Spurs have three-man shortlist as Jol is left with no way back

Jol's position appears untenable after Italy's World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi and Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp joined Sevilla's Juande Ramos as potential replacements.

Despite Tottenham's 4- 0 Premier League victory over Derby on Saturday, Jol no longer has any allies in the boardroom and sources at White Hart Lane claim the relationship is "irretrievable".

Spurs are specifically looking for a manager who can "out-think and outwit Wenger, Fergie and Mourinho".

Ramos, who has guided Sevilla into the Champions League having won the UEFA Cup twice, has been identified as that man.

The 52-year-old Spaniard agreed, in principle, to take charge at White Hart Lane during a meeting with Spurs officials in Seville last Friday.

Ramos has a release clause in his contract but it expired in July, meaning he would have to walk out on his current club to force a move.

However, he has made it known that he wants to join Spurs by the weekend, the starting date of the Spanish league season.

If Spurs fail to land Ramos, chairman Daniel Levy is contemplating an approach for Lippi, out of work since winning the World Cup last summer, and the much-admired Redknapp.

Lippi, 59, who won five Italian championships and reached four European Cup Finals with Juventus, was sounded out by Tottenham in the summer of 2004.

Redknapp, who was linked with the job last season, is also in the frame but would be hard to lure away from Pompey.

His stock keeps rising after their miraculous escape from relegation in 2006, last season's ninth-place finish and a solid start this time.

Redknapp had been identified as a potential successor to Jol last February but the Dutchman saved his job when Spurs beat Fulham 4-0 in the FA Cup.

Although Jol has repeatedly pointed out that Spurs have finished fifth in each of the last two seasons, it is understood that the hierarchy became disillusioned with his perceived "negativity" before the start of this campaign.

Despite Levy and vice-chairman Paul Kemsley authorising transfers totalling £40million, Jol angered them by claiming that finishing fifth again would represent progress.

Jol at least has the support of his £16.5m signing Darren Bent, who yesterday described the idea of sacking him so early in the season as "absolutely ridiculous".

Bent, said: "He achieved so much in the last two seasons. He has done wonders. For people to talk about him getting the sack after three matches is absurd.

"The lads believe in him and so do the fans - you could see that by their reaction against Derby. They're behind him and so are the players, and we all know he ain't going anywhere."