‘Special night’ – Tottenham manager ‘sacked at half-time’ of European game but loved it for incredible reason

Thomas Frank’s time may be up at Tottenham and the axe could fall after their Champions League game with Borussia Dortmund.

A truly horrendous run of form of two Premier League wins in 13 games, exacerbated by the calamitous appearance of an Arsenal cup, sees the head coach on the ropes in N17.

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It’s a familiar situation for a number of head coaches who just can’t seem to get it right in north London.

Frank isn’t the first and he won’t be the last, with poor form, unwise words and the spectre of Ange Postecoglou’s miraculous Europa League win weighing heavy on the Dane.

Hired to replace the trophy-winning Australian, the ex-Brentford boss was due a chance to test his mettle at a bigger club. He has, though, failed miserably.

Almost every home match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium sees Frank and his poorly organised players booed by a tired and frustrated fanbase who know their stars are capable of much better.

Against Aston Villa, in a 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat, some fans called for his sacking during the second half.

In a humiliating 2-1 loss to struggling rivals West Ham they called for him to be sacked at the final whistle.

If it goes badly against Borussia Dortmund they might even call for him to be sacked at half-time.

And Martin Jol, appointed Spurs boss from November 2004, knows a thing or two about that.

The Dutchman was dismissed following a 2-1 defeat to Getafe back in October 2007, with Juande Ramos replacing him just two days later.

However, reports at the time and player accounts of the match claim Jol was let go at half-time.

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Jermaine Jenas had been signed for Spurs by Jol but was not involved against Getafe.

He recalled in 2015: “I remember speaking to him before the game because I was carrying an injury and his face was just blank, as if he was looking right through me. In the weeks leading up to that, you could tell something had changed within him.

“It was leaked in the papers that Spurs were speaking to Juande Ramos. We’d seen it, he had obviously seen it, so it was impossible to ignore. As players, we were trying to concentrate on doing our jobs – and we all liked Martin – but there’s no doubt it was distracting.”

Meanwhile, Darren Bent told talkSPORT in 2023: “Yeah at half-time, during the game when I was at Tottenham. I can’t remember what game it was. Martin Jol got sacked during the game.

“He was standing on the touchline, he’s got a face on him. We come in at half-time, there is all this commotion so I said to Ledley [King], ‘Oi, Ledders, what is happening?’

“He said to me, ‘Ah the gaffer has been sacked’. Do you know what is mad, now I think about it? His team talk before the match was really subdued. He just said, ‘Get out and play lads’.”

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However, Jol has denied the suggestion he was sacked during the match and instead found out from his nephew at full-time.

Speaking days after his departure, he explained: “The first I knew was when I saw my nephew in the tunnel immediately after the game and he pulled me to one side and told me what everyone else seemed to know already.

“So it is rubbish to say that I heard it before the game.”

Reports that Jol would be leaving had filtered through to supporters during the match, with fans chanting his name throughout.

The atmosphere at White Hart Lane left a lasting impression on their outgoing manager.

Jol added: “I went into the dressing room to tell the players and say farewell to them – and they all stood up and applauded me.

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“It was a strange night because it was my final game in charge but it was also a special night. I had a great connection with the Tottenham fans and that will always be there.

“The fans were unbelievable the way they were chanting my name throughout the game, and I am a little embarrassed because they knew before me that I was gone.”

Despite the nature of his exit, Jol later said he had no ‘hard feelings’ or ‘unfinished business’ despite feeling ‘bruised’ by the experience.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy also admitted his regrets over how the decision was handled.

In an open letter to fans at the time, Levy said: “Several events clearly did not happen as we all would have wished and I am the first to admit that things could have been handled differently and better.”

Jol had guided Spurs to a pair of fifth-place finishes in each of his full seasons in charge in north London.

His achievements at the club were recognised by then Getafe boss Michael Laudrup following the result.

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He backed Jol, stating: “Given what he did last season I don’t think he will have a problem finding a new job.”

Following his Spurs exit, he joined German side Hamburg at the end of the campaign.

Jol later had spells in charge of Ajax, Fulham and Egyptian giants Al Ahly but has been away from the dugout since 2016.

Frank, meanwhile, will be hoping a win can secure a stay of execution in north London.

He was said to be heavily involved in the signing of Conor Gallagher, who arrived from Atletico Madrid in a £35million deal.

Meanwhile, he appeared to earn the backing of Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham in programme notes ahead of the game too.

However, fan sentiment, which has swelled to shocking levels as Tottenham slide towards a relegation battle, appears set to seal his fate with the club 14th in the Premier League table.