“I didn’t laugh it off by the way, I told a true story. I spend a lot of time in London, not working but socially and I just happened to be here at the same time the Tottenham job opened. Once you’re in the city, people put two and two together and it was never about getting drawn into the rumours.
”I’m telling the truth, there was a lot of speculation and talk and I was playing it down correctly so. It’s no disrespect to anyone, it’s a brilliant club and I’ve said that but it’s nonsense to pre-suppose an outcome just because you’re in the same city.
…
“Obviously in the career I have, it does pay well but I wouldn’t go in there looking for money. They could offer me a massive amount of money, I’m sure they’re capable of it and allegedly they’ve offered [Roberto] De Zerbi a massive amount of money.
“It would have been about what are [Spurs] going to help me gain as a human being. What would I gain? Let’s say you go in there and get the job done, then next season if you’re not in the top four and the football’s not what they want, then you’re rubbish and they want you out.
“So you’re not going to gain a lot there, are you? And that’s if you get the job done, because it’s not easy. If you don’t get the job done, then somehow it’s on my neck that I took Tottenham down. That ain’t good for me as a human, this isn’t even about football at this point. Then you get some money and I go, I’m not thirsty for that. I’ve got some money.”