Scotland first-team coach Stuart McCall has emerged as a serious contender to replace Jackie McNamara as Dundee United manager.
McNamara was told after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park that the club no longer wanted him in charge of the team.
There was a meeting between him and chairman Stephen Thompson immediately after the match and talks have continued regarding a severance package, with the former Scotland and Celtic defender contracted to United until May 2017.
Once that business has been completed there will be a formal announcement regarding McNamara’s departure but the search for his successor is already under way.
That McCall is of interest to United should come as no surprise.
He is currently an integral part of national boss Gordon Strachan’s backroom team and had a distinguished career as a player, most notably for Rangers, Everton and Scotland.
However, it his achievements as Motherwell boss which make him most attractive to the Tannadice team.
During his four years in charge at Fir Park, the Steelmen twice finished runners-up in the SPL, came third once, qualified for the Champions League and Europa League, and reached a League Cup final.
McCall also showed an ability to rebuild teams after losing players and is well connected in the game both north and south of the border.
He did fail to take Rangers up via the play-offs at the tail end of last season but it was noted with irony that most of the Well team that beat the Light Blues to stay in the Premiership was built by him.
He is not the only show in town, however, with St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright and former United players Miksu Paatelainen and Jim McIntyre also getting mentioned.
Wright has proved a thorn in United’s side in recent seasons and earned respect for that within Tannadice, while McIntyre has done a great job in revitalising Ross County this season.
Paatelainen had been considered a strong possibility for the vacant Motherwell post but a return to the Tangerines would interest him.
United would have to pay compensation to Saints and County for Wright and McIntyre respectively, while both McCall and Paatelainen are free agents who don’t have clubs.