Jol calls for ‘respect’ between managers

TOTTENHAM boss Martin Jol believes mutual “respect” must be prevalent between football club managers.

There are signs the war of words between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger may soon draw to a close, the Chelsea manager having offered an apology for calling the Arsenal boss a "voyeur" but only if he in turn also apologises for months of perceived criticism of the Blues.

Jol himself became involved in a brief spat with Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie last season after the Eagles boss criticised Spurs' team selection while working as a TV pundit.

The Dutchman responded by suggesting Dowie was "not fit to mend my shoelaces" with the Palace manager then challenging Jol to "show some balls" and talk to him face to face.

The misunderstanding was, though, soon smoothed over "He's a nice fellow, and I would drink a lager with him," commented Jol at the time.

And the Tottenham manager believes direct contact would help to draw a line under the current debate.

"I think if you are on television it is a hard job, but you can't criticise other managers," the Dutchman said. "I didn't think they would do that, but if one starts and the other reacts... I had it last year with my good friend Iain Dowie. Then we talked about it and there was no problem."

Jol added: "I think sometimes you need to clear the air with each other rather than going through the press and I think they will do that.

"I've heard that [League Managers' Association chief executive] John [Barnwell] wants to talk with them. But it's not personal, it's about football, a way of destabilising... You realise that. If your readers realise that as well, there's no problem."

The Tottenham manager is, however, in no doubt that beneath all the public bravado, there is mutual acknowledgement of both Wenger's and Mourinho's respective accomplishments.

Jol continued: "I think you need a good spirit with managers, because you respect each other.

"I think they do I think Mourinho respects Wenger, I respect Wenger because it's about what they did. Mourinho is probably the best in the world and not because he's at Chelsea where it is maybe easier, but he did it at Porto as well."