Same again? Knight Lineen if it is

Without doubt it was a good time to be a Warriors fan last year with the team managing at long last to perform consistently over the full season.

Sure the old problem of seeing European action past Christmas reared its head again but as ex-Liverpool football club manager Bill Shankly once said: "Look after the bread and butter and eventually, the rest will take care of itself".

That of course is the Magners League and prior to last season, being in contention for that prize past Christmas was a major issue.

Often we would see Glasgow get off to a flying start and taunt us all with the promise that this could be the year.

Rugby being what it is, injuries inevitably occurred and the Warriors cupboard usually resembled that of an old Soviet supermarket with very little in supply.

There would also be the odd period of discontent with Kiwi Searancke's spell in charge being a case in point although the dressing room division worryingly panned out as those being for the then-gaffer being the 'good' players and those against.... draw your own conclusions.

Not to say Lineen has had to deal with all of this in his five years at the club only he seems more adept than most in being able to adjust his first XV when injuries crop up and also, to get the dressing room back on side when the troops start thinking of mutiny.

If rumour and conjecture is to be believed there have been at least two occasions (early in 2006/07 season and the 2008/09) of coup rumblings. If true it was very noticeable that such speculation died out within a week lest it fester like it did under Searancke.

Some will say "that's because those rumours were all a load of rubbish anyway". Possibly. But if they were not, it shows that Lineen's man-management is up there with the best - after all, it would have to be.

Last season not only saw a team singing from the same hymn sheet but also, when injuries inevitably cropped up, they had a squad capable of dealing with it.

Unfortunately, Glasgow's success meant that Scotland more than ever depended on Lineen's crop of talent which left him somewhat bare when the Magners campaign carried on during the Six Nations.

He wasn't the only boss lumbered with that issue which in all fairness should stop being one with the suspension of competition while the Six Nations takes place. After all, with many fans' attentions and wallets being diverted elsewhere, it does somewhat devalue a league striving to gain extra attention.

But I digress, a strong finish post-Six Nations not only saw them through to the newly-establish play-offs but a highest-ever finish of third place. In fact, had the game's beaks been stronger in punishing Ospreys for their little bit of rule-breaking, second place and a home semi-final draw should have been the Warriors' reward.

However, when your team does well, the big boys start opening their cheque books to your stars and so it proved. Renaissance man Dan Parks went to Cardiff while Kelly Brown saw the challenge of Saracens as a chance too big to miss.

Not to worry, Glasgow have plenty in reserve to cope....... or they did. Injuries come and go in rugby but this summer, they have arrived at Firhill and decided to set up camp with players dropping like flies.

Johnnie Beattie and James Eddie out until new year leaving the back row - the Warriors' strongest department - suspect, skipper Al Kellock and scrum-half Chris Cusiter out until the Autumn tests at least, prop Jon Welsh still recovering from his wounds of last season and of course, we all know about Thom Evans although the fact he's still able to walk after his horrific injury in Cardiff earlier this year is much more welcome news.

And with the coffers bare in terms of making signings to cover for the aforementioned, Lineen will have to rely on promoting players from the club scene, bargain buys and bringing players in on loan.

Not to mention some players still not quite putting their hands up to secure a berth in the first XV. The Ruaridh Jackson situation is a case in point.

The fly-half, tipped to be the next big thing, has had something of a confidence issue since coming back from injury last season. While his handling and running is still an asset to the team, his kicking - as shown in last week's friendly against Sale - has gone awry.

With Parks gone, this is his moment and maybe the pressure for someone who is still a young man is a little too hot to handle without the protective cloak that being Dan's understudy once provided him.

Problem is for Jackson is the emergence of a new starlet with teen Duncan Weir impressing against Sale when replacing Ruaridh. Weir shone in the club circuit for Glasgow Hawks and demonstrated his talent superbly against Sale.

However, there is a problem for Lineen in that as a teenage player, Weir will inevitably have dips in form and is effectively still building up his stamina. Jackson being fitter must recapture his form soon in order to allow Weir the time and space to fully develop as a player.

With more club players having to step up thanks to the injury situation, fitness and stamina will have a huge part to play and Lineen's young guns are going to have to shape up fast - witness the brutality with which a Glasgow side ridden with flu were swept away in the breakdown during the home loss to the Ospreys last season.

No doubt the feeling was at the end of last season was to make sure the Warriors kick on and at worst match what they achieved.

Given the situation on the playing front, that might be the best fans can hope for. If Lineen can pull it off, it could be an ever bigger feat than last year.