Roy Keane has distanced himself from the West Bromwich Albion job, declaring links with him and the role as "absolute rubbish".
The Irishman, who has made his desire to get back into management clear, has been installed as the early favourite for the Hawthorns job after Steve Bruce was sacked. The Baggies find themselves in the bottom three in the Championship and have opted for a change in the dugout.
Keane, who has won promotion from the second tier with Sunderland previously, hasn't held the top job for over a decade but continues to be linked with jobs, especially those in the Championship. However he has hit back at the speculation, adamant there is nothing to it.
He said on Sky Sports : "Bizarre, I think the bookies do play silly games with people. I think I was favourite for a few jobs over the last year or two and it was all nonsense. Same for any speculation over the past 24, 48 hours - absolute rubbish."
West Brom drew 0-0 with Luton Town at home on Saturday, which leaves them in 22nd place, less than two years after they were relegated from the top flight. They'd only won one of their 13 games under Bruce, who leaves despite only taking over in February.
The Baggies have placed under-21s coach Richard Beale in charge of first-team affairs on an interim basis with James Morrison and Gary Walsh as his assistants as they begin to look for a new manager.
Keane has previously told Sporf that he does want to be involved again in management, but accepts that chances are few and far between. Keane is not being picky about his next opportunity and the managerial merry-go-round in the Championship could open up the door he is looking for.
He said: “I spoke to a couple of clubs again in the last few months. I’m a bit wary of shutting any doors on myself by saying, ‘Oh, I won’t go back into it’. Obviously, the chances are getting less and less as the months go by. I’d still like an opportunity. When I say the right opportunity – it has to be the right opportunity.
“I think every negotiation is different. I wouldn’t be setting a stone down and going, ‘It’s got to be a three-year deal, or it’s got to be in a certain area’. No. I think you have to speak to clubs, and get that vibe, and see what they’ve got to say to you. Of course [I’d consider going abroad]. Absolutely.”
