Martin Jol new favourite to take over at Fulham - Exclusive

Martin Jol has emerged as a shock late contender for the Fulham job.

The former Spurs boss, currently at Ajax, is seen as a prime candidate for the post after impressing at White Hart Lane during his time in the Premier League.

Jol led Tottenham to two fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League, missing out on a Champions League place in 2006 only after his squad fell ill with a bug ahead of their last, decisive game of the season and failed to win.

Last season he missed out on the Dutch title to Steve McClaren's FC Twente by a point. But he gained consolation by steering Ajax to the Dutch Cup.

Fulham owner Mohammed Al Fayed is set to announce the successor to Roy Hodgson by Monday at the latest and could even name him as early as today.

Sven Goran Eriksson had been among the early favourites to take over at Craven Cottage but concerns over the Swede's wage demands have seen other contenders enter the equation.

That has drawn anger from the Eriksson camp who believe Eriksson is the best candidate yet fear he will be passed over as they have not heard back from Fulham since holding talks with the club.

Eriksson claimed earlier this week that he could yet reprise his role with the Ivory Coach after resigning in the wake of the World Cup.

But the Ivorians are understood to be unimpressed with the way that Eriksson left the post so soon after their team's exit from the competition and are looking elsewhere.

USA coach Bob Bradley and German tactician Ottmar Hitzfield, currently coach of Switzerland have also been in the frame for the vacant Fulham position.

But Hitzfield who lifted the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, last night ruled himself out of the running.

He said: "I've now got another two years in Switzerland - and they will be my last two years in management."