Prospective new Town boss Paul Hurst remained tight-lipped on his future following his Shrewsbury side's 2-1 extra-time defeat by Rotherham, who featured on-loan Blues right-back Josh Emmanuel, in this afternoon’s League One play-off final at Wembley.
Asked about his anticipated move to the Blues in a post-match Sky Sports interview, the 43-year-old said: "That’s been rumbling on for a while, as I’ve been linked with a couple of other ones as well. I don’t think it’s really the time.
"I appreciate you’re doing your job, but I don’t really want to pass comment on that, I’m still very much hurting from what I’ve just seen.”
Quizzed further on whether he intended to speak to the Blues by the BBC, Hurst added: "I can't speak to them as I don't know whether they want to. If there's anything in that, there has to be an approach.
"I said right from the start that I'm ambitious, and I'm flattered to be linked with clubs like that.
"But I've been linked at various points all season and I'm still here at the minute. Let's see what happens.
"At this moment in time I'm only interested in the players. I've got some of them to speak to with regard to next season - and that's not nice.
"We've just lost a final and a couple of them are going to get some news that's not great, but that's part of being a manager."
The Millers were the better side throughout this afternoon’s game with veteran defender Richard Wood, a Blues target during Jim Magilton’s time as boss, netting the opening goal in the first half and the winner in extra-time, having won an early penalty which was saved, all from set pieces.
The Shrews’ high point was a well-worked freekick which led to Alex Rodman grabbing their second-half equaliser.
👌 When the hard work on the training ground pays off.
👠Well played @shrewsweb. #salop #FeelEveryEmotion pic.twitter.com/wmC9erOaQX– Sky Bet (@SkyBet) May 27, 2018
Emmanuel, 20, who recently carried off Rotherham's Young Player of the Season award, had a very solid game and will have impressed opposition boss Hurst, who appears all but certain to be his manager when he returns to Suffolk for the start of pre-season at the end of June.
Town will hold formal talks with Hurst and Shrewsbury in the week ahead having kept their distance during the Shropshire side’s play-off endeavours.
However, it’s long been understood that they have been given a strong indication that negotiations will progress positively and barring a late hitch Hurst looks set to be named Town manager later this week.
Those talks with Blues owner Marcus Evans seem unlikely to take place face to face with Hurst, who is understood to be on a rolling contract with the Shrews, flying to Dubai for a delayed family holiday on Monday.