Southampton manager Harry Redknapp said Monday he planned to hold talks with Sir Clive Woodward following the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand which finishes in July.
Woodward, who guided England to the Rugby World Cup in 2003 before resigning last year, was first reported to be contemplating a move to Southampton in September where the English Premiership strugglers' chairman Rupert Lowe is a friend.
But having been appointed coach of the Lions, Woodward has insisted all his energies are being directed towards the three Test tour against the All Blacks which starts in June.
Woodward believes that many of his management techniques are transferable across sports and Redknapp said he thought the former England and Lions centre had a "lot to offer football".
But Lowe has stressed Woodward will not be involved with Southampton's academy.
Redknapp told www.saintsfc.co.uk, the club's official website: "We are all concentrating on the last eight games of the season and Sir Clive has his hands full and is totally focused with the Lions tour.
"I've met him on several occasions including at a dinner organised by the chairman at the stadium.
"He has definitely got a lot to offer football and I'm very much looking forward to meeting Clive again after the Lions tour to see if things can be taken further."
Southampton climbed out of the bottom three Sunday with their 3-1 win at Middlesbrough, the south coast club's first away victory in the Premiership this season and Lowe is determined that reports surrounding Woodward will not overshadow their bid for top-flight survival.
"We must not allow anything to detract from our improving form. The next eight games are crucial to us," Lowe said.
"We have no plans to change our academy structure as has been suggested. The progress over the recent past has been exceptional and there is no upside to changing a winning formula."
Redknapp quit Southampton's arch local rivals Portsmouth earlier this season after they appointed Velimir Zajec as executive director, a move which was seen as undermining the Pompey manager's authority on the training ground and in the transfer market.
It led to some bitter exchanges with Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, especially after Redknapp took up an offer to manage Southampton.
But given how Redknapp reacted to the appointment of Zajec, a man steeped in soccer, any suggestion he was being asked to play second fiddle to a rugby coach would likely provoke an even angrier response from the former Bournemouth and West Ham boss.
Woodward has said he plans to pursue his football involvement once his Lions commitments are complete.
"It is not about money, it is about the challenge. For a start I have got to get qualified.
"The job I am going into is not as high-profile as some people think.
"I have a couple of years to see if I can make a difference. By the end of that time I will know whether I am up to it."