Jol’s winning ways just the spur for King

TOTTENHAM captain Ledley King has revealed how Martin Jol has turned the club around since taking over as head coach.

The 48-year-old replaced Jacques Santini in November and, after an initial poor run, has taken Spurs on an impressive unbeaten run.

Their latest win was a battling 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory at home to Brighton on Saturday and King believes Jol can bring silverware to White Hart Lane.

"He wants to win and he wants us to be winners; he tries to translate that to the players, and it seems to be working," said King.

"He's been great from the first day he's been here. The lads have enjoyed his training and his company. We're pleased he's our manager now and we can work closer with him."

Jol has forged a reputation as a tough talker, publicly criticising Fredi Kanoute after the striker's hand-ball against Liverpool in the Carling Cup. But Spurs players respect Jol's methods and enjoy having a coach they can easily talk with, according to King.

"He tells it how it is, and players enjoy that," said King.

One of Jol's tough decisions has been to rotate his three-man strike force with Kanoute, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe all vying for two starting places. Each striker has endured a spell on the bench this season, and all have been in good form although Kanoute is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Jol accepts his strikers may not like his rotation policy even if they tell him otherwise.

"It's the same with your missus; if you ask her if she's happy she will say yes even if she isn't," said Jol.

"It's not about them; it's about Tottenham. There's not a shadow of a doubt that we will have a problem in the near future. Quality players do not want to be on the bench."

But solving the problem by selling Kanoute to Spanish giants Barcelona is not a possibility, Jol revealed.

With the Frenchman injured, Keane and Defoe are likely to start up front against Premiership leaders Chelsea. Another attacking option is 19-year-old Mark Yeates, who came on against the Seagulls and created three chances in an impressive late cameo.

Yeates' appearance came minutes before Keane scored a spectacular winner, chesting Erik Edman's cross and lashing the ball into the top corner from the edge of the area.

King notched the opener with a fortuitous looping header just before the break, and Richard Carpenter levelled from a free-kick two minutes after the restart.

Carpenter had also thudded Paul Robinson's crossbar in the first half and the 32-year-old believes his side's plucky performance can boost their Coca-Cola Championship form.