Spurs give Jol shocking send-off

MARTIN JOL has been described as a “dead man walking” since the start of the season and by the time Tottenham were defeated by Getafe, he was all but gone.

Bookmakers had stopped taking bets on the Dutchman being the next boss to depart, while reports suggested he had agreed a severance package and that Juande Ramos was set to take over.

Nothing had gone right for Jol since Spurs officials met Sevilla coach Ramos in the first week of the campaign — they are still in the bottom three of the Premier League and their display against Getafe summed up their season.

They attacked with pace and threatened the Spaniards and at times, looked like they would surely coast through the group stages of the UEFA Cup as they did last season.

At other times they were woeful, their defenders looking like they all had a mistake around the corner.

The Spaniards set about with their plan to inflict more misery on Jol, seizing on their lack of confidence.

Radek Cerny, deputising for Paul Robinson in goal for Spurs, had to deal with an awkward shot from Braulio Nobrega as the Spaniards issued an early warning.

Younes Kaboul lost the ball in his own penalty area, the kind of mistake Jol highlighted ahead of the game, but Esteban Granero flashed wide when the ball was laid back to him.

However, it was Jermain Defoe, the man Jol failed to keep happy, who broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 19th minute.

Pascal Chimbonda had his first cross blocked from the right but then curled the rebound to the far post where Berbatov headed into the path of Defoe, who nodded home.

The visitors were level within two minutes, Granero’s free-kick from 40 yards bouncing in, with Ruben de la Red claiming the slightest of touches.

Jol was furious on the sidelines and he was angry again shortly after when Berbatov headed in Tom Huddlestone’s cross — but the effort was disallowed for offside.

It got worse for Spurs when Anthony Gardner picked up an injury and was carried off on the stretcher with a serious-looking injury.

Reports of Jol’s future emerged during the break, making for a strange atmosphere. Fans asked for their customary wave from the Dutchman — although this one was interpreted as a wave goodbye.

The Spaniards scored their winner with 20 minutes remaining when David Cortes crossed and Nobrega side-footed home.

It would not have been how Jol wanted to go.

TOTTENHAM: Cerny, Chimbonda, Kaboul, Gardner (Dawson 43), Lee, Lennon, Huddlestone, Zokora (Tainio 73), Malbranque (Keane 71), Berbatov, Defoe.

GETAFE: Ustari (Abbondanzieri 46), Diaz, Belenguer, Signorino, Cortes, Granero (Cotelo 76), Nacho, Albin, Casquero (Sousa 62), De la Red, Braulio.

Referee: Knut Kircher (Germany)