Santini admits interest in Spurs job

France coach Jacques Santini has put himself forward as a potential candidate for the job as the new manager of Tottenham.

Spurs are searching for a new coach to replace caretaker boss David Pleat, who will revert to his director of football role this summer.

While scores of candidates - including Giovanni Trapattoni, Martin O’Neill, Alan Curbishley and Claudio Ranieri - have been linked with the job, no appointment has yet been made.

Santini made it clear that Tottenham had not made any contact with him, but with his current contract with the French Football Federation due to expire this summer, he is clearly open to offers.

He told the Evening Standard: “If Tottenham contact me and they want to talk, then I will listen. I have always thought that one day I might manage abroad and the Tottenham job would interest me if they wanted me to go there.”

Santini, who could simply be attempting to put pressure on the French federation to offer him a new deal, took over the national side after their early 2002 World Cup exit and had a 100% record in qualifying for the Euro 2004 finals.

Before that, he was first technical director and then coach at Lyon, where he won the French league cup in his first year and the league championship in his second season.