Source: FOOTYMAD
Coughlan: 'I am concentrating on my job with Southend United'
Plymouth Argyle, Shrewsbury Town: From message boards to the Echo the rumours are that centre-back Graham Coughlan could be on his way back to Devon, S24 say no, and for the time being the player himself has confirmed that. Coughlan: 'If people want to speculate I can't stop that' The Shrimpers player-coach Graham Coughlan has distanced himself from links with the vacant manager's role at League Two rivals Plymouth Argyle. Speculation has been rife on club message boards that the former Shrewsbury Town skipper has been contacted by the Pilgrims with a view to potentially replacing the departed Peter Reid and taking over from interim boss, their skipper Carl Fletcher. The Echo followed up yesterday with a quote from a source close top the club: “Plymouth are currently weighing up their options and contact has been made with Graham. That interest hasn’t gone much further at the moment and no official approach has been made to Southend. But there is definite interest from Plymouth as Graham remains something of a legend with the club and would be a popular appointment among the fans.” In other words nothing, personally it looks as if journalist Chris Phillips has been reading Shrimperzone et al and refuled a rumour, sadly giving it a smigion of respectabilty. Anyway, for now, Coughlan told the PA: "I'm employed by Southend and I would not be able to commit to any other club. I'm not prepared to comment on speculation. If people want to speculate I can't stop that, but, at this moment in time, I am concentrating on my job with Southend." If the takeover gets confirmed then we might be into another ball game but for now we are confident Graham will be going no where. In other news from Home Park the BBC have stated that the unpopular Peter Ridsdale is to step down from his role as acting chairman of Plymouth Argyle Ridsdale has been running the Pilgrims since it went into administration in March and had a consultative role before that.