Steven Schumacher: Plymouth Argyle boss says West Bromwich Albion link will not distract him

Steven Schumacher stepped up from assistant manager after Ryan Lowe left Argyle to join Preston North End in December last year

Plymouth Argyle boss Steven Schumacher says he will not be distracted by speculation linking him with the vacant manager's job at West Bromwich Albion.

The 38-year-old is the bookmakers' favourite to take over after Steve Bruce left the Baggies last week.

Schumacher has guided the Pilgrims to the top of League One after less than a year in the role at Home Park.

"It won't be a distraction," Schumacher said after his side's EFL Trophy win over Crystal Palace's Under-21 side.

"I understand that this is what happens when a team's playing well and getting good results and sitting top of the league and playing in a style that most clubs would like to see their team playing.

"I'm a young coach as well, which is what people are trying to go for at the moment - people who are hungry and ambitious.

"That's exactly what I am and there's definitely no danger of me being distracted, because I've got a good job to do here."

Schumacher's side are four points clear at the top of the table, having won their past seven games in all competitions and gone unbeaten in more than two months.

"I've seen all of the stuff and I've had loads of people texting me, but there's been no contact from my side," Schumacher added when asked if Albion had approached him.

"If there's been interest from West Brom I think that's great because that shows we're doing something well here, because you wouldn't get spoken about if you were sitting down the bottom of the league or mid-table.

"It just shows the good job that everyone's doing - not just me, and we're getting recognised with these big clubs.

"West Brom's a massive club, but there's been no contact and as far as I'm concerned there's probably nothing in it."