THE manager's job at Inverness Caledonian Thistle lies vacant but it has been filled with expectation.

There has seemed little rush to disturb that as a club sitting in second place in the SPFL Premiership can afford to identify a new manager in some comfort and leave the greater agitation to those vetting candidates from the outside, perhaps a suitable place to start given that many of those linked to the Highland club are already out in the cold. The door to the manager's office at the Caledonian Stadium has been left open to possibility, although it is reportedly being held for someone in particular.

That is Paul Hartley, with Alloa Athletic last night understood to have given permission for talks to take place. These are the words a club uses when it is aware that there is no more it can say to keep a manager. It has not been easy to pin Hartley down at the best of times during his two-and-a-half years at Recreation Park, the 37-year-old having led the club to consecutive promotions from the third division before pausing for breath this season with Alloa mid-table in the Championship. That form has allowed him to creep towards the top of shortlists at Aberdeen and Hearts and Hartley's latest move up could take him to the Highlands.

The former Scotland midfielder can still be considered short on experience, but he is at the height of his powers. Hartley has built a impertinent squad which has stuck its tongue out at the perception that a part-time club has no place in the Championship. Alloa are fifth.

It has given their manager a foothold should he agree to ascend to Inverness. There are others who have been gripped by the vacancy - Kenny Shiels, Craig Levein and John Hughes have all been credited with an interest - and some do hold an appeal, albeit loosely. Inverness are likely to have been attracted more by the opportunity to appoint a manager who is on the way up, though, even if Hartley has offered the odd slip this season. "We met them a few weeks ago and we won that game . . . I think it was 3-2," said John McGlynn, now manager of Livingston and a coach at Hearts while Hartley prowled midfield.

McGlynn's recollection was accurate - Andrew Barrowman scored in the last minute for the West Lothian side - but Hartley has already enjoyed significant victories this season. His latest might be to win over the board at Inverness and be appointed to a job which fits him snugly. "Whenever a job comes up he is linked and it is only a matter of time before Paul takes that step up the ladder," said McGlynn.

"He was a winner as a player. At Hearts, he demanded quality from all the other players, he demanded the desire that he showed every day. He was a good example to the young players . . . to all players, to be honest.

"He was an attacking midfield player; he scored goals, made runs and that was a great asset. But he could also play in a deeper role and he became the all-round midfielder. He demanded similar quality from those around him. He would give out no second prizes, you know, and you can understand why he would take that with him into management."

It is common when a player makes strides as manager to look back at where he came from. Hartley has experience of playing for such as Millwall, Celtic and Bristol City, but he remains synonymous with Hearts. The former midfielder won a Scottish Cup with the Tynecastle club in seven years ago and also stood up to former owner Vladimir Romanov as part of 'the Riccarton Three'.

His position as No.1 for Inverness has been helped by quieter moments, too. "At Hearts under Craig Levein, Craig introduced video analysis and Paul benefitted from the use of that," said McGlynn. "I think that helped him to visualise the game and how he wanted it to be played.

"He has wheeled and dealed a wee bit too and has an eye for getting a particular player to do a particular job. Alloa are now going along very nicely in the Championship so he has pit his wits against everyone, he has brought players in and has shown that he has done very well."