Dyche Dodges Spurs Talk While De Zerbi Faces Fan Backlash Over Greenwood Stance

Sean Dyche has batted away suggestions he's destined for White Hart Lane, offering a characteristically dry take on the rumour mill while Igor Tudor's tenure at Spurs edges closer to its inevitable conclusion.

The former Everton and Nottingham Forest manager found himself at the centre of managerial speculation this weekend, with reports suggesting he could become an 'SOS call' option should Tottenham fail to land their primary target. Rather than play coy, Dyche went straight for the humour when quizzed on talkSPORT on Saturday morning.

"I was in a pub just up the way, near my place I've got down there," he explained, "and this guy goes: 'Oh, you're meant to be in talks with Spurs'. I said: 'Well, I'm sat next to you having a pint of Guinness – it's unlikely. Unless you work for Spurs, and they're at The Seven Stars Pub having a pint of Guinness, it's highly unlikely!' I'm with you, mate. And I'm on talkSPORT. That's what I'm doing."

The north London club are bracing for Tudor's departure announcement on Monday. The Croatian has overseen a disastrous spell in charge, winning just two of his seven matches. Last weekend's 3-0 hammering at home to Nottingham Forest appears to have sealed his fate, rendering his position untenable.

De Zerbi remains Spurs' leading managerial target, though the former Brighton and Marseille boss faces an unexpected obstacle: organised opposition from within the club's own fanbase. Proud Lilywhites, the club's LGBTQI+ supporter group, has launched a campaign against his potential appointment, citing his public defence of Mason Greenwood.

"We've seen the reports linking Roberto De Zerbi with the Tottenham job and honestly, it doesn't sit right," the group stated.

"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."