Mark Hughes has played down reports linking him with the Saints job by saying he plans to be in charge for the whole of Wales' World Cup 2006 qualification campaign.

The former Manchester United and Saints striker is the bookies favourite to take over when Gordon Strachan leaves at the end of the season.

But speaking yesterday at the World Cup qualification fixtures draw he said: "The plan is that I will be in charge for the first - and the last - of the group matches.

"Frankly I am not looking that far forward, and other things could impact on that. But I am excited by these matches and am looking forward to them.''

The belief inside the Football Association of Wales is that the Saints link has little substance to it, and it is a situation they have grown used to.

Hughes distanced himself with talk of leaving Wales, adding: "Everyone's attention has been re-focused on what is ahead and there are some great games to look forward to. Everybody is very excited."

But his refusal to flatly rule himself out of the running and deny any interest in the job will mean speculation will continue.

A Welsh insider has been quoted as saying that the FAW would try and convince Saints to let Hughes continue to manage the international side on a part-time basis if he was offered the job. That would almost certainly be rejected by Saints.

Hughes got the games he desperately wanted from the World Cup fixtures shakedown, avoiding England and Poland in the first two games when he will be without the suspended Ryan Giggs.

Wales face a trip to Azerbaijan for their opening match on September 4 and then play the Irish in Cardiff the following Wednesday.

Giggs will return from his two-match ban for the clash away to England on October 9.

Wigan's Paul Jewell, a name mentioned by the Echo last Friday as being in the frame to replace Strachan, was linked to the impending vacancy at St Mary's in one of today's national red-top tabloids.

Jewell was linked with Saints back in November when the Strachan-Leeds rumours were at their strongest.

He said then: "Nothing will detract me from the job I am doing here at Wigan.

"I got a phone call telling me about the report linking me with Southampton but it's all speculation as far as I am concerned."