YORK City Knights head coach James Ford has refused to comment on speculation linking him with the Hull KR hot seat, saying he is only focusing on his current job.

Australian Tim Sheens, out of contract at Craven Park at the end of this season, has been heavily linked with a return down under and rumours have begun circulating that the 36-year-old Ford is top of the Robins' shortlist should they and the former Kangaroos chief not agree new terms.

Reigning League One Coach of the Year Ford - who led York to a shock third division title success last season and into the play-off reckoning in the Championship this term – has been in charge of the Minster city side since October 2014 and is contracted until the end of 2021 after becoming the club's first-ever full-time boss in September last year.

But Rovers could be confident of prising him away by offering him his first-ever Super League job.

There was even talk during the Summer Bash in Blackpool that the Knights’ game against Featherstone there on Saturday – which ended in a 42-10 defeat - could be Ford’s last in charge.

That seems considerably less likely than a switch into a vacant position at the end of the season should Sheens depart, but Ford refused to discuss either eventuality.

“I’m not going to comment on speculation,” he said. “I’m going to focus my energies on my job at York.”