Mark McGhee refused to rule himself out of the running for the Motherwell job as he declared he had unfinished business as a club manager.
But the Scotland assistant coach vowed that any prospective job would not be at the expense of his role with the national team.
McGhee is understood to be interested in a return to Fir Park, having led Motherwell to a third-placed finish in 2008 before leaving for Aberdeen a year later.
McGhee insisted he was focused on Scotland's European Championship qualifier with Poland on Thursday but when asked whether he was interested in a return to full-time management beyond this week, the former Wolves and Leicester boss said: "This is something I would consider today but not at the expense of compromising my position within this organisation.
"It's something I have had in mind forever. I'm not finished by any means as a football manager or a coach or as an assistant manager even at a club. That has never changed.
"But what remains true is this is the job I want to do at the moment and I certainly wouldn't do anything else that would compromise my ability to do that."
McGhee said there had been no approach from Motherwell.
"I have been complimented that people around me and people that I know have associations there have suggested it would be a good thing for me and a good thing for them," the 58-year-old said.
"But the people there know me and I have total respect for that. If someone was interested in talking to me, I'm sure they would get in touch but that has not been the case either way."
Motherwell have yet to draw up a shortlist having received close to 100 applications for the post.
Caretaker boss Stephen Craigan, who is the club's under-20s boss, is set for talks with owner Les Hutchison this week.
The club would prefer to have a manager in place for their next game, against Ladbrokes Premiership champions Celtic on October 17.
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