Martinez responds to Tottenham rumours

As I said in an article about Romelu Lukaku yesterday; It's always Tottenham.

They appear omnipresent in every transfer rumour to hit the internet, the default club journalists look to when linking players with moves, regardless of whether there is actually any truth in it or not.

The 'Tottenham rule' doesn't just apply to players, though, it also applies to managers, so we shouldn't be surprised that Roberto Martinez has supposedly been targeted by the men from White Hart Lane.

Knowing Spurs they will almost certainly look for a glamorous foreign manager to come in after their ill-fated English experiment with Tim Sherwood, who replaced Andre Villas-Boas in December on an 18-month deal but is widely expected to get the boot this summer.

Ajax boss Frank De Boer is believed to be the frontrunner though Martinez has also been mentioned in reports, even if it seems extremely unlikely he would quit Everton after just one season for a team they have just finished above in the table.

When asked about the rumours Martinez dealt with them in his usual inimitable style:

"It is a little bit as I always answer - any sort of speculation we take as a real footballing compliment.

"This is the time you are going to get rumours, with talk about new squads and the next moves.

"From our point of view, it means we have done something right - that, as a football team, we are performing well. That affects players, members of staff and managers. We take it in a positive manner and just carry on working hard."

The fact he did not outright deny the reports should not get Evertonians worried - he does the same with all rumours, be it about himself or his players.

And he is right too. We should take compliment from the fact our manager is being linked with another club, even it would be a sideways move at best.

The fans should also take heart from the fact this move is very, very unlikely to happen.