What makes people who have pursued successful business careers behave in such a self distruct manner when applying the same principles when running a football club?. Giving a manager a budget of 40 m.to spend and then immediattely replacing him with a high profile manager with a zero bugget, is not only the decision of idiots but it verges on the suicidal, Levy and Kemsley are far fom idiots, so why are they choosing to play the part of ones?
If Martin Jol was to be replaced, one does not need the brain of a rocket scientist to know the timing was pre season and pre 40m, not three games into the campaign,with a "win or else" ultimatum at Old Trafford.
Spurs need to look into why too many of their key players appear to be sidelined so often and for so long, as opposed to changing their manager literally as manty times as Levy and Kemsley change their socks. Maybe asking their supplier to produce a more protective boot, that appears to be universally absent, could be a new begining

M. Fishman, London,

Sorry but is it the 1st of April of something? or is Levy a fool? As a chelsea fan I find this hilarious, for the first time in decades spurs have quietly and consistently improved season on season since Jol arrived. This season could have been their chance to break into the top four but Levy has spat the dummy after three games and pressed the self-distruct button! Just imagine if Man Utd did that to Ferguson all those years ago.....

Will, Huntingdon,

The only one who is stable is Jol. The Dutch are better organized and when times get rough they stay loyal and rational. Give the guy a break. Don't forget: at the end Jol will LOL thanks to the financial compensation.

Hans Lutters, Christchurch, New Zealand

I am astounded that a coach who has delivered 5th position for two years, has a settled side that plays exciting football and is a firm favourite with the supporters can be treated like this after 3 games. If you want fundamental change should you not have entered into this ludicras exercise in May. Or are the media playing ridiculous games again.

Martin Jol should be allowed to develop his team, lets face it he is the best coach Spus have had for years let him do his job.

Tim , Marlow, United Kingdom

Jonathon, Benitez won the Champions League in his FIRST season!

Dave, Bristol, UK

This is an absoloute joke ... spurs were nothing more than a mid table team since the departure of terry venables in the early 90s and everyone thats come in since has failed to deliver
in 2 seasons jol has delivered a top 5 position and the fans have been delighted but the board have bigger and better ideas which theres nothing wrong with, but surley they need to progress slowly or risk blowing it all

the top 4 is always going to be difficult to break into and naturally its where all the premiership teams want to be with the lucrative champions league rewards but teams only need to look at leeds and their attempts of "living the dream" as a warning of achiving too much too soon

mick palmer, luton, uk

I can never understand how so called "successful” business men are so naive? To meet behind the managers back is bad enough but to think they will not be seen can only be classed as gross stupidity.
This just highlights how gutless the Chairman is and as a believer of “where the buck stops” is at the top then M Js failure is also Mr. Levy’s so he should resign too.
If the back stabbing cowards on the board has any problem with Levy going they can always resign too.
As a supporter of this team for over 35 years I never witnessed this panic when we were relegated let alone moving forward.
The last two years have restored some pride to our club but it is the board and not the manager that has let us down yet again.

M Tatnell, Noak Mead, Essex

This fiasco brings back memories of the England debacle. How to destroy the morale of a guy who has worked tirelessly for the club and who has brought us out of obscurity into Europe and challenging for the top 4. What effect does the Board think this will have on the team and our chances of really progressing this year. Martin Jol is one of the most respected managers in the Premiership, is a fair, straight-talking and honest guy. Perhaps the Board is looking for someone without these qualities - another untried replacement. Sure, I was as disapointed as all Spurs fans at the start to the season but he has to be given proper time this season to show what he can do without fear of the chop. The Board ought to back off, appologise to him for the shabby way he has been treated and stop meeting all and sundry to further undermine his position

John Moses, Sevenoaks, UK

Even as a gooner I feel sorry for Jol, a decent bloke and a good manager, plus he's far more astute than the clowns running Tottenham.

Mark, Mark,

The whole situation has been very clumsily handled. Martin Jol does not deserve such treatment. Where were Spurs 3 years ago? Could the managers of the current top 4 English clubs have achieved any more in the time? Compare this with the length of time Sir Alec Ferguson was given at MU without much success. A proper judgement of MJ can only be given after 2 more years. However, the chances for hime have been soured by the fiasco.

