TALKSPORT pundit Danny Murphy has accused Ange Postecoglou of keeping his options open' with his response to a question on the vacant Brighton job.

The Parkhead boss has been linked with a switch to the Premier League club after Graham Potter left to take up the Chelsea position.

And Postecoglou was quizzed over the rumoured interest from down south yesterday and insisted he's only focused on being successful at Celtic.

The Celtic manager said the Brighton connection is "not really relevant" as he appeared to brush off the speculation over a dugout switch.

He said: “It’s not really relevant in my world or in my space.

“I have done that my whole career, I have just focused on being as successful as I can for the club I represent.

“If I do that everything else takes care of itself because things change pretty quickly in football.

“If I’m not successful here it won’t be other options that open up for me, it’ll be this one that closes."

But Murphy was left demanding more from the manager as he insisted the answer "stinks of keeping your options open".

Explaining his take on the comments, Murphy said: "I like him but I think it's poor. I don't like it, it stinks of keeping your options open.

"He should have said, I can put that to bed, I'm here. I'm at a big club, I've got Champions League to focus on. I'm here for the season.

"He hasn't said, 'don't worry I'm not leaving. Don't worry I'm here'. He has not said, 'I am not going to Brighton and I  won't entertain the idea'.

"Of course he is [focused on being successful here], everyone is everyday. I've read it all three times and my interpretation is, if I'm a Celtic fan I don't see him saying to me - don't worry, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I don't care whether Brighton are coming in, I don't care if Bayern Munich are coming in. Right now, I'm here."

Fellow pundit Simon Jordan was less wary of Postecoglou's comments as he insisted the Celtic boss answered the question and shouldn't face scrutiny over his response.

He said: "But that is also silly because everyone knows if Manchester United come in he'd be going. So what he's saying is, if I'm not successful here there will be other options. What he's basically saying is in the world of football, the real world, not the sentimental twaddle, I will be taken care of if I'm successful. So it's cuts both ways.

"If I'm successful other people will want me, if I'm unsuccessful Celtic won't want me. So I'm going to be here and I'm going to try to be successful."

Undeterred, Murphy continued to vent his thoughts on the scenario as he questioned why Postecoglou didn't come outright and say no to any Brighton link.

He continued: "That's the most obvious thing you can say. Of course if you do well your going be wanted. What he's being asked is about the Brighton job - are you interested? He's not saying no.

"I'll tell you what this stinks of to me - and I like him by the way - it wouldn't surprise me if Brighton are in for him. That suggests to me that he might be keeping his options open.

"The Munich comment was silly from me. What I meant was, he's been asked about Brighton. I'm a player, I'm a manager. If I think I might want to go to Brighton, I don't say I'm not going to Brighton, hence the fact he hasn't said it.

"I"m not interested in the Brighton job. Full stop, there you go, done. Why not? If you're not interested why not just say it. You don't need a quarter of a brain, he's keeping his options open."