Trapattoni dismisses Blackburn rumours

Republic of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni has played down speculation linking him with Championship club Blackburn Rovers.

Blackburn are looking for a new manager after the departure of Steve Kean, who claimed upon resigning last month club owners Venkys had made his position “untenable”.

Reports have suggested Venkys have made contact with Trapattoni’s advisors over the job vacancy, but the 73-year-old has indicated the rumours are false and said he has no intention of leaving his role with Ireland’s national team.

“I’m not aware of it (the speculation),” he said.

“It must be agent chit-chat. I’m not interested anyway. I am concentrating on the task in hand.”

The former Italy coach signed a contract extension with Ireland in November last year, after he led them to the Euro 2012 finals, with the deal due to run out after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Ireland sit third in Group C of UEFA qualifying after winning their opening fixture against Kazahkstan.

Their next match is a tough encounter at home to Euro 2012 semi-finalists Germany on Friday.

Trapattoni is not the only high-profile name to be linked with the Blackburn job – the club’s former striker Alan Shearer and Molde coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are also been touted as possibilities.