Albion manager Mark McGhee is reluctant to sign his new contract until the relegation-haunted Seagulls end their losing run.

McGhee revealed today he has put the issue on hold while his side fights for Championship survival.

He will definitely sign, whether or not Albion stay up, but he is sensitive about the timing of putting pen to paper.

McGhee's new two-year deal was discussed during a midweek meeting with chairman Dick Knight after the 3-0 defeat at Preston, Albion's sixth in a row, which dropped them into the relegation zone.

"When I came here last year I saw my objective as a package, to get the team promoted and to stay up," McGhee said. "We got promoted last year but if we don't stay up then I don't feel as if I'll have done all the job that I came here to do.

"I would rather sign my contract when things are better. I don't want anyone feeling the team are in trouble and so I'm grabbing the contract.

"I want to do it right from the point of view of people's understanding of my motivation, but I'll be staying here regardless."

Meanwhile, McGhee has challenged Rami Shaaban or Alan Blayney to grab the second goalkeeping position up for grabs next season following Ben Roberts' retirement with back trouble.

Roberts' departure leaves the door open for Blayney or former Arsenal keeper Shaaban to mount a challenge to injured No.1 Michel Kuipers, who is sidelined until next season by shoulder damage.

Blayney reveals in tonight's Sports Argus an interest in staying beyond his loan spell from Southampton for the rest of the season.

"It's great if Alan wants to stay," McGhee said. "I think he has done well. I want to see more of him, but there is an opening here for a goalkeeper and there is no reason why it couldn't be Rami or Alan.

"One of the things Dick and I spoke about this week is that very quickly, regardless of what division we are in, we've got to start sitting down now, looking at the squad and making decisions about players and positions that we need to fill and where we are going to fill them from."