Danny Murphy has made the astonishing claim that Ange Postecoglou's response to links with the Brighton job 'stinks'.
The Celtic boss appeared to talk down links to the Premier League side on Tuesday when he labelled them as 'irrelevant' while he concentrates on grabbing big opportunities with the Hoops. However, former Liverpool ace Murphy has slammed that response, saying that "it stinks of keeping your options open".
The Aussie's name has been touted in the direction of Brighton since the Amex Stadium departure of Graham Potter to Chelsea. However, Postecoglou insisted he isn’t interested in such outside chat and said if he is not successful at Celtic, "it won’t be other options that open up" for him, "it’ll be this one that closes".
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jim White, Simon Jordan and Murphy discussed that response from the 57-year-old - and former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan was left dumbfounded by the former Fulham star's take. Asked if it was him shutting down links to the Seagulls, Jordan said he thought it was 'fair enough' before Murphy piped up.
He said: "I like him but I think it's poor. I don't like it, it stinks of keeping your options open.
"He should have said, I can put that to bed, I'm here. I'm at a big club, I've got Champions League to focus on. I'm here for the season.
"He hasn't said, 'don't worry I'm not leaving. Don't worry I'm here'. He has not said, 'I am not going to Brighton and I will not entertain the idea'.
"Of course he is [focused on being successful here], everyone is everyday. I've read it all three times and my interpretation is, if I'm a Celtic fan I don't see him saying to me - don't worry, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I don't care whether Brighton are coming in, I don't care if Bayern Munich are coming in. Right now, I'm here."
A baffled Jordan responded: "Well that is silly because everyone knows if Manchester United come in he'd be going. So what he's saying is, if I'm not successful here there will be other options. What he's basically saying is in the world of football, the real world, not the sentimental twaddle, I will be taken care of if I'm successful. So it's cuts both ways.
"If I'm successful people will want me, if I'm unsuccessful Celtic won't want me. So I'm going to be here and I'm going to try to be successful."
Murphy continued: "That's the most obvious thing you can say. Of course if you do well your going be wanted. What he's being asked is about the Brighton job - are you interested? He's not saying no.
"I'll tell you what this stinks of to me - and I like him by the way - it wouldn't surprise me if Brighton are in for him. That suggests to me that he might be keeping his options open."
He added: "The Munich comment was silly from me. What I meant was, he's been asked about Brighton. I'm a player, I'm a manager. If I think I might want to go to Brighton, I don't say I'm not going to Brighton, hence the fact he hasn't said it.
"I"m not interested in the Brighton job. Full stop, there you go, done. Why not? If you're not interested why not just say it. You don't need a quarter of a brain, he's keeping his options open."
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