Jol ready to let Atouba impress

Atouba played under Jol at Tottenham Hotspur

New Hamburg manager Martin Jol has indicated he is ready to give Timothee Atouba a chance to impress despite reports the defender is wanted by Celtic.

The Cameroonian played under Jol at Tottenham Hotspur but was also sold by the Dutchman to Hamburg in 2005.

The 26-year-old remains with the Bundesliga club and Jol admits he has some regrets about letting the Cameroonian leave White Hart Lane.

"I know Atouba from his time with Tottenham. We had another very good left-back in (Erik) Edman and Tim said to me that he wanted to go to Hamburg," Jol said.

"When he played a good season here I thought perhaps I had made an error.

"He can still develop further. He is good in his own half but can still become better in the other half."

Jol is prepared to judge each player in pre-season training, which begins tomorrow for Hamburg, and Atouba could find himself a key figure in Jol's plans.

"With me all players are alike," Jol said. "They all begin with a clean slate."