Sean Dyche poured cold water on the ongoing Tottenham rumours in quite spectacular fashion.
The iconic manager was in the eSPORTY studios on Saturday morning, and it wasn’t long before he was quizzed on speculation linking him with Igor Tudor’s job.
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Dyche is thought to be among the names being considered if, as expected, the north London side decide to axe interim-boss Tudor following his nightmare start.
Tottenham are in real danger, sitting just one place and one point above the Premier League relegation zone with seven games left.
eSPORTY understands Spurs are continuing to deliberate over whether to change manager before the end of the international break.
‘It’s unlikely’
With Tudor’s future hanging in the balance, Dyche has been tipped to step up to the plate, given his knack for grinding out results.
The 54-year-old is available for work having been sacked by Nottingham Forest in February.
Dyche sent the rumour mill spinning on Friday, when he was pictured enjoying a pint at a north London pub, leading social media to assume he was in town to discuss taking the Spurs job.
eSPORTY had the first chance to quiz the former Burnley and Everton boss on this, as he joined friend and actor Jonny Owen in the studio to host a special show on Saturday morning.
Responding to the rumours, Dyche laughed and said: “That’s brilliant. Honestly, I was in a pub just up the way, near my place I’ve got down there.
“And this guy goes: ‘Oh, you’re meant to be in talks with Spurs’.
“And I said: ‘Well, I’m sat next to you having a pint of Guinness – it’s unlikely.
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“I said: ‘Unless you work for Spurs, and they’re at The Seven Stars Pub having a pint of Guinness, it’s highly unlikely!
‘[I said] No, I’m not. I’m with you, mate. And I’m on eSPORTY. That’s what I’m doing’.”
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t
After shutting down recent speculation in hilarious fashion, Dyche then opened up on the minefield of being linked with a job.
The Englishman has become a popular name in the hat when a vacancy crops up in the Premier League, having earned a strong reputation from his stints at Burnley, Everton and Forest.
He is best known for his 10 years with the Clarets, where he twice won promotion to the Premier League, before keeping his underdog side in the top-flight for six consecutive seasons and secured a seventh-place finish in 2018.
Asked how he handles the rumour mill, Dyche admitted: “You get clickbaited to death, don’t you?
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“So no matter what you do, it’s a very tricky situation. You’re right to ask for an inside view.
“When you’re the manager, you know you’re going to get asked these [questions] at some point, whatever part of your career, if you’re doing all right.
“And you get asked, and then you try and be respectful, because obviously, let’s use Tottenham as an example – brilliant club, massive club and all the rest.
“One of my first ever memories, is Ricky Villa’s goal [in the 1981 FA Cup final] and all that. And then you go: ’Yeah, I’m flattered.’
“And then they go: ‘Oh, he hasn’t said no!’. Then you go: ‘No’. And they go: ‘Oh, he wants it, really?’
“And you say: ‘Yes’, and they go: ‘Oh, I knew he’d want it’.
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“Whatever you say [people take the wrong way], because if you say: ‘No, I’m not interested’, it’s as if he’s got ideas above his station.”
Who else is linked with the Tottenham job?
Dyche isn’t the only name Tottenham are thought to be sounding out as a potential replacement for Tudor.
Also believed to be high up on their shortlist is Austrian coach Adi Hutter, who is without a job and has enjoyed successful stints at Young Boys, Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco.
Along with Hutter, there is internal support for ex-Spurs player and coach Chris Hughton.
Another former star, Robbie Keane, would also be keen to return to his former club, but only on a longer-term deal.
Ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is seeb as a leading candidate for the summer if Spurs avoid relegation, but sources have told eSPORTY he remains reluctant to take over now.
