It may prove a classic case of “They protest too much” but Tottenham Hotspur felt moved enough yesterday to deny reports that senior directors had met on Monday again to discuss the future of Martin Jol, the manager. The North London club also denied suggestions that a £4 million payoff had been agreed with the Dutchman.

“There has been no board meeting, let alone any emergency board meeting,” Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, said in a statement on the club website. “Reports that we have agreed a compensation package with Martin are wholly inaccurate. We have not even discussed the subject.”

Jol is two games into what is believed to be a six-match “do-or-die” sequence leading up to the international break next month, when the board might reassess his position. Though Tottenham defeated Anorthosis Famagusta 6-1 in the first leg of their Uefa Cup first-round tie at White Hart Lane last week, a 1-1 draw with Bolton Wanderers on Sunday left them third from bottom in the Barclays Premier League.

Winning the Carling Cup third-round tie against Middlesbrough at White Hart Lane this evening might help Jol to shed his “dead man walking” image and enhance the prospects of him keeping his job. The possible return of Jermain Defoe addresses another thorny issue at the club. Does the England striker have a future at Tottenham?

Despite scoring two spectacular goals as a second-half substitute in the demolition of Anorthosis, Defoe was left out of the 16-man squad that travelled to Bolton. The visit of Middlesbrough allows room for Jol to placate his frustrated striker, probably as a replacement for Robbie Keane.

“We’ve got a few options when it comes to the starting line-up,” Jol said. “Aaron Lennon is fine and fit for selection, along with Jermain Defoe and Gareth Bale. We will make some changes but we will always field a strong team. We want to get into the next round in front of our supporters.”