Hearts are on the hunt for a new manager following the sacking of Steven Naismith.
The 38-year-old's tenure was ended amid considerable fan pressure after a 2-1 defeat to St Mirren consigned the Jam Tarts to an eighth consecutive loss.
He leaves Hearts bottom of the Scottish Premiership with only one point from the opening six matches and with a record of just one win in 15 matches in all competitions.
However, the Tynecastle hotseat remains one of the most attractive jobs in Scottish football, particularly with the prospect of European group stage football on the horizon in the UEFA Conference League.
With a potential £10m investment also on the cards from Tony Bloom, the Brighton owner and chairman behind the vaunted Starlizard recruitment algorithm, then there will likely be no shortage of applications making their way to Gorgie.
Can Hearts attract a big name? Will they go for a tried and trusted manager with Scottish football experience? Will they look to England for an up and coming boss? Or could they go down the foreign route in the hope of landing a Jimmy Thelin, who has transformed Aberdeen into a winning machine following his arrival from Swedish football?
Here are 10 names we reckon should be among the leading candidates for the Hearts managerial vacancy.
5. Arnar Gunnlaugsson
The 51-year-old is currently managing Víkingur in Iceland where he has won multiple domestic titles and led his side into European competition. His limited coaching experience outside his homeland may pose a risk but he previously played in both Scotland and England with spells at Dundee United, Leicester and Bolton. | Getty Images
6. John McGlynn
Appointing a former Hearts manager who was sacked in 2013 after just seven months in charge might seem a bad idea, but there is merit in considering a Tynecastle return for McGlynn. The 62-year-old was previously in charge during a time when the club was engulfed in financial difficulty, with poor league form leading to his dismissal despite reaching the League Cup final and running Liverpool close in a Europe. But his reputation has flourished since then with a spell working under Brendan Rodgers at Celtic followed by success at both Raith and Falkirk, including an invincible league title-winning season with the latter. | SNS Group
7. Dave Challinor
The Stockport County manager is one of the hottest properties in English football right now after steering the club from the National League to League One within three seasons. Has been on the shortlist for several recent Championship vacancies including Sunderland and Stoke City. With the challenge of European group stage football on the horizon, could Hearts tempt the sought-after 48-year-old north of the border? Would be an interesting appointment. Photo: Matt McNulty/Getty Images
8. Marek Papszun
The Polish coach may be an unknown name in Scotland but that is certainly not the case in his homeland. In 2016, he was appointed manager of Polish third division club Raków Częstochowa and helped them achieve promotion to the top flight within three seasons before winning the Polish title in 2022-23. He has received interest from Legia, the most successful club in Poland, and has been recently linked with Brighton and Sunderland. If Hearts are looking around Europe for a successful coach, then they are sure to come across the name of Papszun. Photo: KURT DESPLENTER