Sean Dyche has laughed off suggestions he is in talks with Tottenham Hotspur over the manager’s job, insisting he was simply enjoying a pint of Guinness when photographed in a London pub. The former Burnley boss was named by bookmakers as a leading contender to replace interim head coach Igor Tudor, whose position has come under pressure after five defeats in seven matches.
Speaking on Talksport, Dyche recounted the moment he was approached in The Seven Stars pub. “I was in the pub just up the way near my place I’ve got down here and this guy goes, ‘ah, you’re meant to be in talks with Spurs tonight?’ And I say, ‘I’m sat next to you having a pint of Guinness, so it’s unlikely – unless you work for Spurs!’”
Dyche, 54, was appearing as a guest alongside his friend Jonny Owen. He acknowledged that managers are often asked about potential jobs but tried to be respectful when discussing Tottenham, describing them as a “brilliant club” and recalling Ricky Villa’s famous goal as one of his earliest football memories.
“You get asked and you try to be respectful because let’s use Tottenham as an example. A brilliant club, massive club and all the rest of it and one of my first ever memories is Ricky Villa’s goal and so you say ‘yeah, flattered.’”
Spurs are without a fixture until 12 April, while Tudor is also dealing with the death of his father Mario. Dyche’s light-hearted denial came amid intense social media speculation, which he said becomes impossible to manage: “And (social media) say, ‘he hasn’t said no,’ and then you go, ‘no,’ and they say, ‘he wants it really’, so you say, ‘yes,’ and they say, ‘I knew he wanted it,’ so what can you say?”
