It's testament to the job Ange Postecoglou is doing at Celtic that it seems a new Premier League club is interested in his services with every month that passes.
This time it's Tottenham - for the second time - who are reportedly looking to the Greek Aussie after being knocked back by Feyenoord's Arne Slot. It seemed like just weeks ago he was named on their initial shortlist (because it was) but after several rejections and the largely unsuccessful interim appointments of Christian Stelini and Ryan Mason, the North London side are back sniffing around Celtic Park for the man leading them on a charge towards a Treble.
Sidestepping the question rather than answering it directly, he insisted his only focus for now is on winning a Treble and that he's not looking to the long-term future. Having been firmly linked with Spurs twice now, as well as Leeds, Leicester, Everton, Chelsea and even Japan in the past, it's easy to see why he's grown tired of fielding the questions.
But fans have noted his response this time was a markedly softer and less decisive response than he's given in the past. Here, Record Sport take a look at everything Postecoglou has had to say on his future beyond Celtic since taking the job.
September 2022
There were many doubters when Postecoglou, a relatively unknown entity in comparison to the broadly familiar Eddie Howe, was first appointed. Even moreso when he lost three of his first six league games in charge.
But fast forward a year and he had two trophies, including a league title, in the bag. During a trip home to Australia, the media interest around him was at fever-pitch and he was asked on Aussie TV about the first substantial reports linking him with a move to the Premier League.
He said: "Don't read much into it. Twelve months ago I was favoured to get the sack by Christmas. I'm really happy where I am - it's a massive football club. We play in front of 60,000 people every week. We've got the opportunity to win trophies - to win the Champions League.
"I'm loving it at the moment. I'm living the dream. I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm looking forward to bringing more success to the club.
"I'm enjoying where I am right now. I've only been there a year. We had some fantastic success last year, but there's still plenty of challenges ahead,' he said. We lost our last game (against St Mirren) and I had to get out of the country and come half way around the world to avoid the scrutiny."
Early February 2023
Then the Premier League jobs began to open up. First it was Everton, who sacked Frank Lampard and were at the time believed to be looking closely at a move for Postecoglou.
But he wasn't having it then, saying: “I get the excitement round things like that. If I had a player in a similar boat I’d just tell him, ‘keep playing your football and don’t worry about anything else, all those kinds of things are just noise’.
“I take my own advice on stuff like that. I’ve been around the game long enough to know how quickly it changes.
“If anyone thinks for the last seven days I’ve thought about anything but preparing the team to play today then obviously they haven’t got a clear idea of what I’m about.”
Late February 2023
After Lampard, it was Jesse Marsch given the bullet and the links with Leeds were even more firm. Speaking after the Viaplay Final, though, Postecoglou gave an impassioned response - saying fans might be "surprised" by how long he is around.
He said: “When people say, ‘He’s going to go down the road or somewhere else with the first offer he gets’, it’s not how I’m wired, it’s not how I think. For me, what it’s about is just trying to leave a mark wherever I am. I have done that with every football club I have been at. I want to do that at this club too and that is all that consumes me.
“I don’t think about the next step or I need to go somewhere else, or I need to do this or I need to consider other things. It’s all there and you don’t go through life oblivious to it.
“It’s not even healthy to put the blinkers up and not know what is going on, because that tests your desire to keep doing what you’re doing. Of course, if people are talking about my future, or are interested in my future, I will sit there and listen.
“It doesn’t mean I’m going to jump at anything that comes my way. I’m really passionate about what I do. The people close to me know what is most important to me, what drives me and what keeps me sort of happy in my role. And I couldn’t be happier.
“In the world of management, I am too old to be kidded on by anybody. Things change very quickly. How many managers last three years in their roles these days?
“You have either got to have extraordinary success or in rare circumstances a club sticks by you. Apart from that, everyone doesn’t last that long.
“I am going into my third year next year and I am going to keep doing what I am doing and not really worry about what other people see. So I’ll tell you what the first thing is and one of you will be the first ones to do it, is say I am not ambitious enough because I am not moving on.”
March 2023
Postecoglou found himself in the running for two jobs south of the border after Brendan Rodgers left Leicester City and Antonio Conte left Spurs. However, he remained unmoved by the speculation.
“I’m loving being manager of this football club. I’ve never in my whole career worried about contracts. If it’s one year it’s one glorious year and I’ll work as if I’m going to be here forever.
“That’s how I’ve always worked and will continue to work. Being manager of this football club fulfils everything that I’ve ever wanted as a manager.
“I’m in charge of a massive football club. I get the opportunity to work at the highest level domestically and in Europe. I’m at a club where people are passionate about the same things I’m passionate about.
“As a manager you learn to understand sometimes your destiny isn’t in your own hands. You always understand at some point it will come to an end but I’m loving every minute and I hope it continues for a long time.”
May 2023
After a two failed interim appointments, Tottenham is back on the agenda. Asked about a host of Premier League interest he said: "And yet I'm still here. Listen, it doesn't come into it. I think anyone that knows me knows that what is important for me is the here and now. I've never planned anything in my football career.
"My ambitions right now are to enjoy tomorrow and have a good game and try to win a cup final to have a special year. It's not every year that you get the chance to win a Treble. If anyone thinks that I am thinking anything other than that then they don't know me."
"I'm aware of it (Tottenham) because everyone keeps asking me about it. But in the past I've been pretty clear that's just not the way I think and work. My priority right now is trying to make sure we have a special day tomorrow. We have a big cup final coming up in a week's time so I'm not going to sit there and try and get distracted by things that are fascinating for other people than myself.
"That's what my focus is and will continue to be. We've got a couple of big games, we've had a fantastic season, and we've got the opportunity to make it a really special one."
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