Eye on the ball

Photo: PICTURE: DARREN ROBINSON

PAUL Dickov is concentrating his efforts on lifting Athletic’s fortunes.

PAUL Dickov has branded talk linking him with the vacant manager’s position at Doncaster as speculation.

He says he is fully focused on the job at hand.

The Athletic boss is second-favourite to be handed the Rovers role by the South Yorkshire club’s ebullient chairman John Ryan, who Dickov knows socially.

Chadderton-raised Mark Robins, whose Coventry side take on Athletic a week tomorrow, is favourite to be named successor to Dean Saunders, who left for Wolves earlier in the week.

Dickov has also been linked with the Blackburn job, but that appears to be the destination for Blackpool manager Michael Appleton.

“Every man and his dog have called up saying I am favourite, or not favourite,” said Dickov..

“It has happened before with me. I just get on with it.

“I have heard nothing concrete, so it is speculation as far as I am concerned.

“It is flattering. Sometimes when you are in the lower half of the division, you wonder what you are doing right or doing wrong.

“It is nice sometimes that people appreciate what a tough job it can be and take notice.

“But my concentration is all here. We have some great games coming up.”



The Boundary Park playing surface will be covered tonight as a precaution to protect tomorrow’s match against Brentford.

Chief executive Neil Joy said: “The weather is going to deteriorate, so the covers will go on.”