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JOL CLAIMS SPURS MUST AIM HIGH
Jol - backing old club.
Former Tottenham manager Martin Jol believes his old club must aim to break into the top four of the Barclays Premier League.
Dutchman Jol - axed by Spurs last November after three seasons in charge at White Hart Lane - was back in London today as he prepared his new club Hamburg for this weekend's Emirates Cup, which also features the Spanish giants plus Juventus and hosts Arsenal.
Jol has been impressed by the calibre of players brought in by new Tottenham manager Juande Ramos, whose team won the Carling Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley last season, and feels results on the pitch must now also step up a gear.
"I feel they will do very well," he said.
"The difference is that now they are buying top-class players, players everybody knows. This year they have Modric and are looking to get Arshavin and Pavlyuchenko. It's totally different.
"I got Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto and Taarabt, players nobody knew.
"These players everybody knows, so it's a different philosophy.
"I think it's good and now they have to break into the top four. That's fair."
Jol is not bitter about his time at White Hart Lane, which ended prematurely after campaign of real promise in 2006-07.
He said: "I was in the top four for seven months and went out on the final day of the season - but it was a great time and I have great memories of the supporters and the players.
"It's just that maybe only five of them are left now out of 25."
Jol insisted: "I am not frustrated by how it ended, no.
"I was waiting for it to happen for three or four months and finally it happened."
The former Tottenham boss was somewhat "surprised" by the departure of striker Robbie Keane to Liverpool in a £20.3million deal.
"Robbie was everything which symbolised Spurs for me," said Jol.
"He was the most influential person in the dressing room and the most consistent player.
"I really thought Robbie would stay there for the rest of his career."
Jol feels he can slowly build a decent squad in Hamburg - but not if their best talent is ripped away by the European super clubs.
He is determined to see Hamburg retain Real Madrid target Rafael van der Vaart.
Real have reportedly lodged an improved £7million bid for 25-year-old Van der Vaart, the former Ajax star who impressed at the European Championships for Holland.
Jol has no intention of letting his prized asset leave, but there could be some movement this weekend, with the two clubs scheduled to face each other in the opening match of the Emirates Cup tomorrow afternoon.
"They [Real] made an offer, but as things are as they are up to now, he will stay," insisted Jol.
"If we let Van der Vaart go for that we will be a laughing stock.
"If they come up with that sort of money, well, you couldn't but a Championship player for that over here. As the situation is now, he won't go.
"I will be very sad if he leaves.
"I have never seen a player like him. He is the best number 10 in Europe.
"But it is not just about me. It is about other people as well.
"I know what is on his contract and it is better for him to stay.
"I would be very disappointed if he left. Why should you let such a player go? It's ridiculous to do it."
