When it comes - and it surely will this time around - Derek McInnes may have some serious thinking to do before he accepts the invitation. It’s not a question of holding a grudge, even though he would have every right to feel a little scorned and aggrieved about being overlooked by Hearts when the manager’s situation became vacant earlier in the season. McInnes was the obvious choice when Steven Naismith was kicked to the curb just as he is still today, now that the whole curious Neil Critchley calamity has come to its inevitable messy ending. And it now seems pretty much certain that the Edinburgh outfit will pick up the phone to Kilmarnock at some point in the next 24 hours to start a conversation they should have been having back in October. McInnes wants the job too. Be in no doubt whatsoever about that. He’s had an eye on the Tynecastle hotseat for some considerable time as well as the solid, unshakable belief that he would be capable of establishing the club as a genuine force to be reckoned with in the Scottish game. Having done precisely this at Aberdeen over the course of his eight year reign at Pittodrie, his credentials are as close to being as impeccable and iron cast as they come. It’s the ultimate in no brainer appointments. Which is exactly why McInnes may have reason to pause and to think twice if and when his phone does finally ring and he hears the voice of Ann Budge or Andrew McKinlay on the other end of the line. It’s not a matter of having his nose out of joint from a previous snub. Rather, it’s a matter of determining whether or not the people who would become his employers can be considered credible and worthy of his trust. And that’s anything but a no brainer given the mess they have been making of calling the shots on behalf of the club’s supporters over the years. If truth be told, there are some glaringly obvious red flags which McInness would have to feel comfortable ignoring in order to shake hands and put pen to paper on a contract binding him together with these trigger happy incompetents for the foreseeable future. And don’t think for a single second that McInnes is not strong minded enough to say, ‘Thanks but no thanks,’ should he be less than convinced by what he hears when this discussion does finally get off the ground. Let’s not forget, this is the man who was prepared to turn down the opportunity to realise his burning ambition of becoming the manager of Rangers almost eight years ago when it seemed certain he was on his way and leaving the granite city behind. The lure of a return to Ibrox was too strong for McInnes to resist and, after a difficult heart-to-heart with owner and close confident Stewart Milne, he had decided to grasp the nettle. McInnes was given time to think it all through and it was during this period of deliberation that he actually had a hand in selecting the Rangers starting XI for a home match against Ross County on December 9. And it was only at the 11th hour when he held a goal post shifting telephone conversation with then chairman Dave King that he thought better of it and chose to stay put at Pittodrie instead. It wasn’t a case of turning Rangers down. No, on the contrary, McInnes concluded that he could not function effectively in his dream job, while working under a nightmare of a man he knew he could not trust. It was King he turned down. And, it should be remembered also that he made the agonising decision to walk away from the table after seeking the advice and guidance of his trusted mentor Walter Smith. That Smith saw McInnes as something of a kindred spirit and rated him so highly as a leader of men is indicative of the caliber and the integrity of the current Kilmarnock boss. Which is why, as appealing as the idea of joining such a well supported club will be, Hearts may have work to do to convince him that his future really would be best served on the other side of the M8. The probable involvement of Brighton owner Tony Bloom should sweeten the deal, in theory at least. With a £10m investment burning a hole in Bloom’s back pocket, McInnes might fancy his chances of spending some of it wisely in this summer’s transfer market. His eyes will most probably be lighting up at the thought of benefiting from such riches, given that all his good work at Aberdeen had to be carried out on a comparative shoestring. And all of that ought to work in the considerable favour of Hearts if and when McInnes does have to make his mind up at some point over the coming days. But - and there is a but in here even despite all of Bloom’s best intentions - McInnes might not find it easy to forget that it was the Englishman’s own analytics and algorithms which denied him this opportunity and gifted it to Critchley instead. Indeed, if McInnes should conclude that he’s only being offered the position now as an afterthought and against Bloom’s better judgement, then he could find himself back in a very similar situation to the one he faced after those talks with King. He enjoys a strong working relationship with Rugby Park owner Billy Bowie in much the same way as he previously had with Milne at Aberdeen. And yet he’ll have to be prepared to risk leaving that job security behind if he’s to join a club which is currently seeking a third manager in one season. To further muddy the waters he will also be aware of vacancies at two of his former clubs. Yes, his chances of landing the gig at Ibrox may have been permanently limited due to what went on all those years ago but there are no such barriers or impediments at West Brom, where McInnes was a much loved captain during his playing days. Having recently parted company with Tony Mowbray, there has been speculation in the midlands linking the Championship outfit with a move for McInnes. And if they were to get involved, they could offer him a potential pathway into England’s Premier League. Perhaps then it’s a good thing Hearts are about to jump to the front of the queue by officially asking Bowie for permission to talk terms with his manager. But just because they make the call and ask the question, they shouldn’t necessarily take the answer for granted. Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks