Steven Pressley, John McGlynn and Steve Clarke have all been mentioned in despatches
Another season, another managerial sacking at Aberdeen.
Stephen Robinson's departure on Monday made it five dismissals since the spring of 2021.
The Northern Irishman followed Stephen Glass, Jim Goodwin, Barry Robson and Jimmy Thelin in making an abrupt exit on the watch of chairman Dave Cormack.
Most of the quintet have lasted less than a year and, although Thelin ended the Dons' 35-year wait to win the Scottish Cup, the general trend has been one of perceived underachievement in Scottish Premiership.
Derek McInnes, now with Rangers after spells at Kilmarnock and Heart of Midlothian, was the last Pittodrie boss to regularly deliver consistent results in the top flight and consequent European qualification.
So who could be next? And what qualities does such a manager require?
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Two names mentioned fairly early on after Robinson's exit were Dundee's Steven Pressley and Falkirk's John McGlynn.
Both have impressed in the Premiership this past 17 months, drawing admirers for style of play and good results.
Falkirk are third in the division, two places above Dundee, and McGlynn's side were sixth last season, again two places higher than Pressley's men.
Former Aberdeen defender Richard Foster said the pair are "the two that stand out for me domestically" and said of Elgin-born Pressley on BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast: "I know he's got a quiet, laid-back demeanour, but I think in the dressing room, he commands respect.
"The players at Dundee seem to love playing for him.
"He knows the game very well. Having played at Hearts, having played at Celtic, he knows what it's like to be at a huge club."
Former Hearts, Hibernian and Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart has been impressed with McGlynn's track record of signing players.
Speaking on McGlynn on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound, Stewart said: "John McGlynn puts the miles in.
"He's up and down the road down south. He's up and around all over Scotland. He knows what the players are that are perhaps not in the eye of many others. He knows them intimately before they arrive at Falkirk.
"So it's no great surprise that his success rate with recruitment is pretty, pretty good.
"I would not be surprised if, whenever one or two of the bigger jobs start coming up... rather than being sort of an outsider, I think he'll be right in the hunt for some of those jobs."
Former Celtic and Hibs midfielder Scott Allan says McGlynn is "very tactically astute" and commented: "I love everything that John McGlynn does. Everybody in Scottish football can respect the job he's done there, the consistency.
"He's one of the most prepared managers, if not the most prepared manager for any sort of set-up that he faces week-to-week and he's shown that.
"It's a fantastic job he's done over the last three or four years. He deserves all the credit that comes his way."
It may seem like a lifetime ago, but it's actually only been five months since Steve Clarke stepped down as Scotland head coach.
The 63-year-old, like McGlynn, has vast coaching experience, including in Scotland after a two-year spell with Kilmarnock.
Clarke oversaw three qualifications to major tournaments with Scotland, ending long waits to appear at the European Championship and World Cup.
As well as managerial stints at West Bromwich Albion and Reading, Clarke has worked at Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United, so little would daunt the former right-back.
Appointing Clarke would be a statement by Aberdeen and the challenge of restoring the club to competitiveness may be a compelling one for the man himself.
However, along with McGlynn, geography may play a part and their candidacy could depend on whether personal circumstances allow a switch to the north east.
Wigan Athletic boss and former Scotland centre-half Gary Caldwell has also been linked with the Pittodrie job. The 44-year-old cut his managerial teeth with the Latics and returned there earlier this year after spells in charge of Chesterfield, Partick Thistle and Exeter City.
Swede Thelin stands out as one of the few overseas managers Aberdeen have had.
Yes, Goodwin and Robinson hail from Ireland and Northern Ireland respectively, but both are very much embedded in Scottish football after spending so much time at various clubs north of the border.
The only other non-Scottish manager to grace the Pittodrie home dugout was the Dane, Ebbe Skovdahl, from 1999-2002.
As such, it is fair to say Aberdeen have not experimented too much with foreign coaches and have tended to go with faces familiar to the Scottish top flight.
With a German, Lutz Pfannenstiel, as the sporting director, Aberdeen look further afield this time?
It has become the vogue in the Premiership of late, with Hearts, Hibs and Motherwell going foreign, with Belgian Wouter Vrancken, Dutchman Marink Reedijk and Swede Alfred Johansson in recent months.
Should Pfannenstiel unearth the next Jens Berthel Askou, formerly of Motherwell, Dons fans will be delighted.
Podcast: What is going wrong at Aberdeen?
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