Newcastle are the early favourites to win The Championship next season and bounce straight back into the Premiership.

Ajax have appointed Martin Jol as their head coach on a three-year contract, the Dutch league club has confirmed.

Jol, who was under contract at Hamburg till 2010, succeeds Marco van Basten who resigned one week before the end of the season.

Ajax confirmed on Monday that they were in discussions with a view to appointing the Hamburg coach.

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager Jol, who joined Hamburg last year, steered the team to the Uefa Cup and German Cup semi-finals, while finishing the season in fifth place and securing a Europa Cup spot.

Newcastle are the early favourites to win The Championship next season and bounce straight back into the Premiership.

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