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Charlton manager Alan Curbishley insists speculation linking him with Rangers is disrespectful to current Ibrox boss Alex McLeish - and insists he still has unfinished business at Charlton.
McLeish has come under increasing pressure after the Glasgow giants' disappointing start to the season, which has left them 12 points behind Celtic and Hearts in the Bank of Scotland Scottish Premier League and with only two wins from their last 11 outings.
Rangers chairman David Murray has stressed no-one has been offered the job and hopes McLeish can do enough to remain at Ibrox, although he admitted plans were in place on "what route we'd go down" should the Scot be sacked.
Curbishley, 48, has been touted as potential successor but he said he has nothing other than the fortunes of the south-east London club on his mind.
"I find it disrespectful to Alex McLeish, what is going on at the moment," the Charlton manager said.
"People are talking about Rangers - but you will not hear anything from me about that or from anybody else.
"I think it is all press at the moment and if you answer it you are in trouble, if you don't answer it, people can put what they want.
"At the moment, for me, I just get on with what I do."
Curbishley added: "I spoke to Richard Murray (Charlton chairman). He has heard nothing, I have heard nothing and at the moment, that is it.
"I am the Charlton manager and I am looking forward to playing Manchester United on Saturday."
Curbishley is in his 15th season with the Addicks, having overseen their transformation from a homeless club with an uncertain future into one established among the elite of English football and boasting a squad full of internationals.
Only United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Crewe's Dario Gradi have been in their current positions longer than Curbishley, who agreed a new three-and-a-half year contract during February 2004.
Talks with his chairman over extending that deal are set to resume in the new year and the Charlton manager maintains he is still as enthusiastic as ever.
"For me, I am happy," he said. "I run the club my own way and do not get any interference. Richard is the sort of chairman who likes that. He delegates people and they get on with it.
"I have not really thought about anything else other than doing as well as I can this season.
"They are talking about extending the stadium's capacity, so that can only make us stronger.
"As long as I can see us improving, for me, I am happy here."
Following last season's disappointing 4-0 home defeat by Manchester United at the start of May, Curbishley mused in a television interview: "Maybe I've been here too long, I don't know" - before then turning his attentions to the task of rebuilding the Addicks squad over the summer.
He went about the task with some vigour, recruiting the likes of England squad man Darren Bent and on-loan Chelsea midfielder Alexei Smertin.
And the Charlton boss maintains when he finally does decide to call it a day with the club he will be able to leave with his head held high.
"If someone walks in here now as manager of Charlton, they walk into a proper football club," said Curbishley, whose side are currently eighth in the table.
"I have always said if this club becomes a 35,000 all-seater stadium and we are an established Premiership club then I would be hugely proud."
Curbishley continued: "Fifteen years is a long time. If I get to the stage where I drive in and think I would rather be somewhere else, that this is no good for me, no good for the club - but I have not got to that stage."
Smertin is expected to have recovered from a groin injury to feature against United, but defender Jonathan Spector will be ineligible under the terms of his loan deal from Old Trafford.
Fit-again veteran keeper Dean Kiely could come back into the side in place of Stephan Andersen.
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Source: Sporting Life |
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