Ange Postecoglou has denied that he has held any talks with Tottenham or his agent about his future plans as Celtic prepare for their Scottish Cup final against Inverness.
It now appears an open secret that Postecoglou is of interest to Spurs, with multiple outlets over recent days stating that the North London club are expected to make an approach for the Australian after Saturday’s final (Evening Standard).
On Thursday, The Sun even suggested that the 57-year-old was keen on taking the Tottenham job and that Celtic are already looking for a replacement as they are resigned to losing him.
In his press conference on Thursday, Postecoglou insisted that news of Tottenham’s interest ‘doesn’t register’ and that he is not paying any attention to the speculation (BBC Sport).
(Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
The Celtic boss has now delivered an even more emphatic denial, insisting that his representatives know better than to discuss these things with him leading up to the cup final.
When asked if he has spoken to his agent about Tottenham’s interest, Postecoglou told The Daily Record: “They know better than to ask me anything this week mate. They know me very well. They wouldn’t dare ask me about anything.
“No (discussions about Spurs). I know you find that surprising. That’s hard for you to understand because you are not me.
“You are not in my skin, you don’t live and breathe this job that I have and what Saturday means to me, these players, this football club.
“There is nothing more important – apart from my family obviously – than that game.
“It’s not just about me. This club is planning for next year, planning to bring players in. There is a full range of conversations going on, but my focus is on making sure we win a game of football which is very, very important to us.
“Saturday means everything to us, everything, so it doesn’t enter my sphere that I am going to be distracted – as I hope the players wouldn’t be – by matters in their own lives.
“If our focus is not on Saturday then the stories become very, very different after the game.
“The questions become very, very different. The story on Saturday is not going to be anything other than, ‘did we win?’.
“I will do what I think is the most important thing in my role for the next four days, as I would in any other case, and that is to try and get the team to win the Scottish Cup.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Postecoglou is leaving no stone unturned to impress upon Celtic fans that his focus is fully on Saturday’s final and that there is no question of any distraction, which is understandable.
However, the Australian is also being careful not to dismiss Tottenham’s interest or state that he will remain at Celtic next season, which suggests that he is certainly open to speaking with the North London club after Saturday’s final.
Have something to tell us about this article?
