Jol: we’re catching up with Gunners

MARTIN JOL took weeks to recover from losing a Champions League place to Arsenal last season but believes coming so close shows Tottenham are closing the gap on their neighbours.

With their first team ravaged by a mystery virus — food poisoning was blamed at the time — defeat to West Ham on the last day of the campaign allowed Arsenal to overtake Spurs and claim fourth place.

Jol usually watches every Spurs game on video but has yet to view the Upton Park defeat, and his anguish carried over into the summer break despite the consolation of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

“I didn’t want to talk to other people for probably the next three weeks,” Jol said. “I touched my wife but didn’t speak to her!

“I watch all the games on video but that game... it was last game of the season and there was no purpose in analysing that game any more. I don’t feel I will ever watch that game.

“After that we realised that we had a very good season, 65 points, and it will take a hell of an effort for any other Spurs team, even us, to beat that in future.

“It was probably the best thing that happened to us, as people realised they took us seriously.”

Despite losing the fourth position they held for much of the campaign after Christmas, the two 1-1 draws against their north London rivals proved the gap between the two clubs was getting closer.

Today’s lunchtime clash between the neighbours, the first at the Emirates Stadium, has added spice as Jol and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger clashed on the touchline at Highbury last season.

The hosts were unhappy when Robbie Keane scored and felt Spurs should have put the ball out of play while Emmanuel Eboue and Gilberto were injured.

Jol and Wenger carried on the argument but the Dutchman insists, despite not speaking to his Gunners counterpart since the incident, there will be a handshake before kick-off.

However, he added: “We don’t speak. My mates are Chrissy (Hughton, assistant manager). I don’t have mates, maybe Mourinho. Nine out of 10 I like, (Chris) Coleman I like.”

Jol believes the experience of coming so close last season can help his current squad.

“I feel my players have grown up and know what exactly we have to do,” he said.

The teams will only be separated by goal difference if Spurs win, although they did not win at Highbury for 13 years before Arsenal moved stadium. They have not won away from home in the Premiership this season either.

Both teams are trying to blood young players and Jol believes the key difference is a player such as Thierry Henry, who misses today’s clash with a neck injury.

“Thierry Henry is probably the best footballer in Europe along with Ronaldinho,” said Jol.

“They are building a new team and that is the difference between them and Manchester United and Chelsea. We have the same task, to build a very good team.

“If you want to be a top team you need one or two top players. Maybe Lennon or Berbatov could be that, but that is written for the future.”

Meanwhile Hertha Berlin midfielder Yildiray Basturk has denied he is interested in moving to Spurs.

The 27-year-old, who was born in Germany but is a Turkish international, said: “Those reports are wrong. I am not in touch with them.”