Robert Wlliam Burr, AYLESBURY, BUCKS

Two times 5th! MJ himself would set this season's target as Champions League wouldn't he? As such it is right to be grooming a replacement in case he doesn't succeed in that target. However the folly is making this so public. There always seems to be tension in "sporting director/ coach" relationships. That structure can be discussed but its the amateurish blundering about with meetings that are clearly public thats the error. It is either a foolish threat, a shot across the bow of MJ that is unnecessariily hostile OR its just plain incompetence on behalf of the board in the handling of their discussions. Doesn't it remind one of the incompetent blunderings of the FA in relation to Scolari? Similar situation in some (not all) respects but, despairingly the same mistakes!

Laurence Shaw, Sandwich, UK

I cant believe the way Martin Jol has been treated, absolute disgrace. The guy has done more for the mighty Spurs in the last two seasons than any manager I can remember. This Cornelli tube seems to be the issue, get him out, let the big man keep er lit, MJ Rocks!

Mark Davo, Belfast, Ireland

Give the man a chance, they already have 50% more points than Man U!

Peter, Orpington,

As an Iron it's always nice to see the pickle that Spurs get themselves in. Talk about authors of their own misfortune!
Jol has been great for the club over the last couple of seasons - fifth place was admirable. He seems to have shaped the side well, and when fully fit they'll be a force to be reckoned with.
Levy has made them a laughing stock with these shenanigans: let Jol spend £35 million and conduct all pre-season preparation just to sack him at the start of the season after a brief wobble?? Classic Spurs. You don't see anyone questioning Man U's ability to go the distance just because they've started poorly.

If I were Jol I'd take that thumping pay-off and leave Spurs to it.

Kwev, London,

I have been a Spurs season ticket holder for many years and have missed very few home matches. To my memory MJ is the most liked manager to date (apart from Hoddle's early days) and apart from a few tactical errors has been a reasonably good manager. He does however need a little more time. Perhaps this plus next season. Spurs are heading in the right direction and it would be wrong to get rid of him, the Board should give him their full backing instead of undermining him.
Those of us who were "booing" at the end of the Everton match were not showing displeasure at MJ but at a team who played way below their ability.
Our support for MJ was shown at our last home match with Derby and i'm sure he appreciated it.

Ertan Hurer, London, England

The whole situation highlights the greed among the premier league. The Charimen want everything now and are not prepared to be patient. Maybe if they looked at the examples of Hughes at Blackburn and Moyes at Everton they would see that it pays off. Tottenham have no right to "expect" a top 4 finish, the Premier League is extremley competitive and a UEFA cup spot is by no means guaranteed. Besides Mr Levy why would a manager who is already in the Champions League leave his club for one that hopes to be in it?

Sam , Islington,

Man Utd, have had an equally appaling, if not worse, start to the season than Spurs, at least Spurs have won a game. Yet no one is calling for Fergies head. Why? As it's too early. This is yet another example of chairmen wanting instant results, instant glory. What happened to the days when fottbal managers could concentrate on running the team isntead of having to constantly look over their shoulders to see what the chairmen and director of sport were plotting next?

Chris, Cornwall,

MJ has done well...to a point and maybe he is not the man to take it to the next level.

MJ has often got it wrong, especially away from home. Spurs seemd to have only one way of playing and if that does not work they lose. They must learn to win dirty, play to the final whistle (not 90 mins) and be able to protect slender leads.
MJ also said 5th would be acceptable. As soon as the players hear comments like this they will not work as hard.

The way this has been managed is appaling but Levy must have thought he had Ramos in the bag.

It is Comolli's role that I believe should now come under the spotlight. If he is buying players the Manager does not want and not filling voids in the team (left wing) how is the team supposed to progress.

James Griffin, London, UK

prediction - Spurs get rid of Gentleman Jol and consequently flap about regrouping till Christmas loose momentum and finish 10th ! All because of a gready chairman and ungrateful board. Pity the poor paying fans.

andrew wakeling, London, UK

get ride of the board
how do you give a manager +/- £50 m and then after 2 games have all this crap about getting ride of a manager if jol goes spurs go back 3 years
please lets have some stability
wake up spurs board

rapp, london,

Alex Fergusen had better start looking over his shoulder... he only has 2 points from 3 games!

