Harry Redknapp says he has not been spoken to about the vacant manager's job at Sunderland after reports he has a close relationship with the club's owner, Ellis Short.
The former West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur boss is out of work after leaving Queens Park Rangers earlier this year, but insists his only link to Short is playing golf at his course in Scotland's eastern highlands.
Sunderland are on the hunt for a new manager after Dick Advocaat resigned on Sunday.
Redknapp, who has neither played for or managed a club any further north in the country than London, also suggested that Sunderland's attempts to hire Sam Allarydce would be unsuccessful.
When asked by talkSPORT if he knows Short well, Redknapp said: "No, not really. I have been and played in a golf day up at Skibo Castle, which he owns, but I have never spoken to anyone about the job and no one has ever asked me about anything."
Allardyce is also on a break from the game having left West Ham at the end of last season, and Redknapp does not think he is in any rush to return to management.
"I was with him [Allardyce] last week and had a good chat with him and he said he was enjoying the break at the moment. He is not going to dive into something," Redknapp added.
"It is a difficult one for someone to take because they really are going to struggle to stay up. It is not impossible, but it is going to be difficult.
"Sam has done fantastic wherever has been and if he does go in there and it doesn't happen [at Sunderland], does he need that? I don't know, it is a difficult one."