PARIS (AFP) - A potentially low key start to Thursday's UEFA Cup group stage was enlivened in no uncertain fashion with the reports that Spurs manager Martin Jol had been removed from his post.

While the popular Dutchman remained in charge for their UEFA Cup match with Getafe - in which the players could not give him a winning send-off as they lost 2-1 at home - both The Sun and The Times were reporting that he had agreed severance terms with the board.

It should be confirmed on Friday when the Stock Exchange opens.

He was also seen leaving the dressingroom shortly after the final whistle to go to the boardroom as many Spurs fans stayed behind after the match shaking their heads in disbelief.

Ironically the man slated to replace him Juande Ramos took his present club Sevilla to two successive UEFA Cups, and last season knocked out Spurs in the quarter-finals.

Another Premiership club due to come under new management, Bolton, managed a slightly better result as they drew 1-1 at home to unheralded Portuguese side Sporting Braga at the Reebok Stadium - watched by the man brought in to replace Sammy Lee, Gary Megson.

The other Premiership side in action Everton gained a predictable 3-1 win over Cypriot outfit Larissa with the most notable aspect being a goal by Australian international Tim Cahill on his return to frontline action.

The individual performance of the night was a double by German international striker Miroslav Klose, whose rejuvenation since he signed for Bayern Munich from Werder Bremen continues apace - the German giants edging another former European Cup champion Red Star Belgrade 3-2 in Belgrade.

Klose struck first to knock in a rebound after Lucio's long range effort had been parried by the goalkeeper in the 19th minute to level at 1-1 and the Polish-born star was to their rescue again in the second-half as his header from Bastien Schweinsteiger's cross once again equalised the match.

Teenage substitute Toni Kroos made it a memorable night for him on only his second appearance for Bayern by scoring directly from a right wing freekick in the fourth minute of injury time to seal a late victory just 14 minutes after coming on.

While Kroos faces a potentially starlight future, two giants of the past also struck for their respective clubs and not for the first time saved their team-mates from defeat.

The seemingly ageless Swedish icon Henrik Larsson scored to see the 35-year-old former Barcelona and Celtic star give his side Helsingborgs a 1-1 home draw over Greek side Panionios while former Italian international striker Christian Vieri struck for Fiorentina against in-form Spanish side Villarreal in another 1-1 draw.

For Vieri, who was set up by Romanian striker partner Adrian Mutu, it was the 34-year-old's 31st goal in European club competition.

The modest three French clubs left in the competition had a mixed bag of results with Bordeaux the only winners, confirming their hold over Turkish giants Galatasaray with a 2-1 win at home, adding to a draw and a win in their Champions League group last term.

Jol can only wish his hold over Spurs was that firm.