Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer plays down Blackburn Rovers link

Former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has today denied he has been in contact with Blackburn about the vacant managerial role at Ewood Park.

Solskjaer, who is currently the manager of Norwegian champions Molde, was believed to have expressed an interest in the position which became available following the resignation of Steve Kean last week.

Speaking this afternoon ahead of Molde's Europa League clash against Stuttgart, the 39-year-old denied he has been in touch with the npower Championship club.

"It's the same as always. Speculation." Solskjaer told reporters.

"We have gone up this path before and it is only speculation.

"It will happen when it happens, that I have to pick up the phone to (Molde owner) Kjell Inge Rokke regarding a job offer, but I have not spoken to Blackburn as yet.

"I can not say any more about Blackburn now. It speaks for itself that you don't have anything else to write about other than this."

Solskjaer is one of several candidates to have been linked with the job at Blackburn after Kean resigned, saying his position at the club had become "untenable".

The former United striker has enjoyed an impressive start to his managerial career after he guided Molde to their first Norwegian league title last season.

Solskjaer then turned down the opportunity to manage Barclays Premier League side Aston Villa in the summer and has since engineered another successful campaign for Molde, who are on the brink of defending their title.

Other people linked to the role at Blackburn include former Real Madrid boss Bernd Schuster, ex-Swansea manager Paulo Sousa, former Blackburn captain Garry Flitcroft, Motherwell coach Stuart McCall, Alan Shearer and Roy Keane.

Rovers assistant coach Eric Black has been put in temporary charge of the team for the next two games - tonight's trip to the City Ground where they will face Nottingham Forest and Saturday's visit by Wolves - while owners Venky's take time to create a shortlist.

Yesterday, Blackburn's global advisor, Shebby Singh, said the club had been inundated with interest in the role.

He said: "Part of it is speculation, part of it is rumour - but at this moment in time we are being flooded.

"We have CVs coming in, it is not as bad a club as people make out - there is a lot of interest."

Meanwhile, Black is confident the disruption off the pitch will not affect the Blackburn players.

"It has been a busy few days for us," Black told http://www.rovers.co.uk.

"We spoke to the senior players on Monday just to explain the way forward and they are happy, they have accepted that.

"We've moved on, football players are very resilient, they know what is required.

"We've a focused group of players that want to achieve the right things for the football club and from what I can see from the training that we have done they remain that way."

PA