"I was having a nap this afternoon" - Premier League manager makes hilarious claim when asked about taking England job
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou had a hilarious response when he was asked about links with the England job. He asserted his commitment to Spurs and brushed off links with the Three Lions.
England parted ways with Gareth Southgate on Tuesday, July 16 after an eight-year stint. This comes after their UEFA Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain in Berlin on July 14. Southgate led them to two Euro finals, one FIFA World Cup semi-final (2018), and one quarter-final (2022) but was unable to win a trophy.
The English FA are now in search of a replacement and have been linked with numerous names, both English and foreign. The Telegraph reported on Wednesday that Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is also under consideration.
Spurs played out their first recognised pre-season friendly at Heart of Midlothian FC on Wednesday evening. After an emphatic 5-1 win, Ange was asked about the England links and he replied (via Football.London):
"I was having a nap this afternoon. I have no idea. I'm the Tottenham manager and I'm determined to bring success to this club. That's where my focus is totally."
Tottenham appointed Ange as manager last summer after his treble-winning campaign (2022-23) with Celtic. He did incredibly well in his first season, helping them finish fifth in the Premier League and qualifying for the Europa League.
Harry Kane sends a heartfelt message to Gareth Southgate after he leaves England national team
Former Tottenham striker Harry Kane left a heartfelt message for Gareth Southgate after the latter's exit. The Bayern Munich striker made his England debut under Roy Hodgson in 2015 but played most of his international football under Southgate, who was appointed in 2016.
After it was announced that the 53-year-old will be leaving the Three Lions, Kane wrote in an Instagram post:
"Boss. Thank you for everything you have done for me and our country! You have been one of England’s greatest-ever managers and it has been a pleasure to have served as your captain throughout. You helped our nation connect and believe in our team again.
"There have been so many highlights and we’ve made memories together that will last forever! Good luck with your next chapter and I’m sure we’ll see each other around. Thanks, Boss!"
Kane is the Three Lions' all-time top scorer with 66 goals and 19 assists in 98 games. He also jointly won the Euro 2024 Golden Boot with three goals, sharing it with five other players.