Sean Lineen was a model of dignity yesterday as he put a brave face on his sacking as Glasgow Warriors head coach in favour of Gregor Townsend, Scotland's failed attack coach.

The revelation that the 50-year-old, whose team are on course to reach the RaboDirect Pro12 play-offs for the second time in three years, had been removed from his post sent shock waves round a Scottish rugby community that was already reeling from the national team's shocking display in losing a sixth successive Test.

"I was brought in and told this change was going to be made, and here's another opportunity to stay in Scottish rugby," Lineen said of the offer he was subsequently given to become head of acquisition for Scottish Rugby, as well as working with the national under-20 squad.

"I was given a great opportunity nine years ago when I joined Glasgow as backs coach and I've had a great nine years here. Gregor's getting that opportunity now."

Leaked to a newspaper with what looked like exceedingly convenient timing for the struggling national team management, the decision has the potential to demoralise Glasgow players, management and supporters, but Lineen expressed determination to prevent that from happening.

"The timing's a bit awkward but we've just got to deal with that," he said.

"It was a relief to get the chance to discuss this with everyone in our set-up, many of whom I've worked with for a number of years, before they found out from elsewhere, because none of them had read the paper it appeared in before I spoke to them this morning.

"They're all pretty shocked, but I said to them that this is professional sport and it's always going to happen sometime. It might have happened last season when, although there were reasons for it, we struggled, so I'm glad that we've been given this chance to show what we could do with a stronger squad.

"I'm leaving Glasgow but I'll be giving it everything to make sure we get into the play-offs. I hope everyone who cares for the club will do the same because this is a time when we need to support the players.

"Coaches come and go. Everyone moves on at some stage and I'm the longest-serving coach in the Pro12 so I was next.

"I'm proud of the players we've brought through at Glasgow, the likes of the Lamont brothers, the Evans boys and Richie Gray, and the role I'm going to be given is to identify talent throughout the world.

"We will now be doing that professionally in the marketplace, selling Scotland to the wider world. That is something that I can really look forward to doing because I believe I can do it well."

News of his departure in favour of Townsend, whose record in his only senior coaching job as Scotland's attack coach has been statistically appalling, ranged from bewilderment to horror among supporters who expressed strong views via various social media.

That the decision to make the change was made, and that without being advertised the post was filled by a coach whose only record is as a specialist who has not achieved his basic objectives in that role, could be interpreted as showing contempt for those supporters.

At the very least it shows that far from the professional teams being given increased autonomy as Mark Dodson, the SRU's chief executive, had promised, they continue to be run from Murrayfield since Andy Robinson, Scotland's head coach, is understood to have been closely involved in this decision.