Cape Town - Former Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri has played down rumours linking him with the Watford job.
The Hornets have confirmed that Walter Mazzarri will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
And Ranieri, who led Leicester to the title last season, and was sacked earlier this campaign after a difficult year, has emerged as the favourite to replace his compatriot.
But, the Italian has denied hearing anything about the rumours linking him with the soon-to-be vacant manager's position at Watford.
"No (I have not spoken to Watford), but if I had, I wouldn't tell you," Ranieri said on the Sky Sports programme Goals on Sunday.
"I'm very surprised because Mazzarri is an Italian. The are Italian, I don't understand what happened but that's football," he said.
The Italian added that he wanted to take his time before finding his next job in football management.
"After winning the title with Leicester I have to do very well to choose the right next job.
"I am a European manager and I have an agent in Spain, in France, in Italy agenda England so now I want to choose very well," he said.