Martin Jol: The Inside Story

by Martin Jol (Author), Harry Harris (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2007

  $3.25

  Martin Jol has been the most popular football manager in Britain over the past three years. Idolised by his own fans at Tottenham Hotspur for his honesty and no-nonsense approach to interviews, he has earned the respect of football supporters across the country; in 2006 he was voted 'Manager Fans Would Least Like To Pick A Fight With' - respect! Spurs fans regularly chanted 'He's got no hair, but we don't care!' to show their affection for the manager who brought stability, ambition and a serious attempt to break the stranglehold of the big four clubs to Tottenham. As far as they were concerned, Jol was a living legend, who walked on water. Then came the bombshell. After two successive fifth place Premier League finishes, but a poor start to the new season, in August 2007 Tottenham's board declared that Jol was on borrowed time. An outcry followed, not only from Spurs fans, but from football supporters in general, who leapt to the defence of the genial Dutchman. Amid all the recrimination and intrigue, Harry Harris followed every twist and turn, with exclusive access to Jol himself as he revealed his inner-most thoughts on his turbulent time at Spurs, his managerial techniques, his childhood in rural Holland, his fondness for Clacton-on-Sea and his passion for art.He also discusses how he once turned down Alex Ferguson, a unique insight into his managerial motivational techniques, his love of Kafka and Hemingway - and an incredible story of international smuggling! This is the first biography of Martin Jol, including interviews and contributions from many stars and colleagues he has worked with along his path from his roots in Holland via Den Haag, Bayern Munich, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City as a player via Roda JC and RJK Waalwijk as coach to the White Hart Lane hotseat. The contributors include Spurs legends Clive Allen, Chris Hughton, Jol's assistant manager, Glenn Hoddle, Steve Perryman and Ossie Ardiles, current players Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane, plus West Brom and Coventry striker Cyrille Regis, and a host of other characters from Martin Jol's colourful past and present, each revealing their own secrets about the Spurs manager.