Fulham midfielder Simon Davies says Martin Jol is the right man in charge at Tottenham.

Former Spurs man Davies said: "When you spend that money, people demand success. That's the way football is these days.

"But Jol's a very, very good coach. I was very impressed with him. He is one of the best coaches I've worked with. He is a very impressive football man and definitely the right man for the Tottenham job."

If Davies has a handshake for Jol at the end of the game, he'll offer a wave to the Spurs fans, too. Plucked from Peterborough by George Graham on New Year's Eve in 1999, he made over 120 appearances in a Spurs shirt - there would have been many more but for a series of injuries - and the Wales midfielder impressed sufficiently to be voted player of the season for 2002/03.

"I still look at that award," he said. "The names on it are unbelievable and to have mine there too is special. I had some great times at Spurs. I loved playing at White Hart Lane, the crowd always got behind me."

If Fulham fans fear that sounds a little too cosy, considering what is at stake between two teams desperate to climb from the lower reaches of the Premier League table, then they should take into account the ambition that drives the 27-year-old.

Recalling his move to Everton in May 2005, Davies said: "I was under no pressure to leave Spurs. I had signed a new contract just before I did go. But Everton were in the Champions League and I wanted to play Champions League football. It just never worked out. There was no-one to blame. I never really got to full fitness and after the first season I knew I wanted to leave."