SAINTS chairman Rupert Lowe this morning immediately slapped down national newspaper reports linking Gordon Strachan with the vacant managerial post at Spurs.

Lowe would only comment: "I'm not going to dignify this speculation with a response."

Strachan's success at Saints sees him linked with every big managerial position that becomes vacant.

But it is almost impossible to believe that even if he were top of the Spurs wish list he would quit highly flying Saints for a struggling club such

as Spurs.

Following the sacking of Glenn Hoddle after Saints' 3-1 victory at White Hart Lane on Saturday the North London club are now on the lookout for a new manager.

Celtic's Martin O'Neill is believed to be top of their shortlist for a new boss but Strachan's name has been mentioned in national newspaper reports that say he could treble his salary.

But Strachan would not want to leave the success he is building at St Mary's as Saints have made a record-equalling start to a top flight season.

They are six games unbeaten and sit fourth in the table going into their first European match for 19 years on Wednesday night.

Also Spurs are bound by an agreement not to poach rival managers from the top flight in England during the season.

That means any move for Strachan would have to wait until next summer, which is far too late for Tottenham.

For the Saints fans still bitter at Hoddle's eagerness to jump ship two years ago, the 3-1 defeat at such a crucial time was sweet revenge.

After Saturday's loss Hoddle had said: "When the pressure is on you have to show character and bottle. You have to rise to the challenge. We have got players to do just that."

Speaking of the defeat against his former employers -his third of 2003 by Saints - he added: "Again, the start of the game has not been good for us. When there has been a bit of pressure - pressure from outside the club - you want to get off to a flyer.

"You want to get off to a good start at home after we've lost against Fulham here.

"We give a corner away and they score from that corner. That's the way it is at the moment and it is being pretty cruel to us.

"It was a fantastic free-kick from James for the next one, credit where it is due, he's done it before and we find ourselves on the back foot. There were times when we kept going and we had a good spell just after they scored.

"A key moment was when Fredi (Kanoute) hit the bar with his header, if that goes in - who knows? The performance wasn't good enough over 90 minutes and that is a concern to us.

"We're all hurting and there is no-one hurting more than myself."