FORMER Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has claimed he has had no contact with Ipswich Town owner Marcus Evans over the vacant managerial position.

We understand Redknapp, who was heavily linked with the England job last season, was in the running to succeed Paul Jewell at Portman Road.

But Redknapp denied those rumours when he was interviewed by Radio Five Live this evening.

When asked directly about the Town job, he said: “Ipswich is a good club – I have not been offered the job at Ipswich.

“Teams (like Ipswich and Blackburn) have won championships in my lifetime, they (Ipswich) had great days under Sir Alf Ramsey, Sir Bobby Robson and George Burley.

“There is nothing happening at Ipswich, I have not had contact with Ipswich at the moment.”

Redknapp was linked with the vacant Blackburn Rovers job in certain sections of the media this morning, but he was quick to dismiss the speculation during an earlier interview with Sky Sports News.

But when asked about whether he was only looking for a Premier League job, Redknapp answered: “No, not necessarily.”

He went on: “I’m starting to get bored – you can only play golf so often. I’m looking to get back and I am just waiting to see what happens.

“I will take my time and not rush, but if the right thing comes along, and it is really interesting, I will have a go.”

Redknapp dismissed the speculation that he was being interviewed by Blackburn today as a “load of nonsense”.

While, on the face of it, the idea of Redknapp taking over a club rooted to the bottom of the Championship might seem far-fetched, his close friendship with Blues owner Marcus Evans has led to rumours that he has been approached to see if he would be interested.

Kevin Bond, who worked as assistant manager under Redknapp at Spurs, was in the stands for Town’s woeful 3-0 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday and one school of thought is that Bond or former Tottenham coach Joe Jordan might take over the full-time reins at Portman Road with Redknapp in a part-time or director of football role.

Mick McCarthy remains the odds-on favourite with chief executive Simon Clegg admitting this morning that interviews had begun – but making no comment about individual candidates.

* See tomorrow’s EADT and Ipswich Star for all the latest on Town’s managerial search PLUS find out which candidate a former Blues star thinks would be perfect at Portman Road