Tim Visser happy to bide time for Edinburgh coach

SCOTLAND winger Tim Visser has shrugged off concerns over the SRU’s delay in appointing a new head coach at Edinburgh, but said that the players would not like to go into the new season with the position still vacant.

Tim Visser runs in a try at this year's Six Nations. Picture: Getty

The SRU leads the searches for the professional team managements in Scotland and chief executive Mark Dodson toured South Africa with the Scotland squad in June in an effort to tie up former South Africa coach Alan Solomons on a long-term deal. He also met with other candidates, however, and has so far refused to confirm that Solomons is their first choice, or if they have had to turn their attentions elsewhere.

Visser said it was not a pressing issue for the players at present, as they are still heavily involved in strength and conditioning training.

“It is really easy at this part of the season,” he said, “in the sense that it is all about physical work, and this is one of the hardest pre-seasons to date so there is no time or energy left to think of anything else.

“At this stage of the season the coach doesn’t have much input. It is all about physical work and getting the players ready for a big season so we are not worried about that at all, but at the same time it would be nice to make sure a coach is there before the new season.

“I am sure the SRU are working hard to get the right man for the job. They are not going to jump in, they are going to wait for the right person.

“Where we are as a club, it is better we get in someone who is going to be better in the long term rather than a quick fix. We need someone who can take control, take the club forward and put some solid foundations in place. If we have to wait longer then that is the way it is.”

Interim head coach Stevie Scott is to be commended for the way he has pulled the squad together having taken temporary control when Michael Bradley was sacked in March. There is little doubt, however, that Solomons, if he is confirmed, faces a major rebuilding task. The Edinburgh players have experienced a series of different approaches under Andy Robinson, Rob Moffat, Nick Scrivener, Michael Bradley and Stevie Scott in the past four years and a fresh focus will be required.

In Glasgow yesterday to help launch BT’s sponsorship of the pro teams, Visser acknowledged their Scottish rivals appear to be some distance ahead of Edinburgh after last season. Asked how quickly that could change, Visser said: “It could be one season, it could be two or three. It is hard to predict how teams will go. Glasgow had a good season and are settled, but we have a good squad. The way we were playing at the end of last season, as a group we would like to develop that more and so we feel that we can work with that for now.”