Ange Postecoglou has dismissed speculation linking him with the Liverpool managerial job and said he is just getting started at Tottenham.
Rumors circulated this week that the 58-year-old could be on Liverpool's shortlist to replace Jurgen Klopp, who announced last month that he would end his nine-year tenure at Anfield when the season ends.
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Postecoglou only took charge of Spurs last summer but impressed in his first season at the club, overcoming the departure of talismanic striker Harry Kane to guide Spurs to fourth place after 24 games, just seven points behind leaders Liverpool. .
Asked about reports that he could be among contenders to succeed Klopp, Postecoglou said at a press conference on Friday: “'I may be on a short list. I don't think I want to say anything about it because I don't think I will ever go into the space of my brain to determine what my priorities in life and career are right now.
“Do I take that as a compliment? It depends. If it's just people saying names, who cares?”
“Really? But at the end of the day, if I'm doing a good job, I hope people recognize it in one way or another, whatever it may be.”
“But the so-called 'chat' doesn't interest me.”
When asked if he felt like he had just started his job at the Spurs, Postecoglou continued: “Well, I am. I don't just feel, I am.”
“I've only been here seven months, so that's self-explanatory. I've gone out of my way to say that we still have a long way to go in terms of the football we want to play, the team we want to be, the squad we want to have.
“We've had two positive windows. I think we've had two positive campaigns, a decent campaign so far, but we have a long way to go.”
Postecoglou, who signed a four-year contract with Tottenham when he took over, was then asked if there was any doubt he would be at the club next season.
“That's what I'm talking about,” he replied.
“That's the fun space when we talk about coaches. When we're not doing well, then there's doubt about whether we're going to be here. When you're potentially doing well, there's still doubt about whether you're going to be here.
“The reality is that most of it is out of our hands. I never worry about that. I have a 26-year history of management where you can see quite clearly what I do.
“I rely on that as my explanation for where my thought processes are.
“Now it's about finishing the season strongly with Tottenham and making sure we try to establish a really solid foundation for what we want to be in the coming years.
“That can only happen if I am totally focused on what these last 14 games can bring for us.”
Postecoglou said Destiny Udogie and Pedro Porro will miss Saturday's Premier League home game against Wolves through injury, while Fraser Forster fractured his foot in training and is expected to be “conservatively” sidelined for around two months.
