him."
Terry also issued a ringing endorsement of Grant.
"Avram is definitely the man in charge for the future - the players have taken to him very well and he has adapted well," Terry said. "You can see that now. He was always going to have those first two weeks [ after Mourinho's departure] wherethings didn't go as well as we would have liked."
