Lack of security for Jol

Fulham manager Martin Jol believes managerial contracts mean little in football due to the unpredictable nature of the game. The former Tottenham boss returned to the Premier League to replace Mark Hughes, who stepped down at the end of his sole season at Craven Cottage last term. Jol, who almost took the Fulham job last summer, admits his two-year contract provides him with little comfort as a poor start in the job could easily put him on the managerial scrapheap.He said: "I'm ambitious, but not over-ambitious. If I had asked for a three-year contract here, they would have given it."I signed two years with an option for another year, but it doesn't really mean anything. They can get rid of me after a couple of months if they want."When I was at Ajax they offered me a 10-year contract, but I still left after 18 months."Jol admits good-natured talks last summer, from which the parties failed to come to an agreement before Fulham turned to Hughes, played a pivotal part in his appointment this time around."Football is about relationships," he said. "Fulham were good to me last year when I could have joined, and they were good to me again this year."I don't know the reasons Mark Hughes left. I thought he would stay here for a couple of years to be honest, because he was doing a good job."Instead, I was thinking of other challenges and other clubs. But when the chief executive Alistair Mackintosh called me, I came the next day."With Fulham qualifying for Europe through the Fair Play League, Dutchman Jol will make his competitive debut against Nes Soknar Itrottarfelag on Thursday.The former Hamburg coach admits he will treat the early stages of the Europa League as pre-season, but plans to be competitive, starting against the Faroe Island minnows at the Cottage."I will now work to see how we can become better and we will treat the Europa League like it is our pre-season, but it will have a serious touch," said Jol."Of course, it would be nice to progress in the tournament."

Source: Team_Talk