"HANDS off Cotterill!" roared this paper's back page on Saturday. Amen to that.

It seems that one cannot hear a sports bulletin at the moment or read the football section of any newspaper, without a mention of the drama unfolding on the South Coast involving Harry Redknapp, Southampton and Portsmouth.

Burnley supporters the world over will be hoping that it's a drama in which Steve Cotterill has no part to play.

Mere speculation? Idle gossip? Who knows? But there was certainly enough in it to prompt Barry Kilby to make his position clear.

"We would not welcome any approach for Steve" said the chairman. "He continues to do an excellent job for us and we want that to continue for as long as possible."

It's easy to see why Cotterill would attract interest.

Burnley supporters will need no reminding of his achievements in his time at the club. Suffice to say that he has built a small squad on the cheap and guided it to the fringes of the play-offs, out-performing clubs with much greater resources such as Wolves, Norwich and funnily enough, Southampton.

Who could blame Messrs Hayward, Smith and Lowe for casting an envious glance in the direction of Barry Kilby?

So if the opportunity arose, would Cotterill leave Turf Moor for Fratton Park or St Mary's?

In the build-up to Saturday's game, it became evident that Cotterill has a close friendship with Redknapp.

Whether that friendship would be strong enough to lure him to Portsmouth is unknown. But the unhappy experience he had as assistant to Howard Wilkinson at Sunderland would surely figure in his thinking.

And does he really want to be a number two again when he has spent 18 months re-establishing his managerial credentials?

As for Southampton, having money to spend and a superior environment in which to work would have to be balanced against working for a chairman who appears to be making a decent stab at becoming the English version of the legendary Jesus Gil.

That said, Steve Cotterill is not a man without ambition and his goal is surely to manage in the Premiership.

And it's here that Barry Kilby and the board must play their part.

In the ongoing talks over a new contract for the manager, they must match Cotterill's ambition and convince him that he can be a manager in the Premiership - with Burnley Football Club.