A quick call to pals in the Potteries was in order this morning – that and a quick glance at the back page of the Sentinel.
Where Tony Pulis' little pal Mark O'Connor appeared to be doing his best to dampen down all the 'Tony's on his way…' talk.
The Potters boss himself – a bit like Dowie at Coventry City – has opted to stay tight-lipped and gob shut as one man and his wife continue to suggest that Rusty's old manager is Norfolk-bound.
Instead, there was O'Connor – Stoke coach and Pulis' close 'confidante' – saying that any approach from the Canaries would be met with a polite 'Thanks, but no thanks…' routine.
“It's flattering, but there's nothing concrete until someone makes an approach,” O'Connor told the Sentinel today with no evidence – as yet – of Norwich having made any official approach to the Potters to talk to their man.
And, at some stage in the next 72 hours, that has to happen if the Canaries are to get their new man in place before the Town game.
Perhaps that's why chairman Roger Munby was hedging his bets last night at Diss as to whether the new man would definitely be in before the Town game – knowing that things could become very messy if they are about to approach a club for a manager that is already in situ.
“I know Tony is happy here, but when people put things in the paper they will ask that question,” added O'Connor.
Chat to one or two more people in the know and their repsonse is pretty similar.
'I'd be amazed….' was the line. Swiftly followed by football's favourite cover all. 'But you'd never rule it out..'
The telling thing for him was that there was no evidence of a behind-the-scenes fall-out with the Britannia board; that Pulis' relationship with chairman Peter Coates was pretty healthy; that there was a spot more money to spend.
And having steadily built himself a nice little platfom for a robust play-off push – including, of course, Granty's No1 centre-half target Ryan Shawcross – why would you jack that all in for a relegation dog-fight with City?
The only answer anyone there could come up with was if the Turners were about to throw loads-a-money your way. Otherwise, you'd stay put.
The interesting one might be Dowie at Coventry where relations between board and boss are likely to be far more strained after promises of a big take-over and millions to inject into the side have proved less than wholly true, thus far.
That, financially, the Sky Blues aren't in a very good place right now; that's one that might prompt someone to jump ship – hence Dowie's place pretty near the top of the Leicester betting.
But that was the word on Pulis. 'Amazed…'
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