Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has insisted that he has not been distracted by links with the vacant Sunderland job, as he prepares his side for Saturday's Scottish Cup final against Celtic.
The 45-year-old is reportedly high on the list of targets wanted by the Black Cats to replace David Moyes, who departed the Championship-bound club earlier this week.
On the eve of Aberdeen's big showdown with the unbeaten Scottish champions at Hampden Park, McInnes is adamant that he has paid no attention to the ongoing speculation and will certainly not let it affect his side's hopes of glory.
"All my interest is tomorrow's game and preparing the team," Sky Sports News quotes him as saying. "Honestly, it's been no distraction whatsoever. It just doesn't play a part, to be honest.
"At this stage of the season a lot of English clubs have finished up and when there are managerial changes and there are players moving on or players going out of contract, there's loads of speculation.
"I've had speculation about my players for three months, players out of contract, players under contract. It's just the nature of the game. It's just speculation and it's had no bearing on our preparation."
McInnes has guided Aberdeen to three successive second placed finishes in the Scottish Premiership, while also winning the Scottish League Cup in 2014.
Daniel Lewis
