Preston North End boss Alex Neil plays down West Brom speculation

Neil was reported this week to be among the contenders for the Baggies vacancy which was created by the sacking of Darren Moore last Saturday.

Speaking at Springfields on Thursday lunchtime, Neil said: There is speculation all the time.

"The amount of times I have sat in press conferences at different clubs and people will say 'I hear you are signing so-and-so' and I have never even heard of them.

"It is a case of someone saying something to a paper somewhere or someone starts a rumour, then all of a sudden it catches fire and it is all over the place.

"The one thing that is absolutely guaranteed is that I have had no discussions with anyone about anything other than Preston North End. That is it.

"West Brom need a manager at the moment. They will do what they do.

"I don't have any control over that.

"I have a job here and that is what I'm focused on."

North End went ninth in the table after Wednesday night's 2-1 win at Middlesbrough and are within two points of the play-off places.

Having guided them to a seventh place finish last season, Neil is clearly enjoying his work at Deepdale.

Neil said: "What happens is they leave me to get on with my job.

"At other clubs that is not always the case, at other clubs there are other people who want to be heavily involved in a lot of aspects which I would deem to be the responsibility of a manager.

"Here, contracts, cash, agents, I don't take any part in.

"I want to focus on my team, train them, deal with tactics, watch the opposition, discipline the players if needs-be.

"They are my responsibility here."