• Premier League

De Boer ready to hold Spurs talks

ESPN staff
April 30, 2014
Frank De Boer has won four straight Eredivisie titles with Ajax © Getty Images
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Frank de Boer says he is ready to hold talks with Tottenham about becoming their next manager after Ajax's last game of the season on Saturday.

De Boer claimed in an interview with national broadcaster NOS on Tuesday that Marc Overmars - football director of the Amsterdam club - told him of Tottenham's interest and that he considers the club a "sleeping giant".

The club have denied making any official approach but De Boer said: "Spurs haven't had contact with my agent yet. They have approached Ajax, but that's it. They have let Ajax know they would eventually talk to me when the season's finished.

"After the last league game [against NEC on Saturday] I'll think about it. I'll talk to them and listen to what they have to say. I would like to add something to a club so that people can say that they see the hand of Frank de Boer. Liverpool are a good example of this with Brendan Rodgers.

"I see a perspective at Tottenham Hotspur, just as Liverpool and Newcastle United sometimes are, they are sleeping giants."

The Dutchman's stock is high after he secured his and Ajax's fourth straight Eredivise title on Sunday, becoming the first coach in the country to do so. However, Southampton's Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly also in the running to take over from Tim Sherwood after Louis van Gaal switched his sights to Manchester United.

De Boer revealed in February that he had turned down the chance to replace Andre Villas-Boas at White Hart Lane, after the Portuguese was sacked in December.

But exactly where he stood in the White Hart Lane thinking on Wednesday was muddied by a Spurs statement in response to his comments.

The club said: "Reports that we have made approaches to other clubs regarding coaching staff are wholly inaccurate. We have NOT contacted any club regarding coaching appointments. We regret that a statement such as this is necessary, however we feel it is important to clarify matters."

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was reportedly upset with Van Gaal after news of talks with the club emerged and De Boer's chances of taking over at the club may have diminished as a result of his comments.

However, the chances of Spurs manager Tim Sherwood staying on in the job appear to be considerably slimmer. He stepped into the breach when Villas-Boas departed and has seldom looked like the long-term choice of the club despite signing an 18-month contact only five months ago.

He appears to have been resigned for some time to the likelihood that he will leave White Hart Lane in the summer but after his side's 1-0 win at Stoke on Saturday, he registered his displeasure with those who are "touting" for his position.

"At every press conference at our training centre, it was 'you're keeping the seat warm for someone else'. Yeah, I am but the seat's getting quite hot," Sherwood said.

"Every press conference I do it's 'this manager's coming in … [Louis] Van Gaal … then [Glenn] Hoddle, this one and that one.' Some of these managers are actually touting themselves for my job. I don't think that's right. It's something that doesn't sit well with me.

"If anyone ever asks me about another job I just tell them that they've got another manager. Until they haven't got a manager and until I haven't got a job, say nothing."

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