A first sighting was all it took for Peter Grant to be smitten by Scott McTominay's talent. Working out whether he might actually be eligible for Scotland took a little longer.
Alex McLeish's new assistant was at the Emirates Stadium last May when McTominay made his Manchester United debut as a late substitute. The physical stature and composure were such that Grant admits he feared the newcomer might be Scottish in name only.
This is not, after all, a nation famed for producing 6ft 4in midfielders. Hence why Gordon Strachan made his much-mocked reference to 'genetics' hampering his last failed campaign.