HUDDERSFIELD coach Jon Sharp today made it clear he has no intention of jumping ship to take over at French club Catalans Dragons.

Despite last month signing a contract extension through to the end of next season, Sharp has been linked with the Perpignan-based Super League outfit, whose coach Mick Potter will move to St Helens next season.

That speculation has increased since Brian Noble, the early favourite for the post, yesterday penned a new deal at Wigan Warriors.

But Sharp and Giants managing director Richard Thewlis have made it clear the Galpharm chief is going nowhere and that turning the club’s season around is the sole focus.

Huddersfield head to Cardiff to play Warrington at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday (3.00) second bottom of Super League.

And Sharp is refusing to let the talk about his future act as a distraction.

“I’m aware of all the speculation,” he said.

“I am proud a club like Catalans, who are second in the Super League table at the moment, are apparently showing an interest in me.

“They can see how much the Giants have improved as a team over the past few years, having now reached a major final and the play-offs.

“But I remain fully committed to Huddersfield Giants.

“I believe I still have a very important job to do here, and I have a really good group of players and coaches who are busting a gut to turn things around.

“What matters to me more than anything right now is making sure we do everything we can to get back to winning ways against Warrington and start to climb back up the table.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Thewlis, who has made it clear he stands firmly behind his coach, and is determined to see him remain in the job he has held since 2004.

“Following reports that originated in the rugby league press, let me make my position as managing director of the Giants perfectly clear,” he said.

“Our head coach, Jon Sharp, and I have a long-standing and successful relationship based on trust.

“He has not applied for the Catalans job and if they come asking to speak to him it will be rejected.

“Irresponsible reporting of things like this annoys me intensely and I feel for Jon when I know he knows absolutely nothing of this or where the rumour came from.

“Our focus here is on the Millennium weekend and distractions like this are unwelcome and unjustified.”