Ridiculous situation, Jol is the man in charge of the team and it's he who is in the hot seat. It's not like if Spurs have a bad game you hear commentators and fans say, "Well, Levy/Comolli just wasn't up to standard today." If you've got a revolving door of managers, all of whom have the same problem, chances are it's not the managers, its the heirarchy.

James Clark, London,

SPURS ARE A TOTAL SHAMBLES. If you are going to break into the top four you don't do it by having so little faith in your manager that you consider getting rid of him at this stage.

Dutchy, London,

Is it by chance that Juergen Klinsmann flew in yesterday just to see his old pals of the German national team preparing for today's game at Wembley? I wonder if he is still in touch with his former club as he's just sitting around in California

Chris, London, UK

MARK HUGHES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry I thought we were thinking of moving upwards not the reverse. Keep Jol lose Carmolli !

Edward chalkley, Corseul, France

so spurs now have the excuses lined up should they not meet thier potential...soft and very disappointing after 3 games.

c'mon MJ, only one way to shut them up. win us trophies.

Stu Walter, Bunbury, Australia

Wasn't it too quick in the season for David Levy to impose certain conditions on Jol? Could he have waited for another 5 weeks before holding Jol to the terms of their bargain: Champions League spot and so on? However, more fundamentally, does Levy think that Spurs have the wherewithal to challenge Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United so quickly? How long did it take for Benitz to achieve success? Quiet a few. I think David Levy's demands of Jol have not been commensurate with the reality of Spurs: a weakened defense, a yet to gel forward line. David Levy should have permitted Jol to work his magic for the next couple of years before imposing such high flying demands on the Dutchman. Pity! Now a sense of animosity will seep in from the boardroom, through the dressing room and onto the pitch.

Jonathan, Costa Mess, C

Give Jol a break. They have 3 points from 3 games. It's hardly a disaster. He needs at least 2 months to show whether his system is working or not. No wonder spurs never win anything!

dan, adelaide, australia

too few games played to be putting unnecessary pressure on the manager hopefully all three can work this out but i doubt now words have been spoke. they should have viewed manchester utd s start to have realized this year the premiership is at its most competitive and sat tight un -nerved

michael houton, fleetwood in lancashire, uk

Levy is making himself look foolish. Everyone knows that it is extraordinarily hard to break into the top 4, not just because they have more money, but because they can attract the best and hungriest players. He is panicking absurdly early in the season, and if the next manager does worse (which is more likely than not) it will be his fault, not that manager's.

Oliver Chettle, Bedford,

If Spurs can afford to give £4 million as severance pay to Jol then they deserve everything they are going to get.
Football and big corporations must be the only business's that reward failure so well.
The FA paid Erickson millions to stay at home after he was ousted and for what.
He had already been well paid for his years of failure.
If we mere mortals foul up we are given our P45, shown the door and the way to the nearest Benefits Office - period.
Why oh why did I not have ambitions to be an unsuccessful Football Club Manager?

Leonard, Seoul, South Korea

Jol MUST go!!

S K LIN, Guangzhou, China

I think it's a crazy move to sack Martin Jol now. They have to give him at least till the end of this season.

OK spurs have had a bad start to the season, so whats new. All the chairman and directors have achieved is to unsettle everyone at the club. So to unsettle them even more by sacking the manager and bringing in someone new now would be a bad move, and being a spurs fan and a great admirer of MJ I would be very disapointed in the management if they did sack him. So come on you spurs, get behind the manager and give him support. To sack him now would be foolish.

Scratch, Worcester, uk

I wonder how much the recent share buyout at Spurs is behind the publicity debacle at Spurs? Martin Jol made some comments which were interpreted as lacking ambition and then the team loses twice. Immediately, Daniel Levy sees all the investment at risk as well as his job. He won't have been the first Chairman to transfer the pressure on to the manager - unfortunately Spurs have been made to look ridiculous publicly.

peter, Birmingham, UK

I am one of Jol's biggest critics and one of Levy's biggest fans but this is ludicrous. It is not his fault that we are without 8 top players but I must say we should be beating teams like Sunderland. I think if it doesn't go well in the next couple of weeks he may resign anyway but he deserves a chance.

Stuart Keen, Evesham,

Please reference to the Spurs 'OFFICIAL' website - they have released a statement confirming Jol's job is safe for the season - but I think if Spurs do not finish in the top 4 this season - then it's lights out!!!!!

fe sayyah, Crawley, England