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.
News had filtered through to the fans and they chanted "stand up for Martin Jol" in appreciation of his three years at White Hart Lane. He brought consecutive fifth-placed finishes but could not buy a victory this season.
Nothing went right for him 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.
How Jol would have loved Ledley King at the start of the season as expected when he had his knee operation in the summer. Instead, Spurs have been undermined by a series of defensive lapses, and they were again against Getafe.
The disjointed performance suggested the players knew something was wrong, although Jol's team selection suggested a shake-up after the terrible defeat to Newcastle on Monday rather than a swansong.
On the bench was Michael Dawson, one of the players Jol criticised for mistakes at St James' Park but a stalwart of last season.
Dimitar Berbatov, who appeared reluctant to warm up as a substitute against Newcastle, was in the starting XI but was moody as he has been all season, a dip in form that has not helped Jol's cause.
The Spaniards set about with their plan to inflict more misery on Jol, seizing on their lack 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.
Granero also tried his luck from long distance as the Spaniards grew in confidence.
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, taking his tally to three for the season, all of them in the UEFA Cup.
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 around 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.
Spurs looked rocked, losing their composure and slicing clearances at all angles. Defoe looked to take the fight to the visitors, storming through and getting his effort blocked. He also blazed over in the final stages of the first half.
It got worse for Spurs when Anthony Gardner picked up an injury and was replaced by Dawson. Gardner 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 as he was still in the dug-out for the second half.
Fans asked for their customary wave from the Dutchman - although this one was interpreted as a wave goodbye. They chanted for their manager, and also sang in protest against chairman Daniel Levy.
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.
