As it took them the best part of six months to fill the post, you would hope the SRU knew what they were about when they finally appointed Alan Solomons as Edinburgh head coach the other day.

And, for his sake, you also hope the 63-year-old South African was just as thorough in his research on the club he is about to join.

Because, to be frank, Edinburgh are a basket case at the moment. As SRU chief executive Mark Dodson pointed out a couple of months ago, their run to the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup last year obscured deep-seated problems at the club, a crisis of morale, a dangerous lack of depth and over-reliance on a handful of key players. And those chickens all came home to roost last season.

At its start, the players all talked about European success being a platform they could build on. In actual fact, it collapsed beneath them. Key players struggled. The new coaching team were a disaster. Their most noteworthy achievements were to lose their first two Heineken Cup games without scoring a single point - no team had managed that before - and to finish the pool stages with a lower points total than any side in the competition's history.

So welcome to the cock-up capital, Mr Solomons. Let's hope you have a plan to make Edinburgh a side who are actually worthy of representing one of the great rugby cities of the northern hemisphere. But if you don't, here's a few suggestions for the to-do list.

1 Get Ross Ford back to his best

It took the Lions management a while to notice it, but Ford was the best hooker in the British Isles four years ago. Since when, he has been stuck in reverse gear, having lost the dynamism of old. The hooker is one part of the spine of a team, and Ford has become a weak link.

His underlying abilities are beyond question. At 29, he is not exactly in his dotage either. The Scotland captaincy was a burden last year, and he has to be encouraged to play something closer to his natural game than the rugby-by-numbers form too many coaches have tried to impose.

2 Recruit and spend wisely

There was a time when Scottish teams struggled because they lacked the funding to compete. Now, they have playing budgets on a par with most English sides. However, while Glasgow have used their money cleverly, Edinburgh have been reckless and profligate, bringing in too many ordinary players.

Dodson has made it clear that Solomons will have money to spend. Edinburgh need quality and they need game-changers of the sort Glasgow found when they brought Josh Strauss and Niko Matawalu on board. On top of which, he should keep a close eye on the club scene, as there are many there who could do a better job than some of Edinburgh's recent signings.

3 Lift morale

Easier said than done, but Solomons has to clear the foul air that has made the Edinburgh dressing room such a toxic environment for the past couple of seasons. A prolonged honesty session is needed to get issues out in the open. He also has to make it clear that grievances that festered while Michael Bradley was in charge are no longer relevant on his watch.

Again, the answer can be found at the other end of the M8, where Glasgow have developed a superb team ethos. On his first day in office, the first thing Solomons should do is put a call in to Gregor Townsend.

4 Push for a new ground

It may not be his direct responsibility, but it will quickly become obvious to Solomons that having more than 60,000 empty seats at Murrayfield does not bestow much of a home advantage. There is a pressing need for Edinburgh to find a home of their own, and Solomons should not be afraid, as some coaches have been, to put his head above the parapet and say so.

5 Sort things out at fly-half

It is just about the oldest truism in rugby that a good team need a good playmaker to pull the strings. Edinburgh have had a few on their books, but they have chopped and changed between Piers Francis, Greig Laidlaw, Gregor Hunter and Harry Leonard over the past two seasons.

Bradley apparently wanted to bring an experienced fly-half to the club, but his efforts were blocked by senior SRU management. Solomons has to put his foot down and get the player he wants and needs settled in the most important position on the pitch.

6 Harden up the pack

When the mood took them, the Edinburgh pack could bully opponents last season, but they were rolled over too often. In the second row, Sean Cox, such a powerful figure in his first season, seemed to lose some of his stroppiness and menace, while Grant Gilchrist needs a more abrasive edge.

Edinburgh have plenty of ball-playing forwards, but no real enforcer in their ranks. In rugby, you have to be able to stop the other lot playing as well. Think nasty should be Solomons' mantra when he is drawing up his shopping list.