Boss Mick McCarthy says it's flattering to be linked with the vacant Aston Villa manager’s job and was coy when asked to rule himself out of the running, while admitting that he is still ambitious and would “like to be in the Premier League again, however that might be”.
Most bookies have McCarthy as the third favourite for the position left by Remi Garde by mutual consent earlier in the week behind David Moyes and Nigel Pearson, priced as low as 3-1 by one company.
Premier League table-proppers Villa look certain to drop into the Championship but would be expected to make a swift return to the top flight.
The Town boss, who signed a new contract until the summer of 2018 earlier in the season, says it’s flattering to get mentioned and that it is an indication of how his time with the Blues is viewed more widely.
"It’s interesting, isn’t it?” he said. "Maybe people who are not involved in the club that you’re at look from the outside and think, ‘Hmm, you know what, maybe he is doing a good job’.
"It’s like when you’ve left and you go back. I think I’ll get a pretty good reception at Wolves when I go back on Saturday because I usually do.
"So, it’s always interesting when people mention your name. But I can’t do anything about it. My focus is here.
"But, by the way, don’t even think I’m not ambitious, don’t think I’m settled here and I want to just be here doing what I’m doing and trying to get in the play-offs, I’d like to get promoted, I’d like to be in the Premier League again, however that might be. But my focus is doing this.
"But it is flattering, if the remit is for somebody that can get teams promoted, then I’ve got a pretty good CV for that, haven’t I?”
However, asked whether it was worth putting money on him moving to Villa with one of those bookies he joked that the only one he'll be going to will be his holiday home.
"No, not unless it’s in Portugal, because I might go to that one shortly!” he laughed.
Quizzed further on whether he was ruling himself out of the running, he added: "I’m going to Wolves, me, on Friday. I want to win, that’s what I want to do.”