Paul Heckingbottom is not under consideration to takeover as Bradford City manager, according to reports.
Journalist Alan Nixon detailed early on Wednesday morning that the 49-year-old is no longer in the race for the top job at Valley Parade.
Heckingbottom only departed Preston North End earlier this month, with Bantams boss Graham Alexander heading the other way as his replacement.
Despite initial suggestions that Alexander and Heckingbottom could swap jobs, Nixon has claimed that the former Barnsley and Leeds boss will not cross the Lancashire-Yorkshire divide to take his next position.
Alexander -- who played more than 350 times for the Lilywhites as a player -- was earmarked for a stint as head coach with the Championship outfit following a successful three years in charge of Bradford.
The 54-year-old won promotion to third tier in his first full season at Valley Parade and was named League Two Manager of the Season after guiding his team to a third-placed finish. His side coped with the step up to League One very well too, earning a spot in the playoffs where they suffered defeat to Bolton Wanderers in the semi-finals.
Bradford sit top of League One after seven matches this campaign, enough for Preston to make a move for their former player.
As well as confirming that Heckingbottom was out of the running for the job, Nixon also reports that Michael Duff is being lined up for the Valley Parade hot seat.
Duff was sacked by Wycombe Wanderers earlier this season following a five-match winless streak to start the campaign. The former Cheltenham, Swansea and Huddersfield boss earned promotion from League Two with the Robins in 2020/21, but has been dismissed after less than 13 months in charge in each of his last four managerial positions.
Following their excellent start to the season, Bradford are 6/1 to win League One and 4/7 to finish in the playoffs.
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
