The Scottish Football Association face a new threat — from West Brom — in the quest to secure Michael O'Neill as national team manager.
Tony Pulis' job at The Hawthorns hung in the balance last night following a 4-0 home hammering by champions Chelsea that left Albion just one point above the relegation zone.
It is understood the English Premier League strugglers are keen on the Northern Ireland boss to take over if Pulis is sacked in the next few days, with West Brom fans last night calling for the Welshman to be fired.
And with O'Neill keen to try his luck at the top level of the English game, Scotland's No 1 target to replace Gordon Strachan could be tempted to move to the Midlands.
The SFA are set to open talks with the 48-year-old in the next few days after permission was granted by their Northern Irish counterparts.
O'Neill's disinterest in talking with struggling Sunderland had left the coast clear for SFA chief executive Stewart Regan to close in on the man he hopes can take Scotland to a first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup Finals.
However, O'Neill would welcome the chance to chat with West Brom, where three of his top players are based — Gareth McAuley, Chris Brunt and captain Jonny Evans.
The wages on offer at the English club — around £2million per year — would dwarf the salary available in Scotland or those on the table in the improved terms of an Irish FA deal.
Written into O'Neill's current contract is a clause which states Premier League clubs must pay £750,000 compensation — but that would present no problem to West Brom, who have sunk into a relegation battle in alarming fashion, accruing only four points from their last ten games.
Pulis admitted in the build-up to Saturday's match that he would not be surprised if he lost the job he has had since January 2015.
The trigger payment for the SFA would be around £500,000 if O'Neill opts to switch national team jobs to the country where he and his family reside.