Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Hurst is brushing Ipswich Town speculation aside

The Montgomery Waters Meadow boss is now favourite with the bookmakers to succeed Mick McCarthy at Ipswich and has also been included in the running to take over at Sunderland.

But while suggesting the link was flattering and a sign of how well Shrewsbury have done this season, he added his full focus is on the job in hand.

On being installed favourite to join Ipswich, Hurst replied: “That’s just a compliment to everyone here and the season that we’ve had.

“I’m not going to sit here and say it’s not nice to be linked with jobs because it means you’re doing something right.

“All I will do is assure people my focus is very much on trying to be successful and get this club promoted.

“I think it is (a long term project), of course it is. Everything I’m trying to do and suggest to the football club is to try and improve the club.

“We’ve had an absolutely fantastic season, I’ve said it before and people can think it’s negative, but I go back to being a realist.

"If we weren’t successful this season then we start this season we should in theory be one of the favourites again to be at the other end of the table rather than favourites to get promoted.

“I’ve wanted us to be is in a better position as a club that things are in place, we’re moving forward, facilities are improving all of the time and that when people come they know they’re going to have a good experience.

“I don’t for one minute expect that the budget is going to double. I know it’s not, I’m totally aware of that and I wouldn’t ask the chairman to do that or put the club in any sort of financial risk.

“But I think there’s a lot of things we can do to make it a better environment to keep attracting better players and make gradual improvements.”

“In even teams people wouldn’t consider as big-spending, they’re a long way ahead (of us) in the wage side.

“Having done what we did this year, people might naively say ‘just do it again’. It’s not that easy unfortunately, but we’ll certainly give it a go if that’s the situation that we find ourselves in.

When asked if he could give assurances about remaining at Shrewsbury regardless of play-off success this season, he added: “I can’t honestly answer that. It’d be wrong for me to sit here and say that.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen between now and then. I’ve genuinely got a question that, if the good scenario happens, what are we going to be?

“I’ve no doubt 100 per cent we’d be the lowest budget in the championship but is it something where we could at least try and have a little go with?

“It’s hypothetical, I’m not very keen on hypothetical situations but that’s a question.

“All I can honestly say is that I enjoy it here, I’ve got a good relationship with the chairman, with Brian (Caldwell) and pretty much everyone at the football club – certainly the players.

“I want to try and take this club to the Championship and I’m hoping that can happen."

Hurst revealed that, aside from long-term absentees Abu Ogogo and Junior Brown, he has a fully-fit squad to chose from for tomorrow’s visit of MK Dons.