Jol targeting at least one trophy triumph
Hamburg manager Martin Jol is determined to see his side win at least one trophy this season to say thank you to the fans.
The former Tottenham boss' charges are currently joint top of the Bundesliga - behind leaders Wolfsburg on goal difference - and face Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Cup quarter-finals on Thursday night.
“Hamburg have not won anything of significance for 20 years, hopefully we can achieve something," he said. "This is a big club, a great club. Every game is a sell out and we take 10,000 sometimes 12,000 with us to away matches.”
And Jol is keen for his side to make the most of home advantage in the first leg and inflict more away woe on Mark Hughes' Blues - who have only won once on the road in the Premier League this season.
“We have a bit of an advantage because we are at home," he said. "City may have the quality, but we have the spirit.”
The Rothosen are still bidding to claim an unlikely treble this season, with the club joint top of the Bundesliga, still in the German Cup and into the last eight of the UEFA Cup.
However, Jol revealed that until his side came from behind to beat Galatasaray in the last round, European success had not been top of his priorities.
“My chairman wants to win every game," he said. "But I have to be honest and I said to him maybe it would be better if we went out of the UEFA Cup as we had so many games. It’s a big burden, but then we had a great win against Galatasaray and everything changed.”
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Gregg Davies is the Chief Sub Editor of FourFourTwo magazine, joining the team in January 2008 and spending seven years working on the website. He supports non-league behemoths Hereford and commentates on Bulls matches for Radio Hereford FC. His passions include chocolate hobnobs and attempting to shoehorn Ronnie Radford into any office conversation.
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