Sean Dyche has this weekend quashed rumours he is in talks with Spurs but described the relegation-threatened team as a “brilliant club” amid speculation over Igor Tudor’s position.
A run of five defeats in seven matches under interim head coach Tudor has placed his job at threat, with their position in the Premier League a precarious one.
Tudor is currently dealing with the death of his father Mario but Dyche has been named by bookmakers as one of the leading contenders to take over if Tottenham were to make a change and the appearance of the ex-Burnley boss in a London pub on Friday sparked interest on social media.
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However, Dyche during an appearance on talkSPORT, laughed: “Ah, it’s brilliant, honestly.
“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!’
“I’m there in The Seven Stars pub having a pint of Guinness, so I said, ‘it’s highly unlikely’, no, I’m not (in talks), I’m with you and I’m on talkSPORT, that’s what we’re doing.”
During a guest hosting appearance alongside Dyche’s friend Jonny Owen, the 54-year-old did discuss the pitfalls of being asked about potential jobs but was complimentary about Spurs.
“To give you an inside view, when you’re the manager, you know you’re going to get asked these at some point and whatever part of your career if you’re doing all right,” Dyche said.
“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.
“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?”
Roberto De Zerbi is another manager who has been strongly linked with Spurs, but three fan groups have urged the club to rethink any potential appointment of the Italian due to his past backing of Marseille forward Mason Greenwood.
De Zerbi has been linked to Tottenham after he left his role with Marseille in February.
It's said De Zerbi is unlikely to accept a mid-season role and will instead wait until the summer to assess his options, but fan groups Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane and Spurs Reach all expressed their concerns about the former Brighton boss after he worked with Greenwood at Marseille.
Ex-Manchester United forward Greenwood was charged in October 2022 with one count of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over allegations relating to a young women after images and videos were posted online.
The Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charges in February 2023 owing to a “combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses” and due to “no realistic prospect of conviction”. Greenwood has since resumed his career and joined Marseille in 2024.
In November, De Zerbi described Greenwood as a “good guy” that had paid a “heavy price” and added: “It saddens me what happened in his life, because I know a totally different person than the one who was described.”
Spurs’ LGBTQI+ fan group Proud Lilywhites said: “We’ve seen the reports linking Roberto De Zerbi with the Tottenham job and honestly, it doesn’t sit right.
“As Proud Lilywhites, we care deeply about this club, not just what happens on the pitch, but what Tottenham stands for off it. This isn’t just about results or style of football. It’s about values, identity, and the kind of people we choose to represent us.
“We all want Spurs to move forward, but how we do that matters. When someone in that position publicly defends a player like Mason Greenwood, and frames it in a way that downplays the seriousness of what happened, it matters, not just in isolation but in what it signals.
“We are proud of the progress that’s been made in making football more inclusive and welcoming.
“That progress matters, and it cannot be compromised or treated as secondary.
“We are not asking for perfection. We are asking for accountability, transparency and leadership that reflects the values this club claims to stand for. All together, always. That has to mean something. No to De Zerbi.”
Women of the Lane added: “We want to be clear about how this (speculation) is landing with many women and allies in our community.
“De Zerbi has publicly defended Mason Greenwood in a way that downplays the seriousness of male violence against women and girls. That raises serious questions about judgement and leadership.
“This is not an appointment Tottenham Hotspur should make.”
A Spurs Reach statement read: “Comments previously attributed to Roberto De Zerbi, including public remarks defending and contextualising Mason Greenwood following serious allegations have been widely criticised for appearing to minimise the gravity of violence against women.
“Regardless of intent, framing of this nature risks normalising harmful attitudes, diminishing the experiences of survivors and sending a deeply concerning message about what is tolerated within the game.
“We all want the club to progress but it must do so in a way that reflects its values. No to De Zerbi.”