Steve Agnew could get the chance to stake his claim for the Middlesbrough job as chairman Steve Gibson plots the way forward after the departure of head coach Aitor Karanka.
The Spaniard's former assistant has been placed in temporary charge of team affairs while Gibson assesses his options, of which one is to install a proven firefighter on a short-term basis.
Boro announced Karanka had left the club on Thursday morning having reached the point of no return. The Teessiders are 19th in the Premier League, without a win since December, and three points shy of safety with just 11 games remaining.