Frank de Boer in charge of Ajax as Jol quits over 'unrest'

MARTIN Jol has left Ajax by mutual consent, with Rangers and Netherlands defender Frank de Boer placed in take temporary charge until the winter break.

Jol, who decided he should leave before the Champions League clash with AC Milan tomorrow, claimed the criticism the club have come in for over their stuttering form has caused unrest in the squad.

The former Hamburg and Tottenham manager said: "With pain in my heart I say goodbye to this wonderful club. We started something last summer that I would have finished. But I have come to realise that the expectations after last season were too high. We cannot meet such expectations. The amount of criticism that the club has had to endure daily has led to unrest in the club and among players. I take this decision consciously before AC Milan v Ajax (in the Champions League) is played."

Ajax finished second in the league last term, a point behind FC Twente, scoring 106 goals and with a staggering goal difference of plus 86. However, they have struggled to repeat their end-of-season form in the early part of this campaign, and sit fourth in the Eredivisie table, five points off leaders PSV Eindhoven.

Twente are Tottenham's opponents this evening, but Harry Redknapp found himself with an unwanted distraction after his striker suggested it was "inevitable" that the White Hart Lane manager would soon take the reigns of the English national team. "It's inevitable, to be honest," said Crouch. "He's been fantastic at Tottenham, ever since he came in. It's only a matter of time, with him being English as well, that England come knocking on the door."

However, a clearly embarrassed Redknapp later responded: "I don't know where Crouchie got that one from. It's not inevitable, that's for sure."

Victory for the already-qualified Tottenham in the Netherlands tonight would see them finish top of a pool containing the Dutch champions, European champions Inter Milan and Werder Bremen.

Meanwhile, Manchester United face Valencia at Old Trafford tonight needing just a draw to secure top spot in Group C, with Sir Alex Ferguson likening Javier Hernandez to Denis Law for the Mexican's heading ability. "He has got the spring but he also has the ability to just hang there for a second or two, just like Denis Law and Ian St John," said the Scot. "Some bigger players had great ability in the air but it is that talent to hang in the air for a fraction that can upset defenders."