STEVE Cotterill today emerged as a potential assistant to Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth.

A national radio station sparked the rumour with speculation that the duo could link up on the south coast, where Redknapp remains favourite to land the managerial post he left just 11 months ago.

Cotterill is remaining silent as he focuses all his efforts into preparing to face Redknapp's Southampton side at St Mary's Stadium tomorrow.

However, such a move seems highly unlikely as the Clarets boss is now firmly established again as a manager in his own right, performing miracles at Turf Moor following a previous spell as assistant to Howard Wilkinson at Sunderland, which lasted less than a season.

Cotterill is also in talks over extending his Burnley contract, which has 18-months to run. However, the longer those negotiations remain unresolved, the more chairman Barry Kilby runs the risk of seeing Cotterill poached from under his nose.

Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, who sacked Alain Perrin last week, has also reportedly targeted Lawrie Sanchez, former Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr and Rangers' Alex McLeish for the vacant manager's job.

However the Pompey supremo, who is known to want a qualified coach to assist his new man, has vowed to remain silent on the matter until after he attends George Best's funeral in Belfast tomorrow.