Stubbs has no problem with his list of admirers

NO DISRESPECT intended, no offence taken. Well, why on earth should Alan Stubbs fuss and fret over complimentary glances from covetous clubs in search of a new miracle worker?

As cool as the other side of the pillow, the Hibs manager strikes an attitude of semi-detached — almost amused — interest when discussing something as uncontrollable as the manager market — and his place in it.

Almost deliberately veering in the opposite direction of his favourite sparring partner, smiling where Rangers counterpart Mark Warburton angrily spat out accusations of insolence, Stubbs treated everyone in the room — and the fans who will read and interpret his every word — as responsible adults yesterday.

Sure, he had seen the stories linking him with the Reading job. No, he hadn’t heard anything about interest in his services and, no, he wasn’t going to give Hibs fans some flim-flam about wanting to stay at Easter Road for the rest of his career.

As for whether even discussing the issue was ‘disrespectful’, to quote directly from Warburton, Stubbs answered a question on that point by saying simply: ‘I am what I am. I’ll give a straight and honest answer.

‘There is nothing to speak about because, as far as I am concerned, it’s just a link to a job. There is nothing concrete. I haven’t heard anything. I am purely focused on doing my job.

‘I’m not another person — I am me. That means I don’t have to answer in this or that way. I just go about my job as normal, the way you should do. Speculation is speculation. I was linked with another job last month and the month before. I’m here.

‘No manager is at a club forever. When will I move? I can’t answer that. It’s a question I would like to answer, but one I can’t. I don’t know. Hey, I could be sacked in January!

‘It doesn’t bother me. If you aren’t doing well, you don’t get linked with jobs. If you’re doing well, you’ve got a better chance and are more likely to be linked with jobs. That’s all it is.

‘I don’t know where it’s come from. I haven’t heard anything. I would be the first to tell you as I’m not one to sit on the fence. But that’s it.’

A former Hibs boss, Alex McLeish, has also been mentioned regarding the Reading job, with managing in England still viewed by many as being the pinnacle of the game.

Not so daft as to back himself into a corner where he would have to knock back a tempting offer, yet adamant he is both content and determined to continue the work started at Hibs, Stubbs added: ‘As a player, you want to play at the highest level and at the best clubs that are available.

‘I’m not going to lie, of course I want to manage at the top level. I want to manage as high as possible.

‘But this is a brilliant job at the moment. I’m only just into it and, in management and coaching terms, it’s still relatively new. My main focus — and I know it’s boring — is with Hibs and with playing Falkirk on Saturday.

‘I haven’t achieved anything. I came in for my first season and we stabilised, as I would probably describe the first season. We finished second in the league and, if I’m honest, I think that was good progress for my first year.

‘This season, we’re looking to improve on that. We know it’s going to be a big ask, but it’s a challenge we’re all up for.

‘I speak to my players all the time about speculation surrounding them. There will only be speculation if they keep doing the business on the pitch.

‘Sometimes what happens is that you read the speculation, you take the foot off the pedal and, before you know it, it’s gone — and you have to work again.

‘My advice to them is to keep doing what they are doing and get even better clubs to be linked with. If it’s going to happen, it will happen.

‘When I was a player, it all depended on who the team was being linked with me. If it wasn’t really a good team, I would try even harder because I wanted a better one.

‘Is that the same as a manager? If you want to put it that way, yeah.’

All joking aside, Stubbs knows that complaining about something as flattering — if possibly distracting — as being placed among the runners for another job is about as useful as moaning about the weather.

‘Why can’t it be the Premier League?’ he asked with a grin, when it was put to him that an English Championship club would be just about the right fit for a gaffer from Scotland’s second tier.

‘Or even League One? If it’s the right club, then who knows. But I’m happy here. I can’t speculate where my next job will be.

‘It might be a move down the way. I hope not. You just don’t know in football. As long as I keep winning, that’s the most important thing.’

Stubbs insisted there has been no need for anyone on the Hibs board to speak to him about being linked with both the QPR and Reading jobs, adding: ‘Would it be tough to walk away? Ask me when it happens.

‘I know how these things work. Someone has a tenner on me getting a job and suddenly I’m favourite. Then someone will put a tenner on another guy and he becomes favourite. I will tell you when it’s going to happen.’