Haddington Rugby Club has made a bold investment in youth by appointing Tom Philip, the former Scotland centre, as their new head coach.

Still only 28, mention of Philip's name conjures an array of emotions in those who closely follow the Scottish game because he was a player of huge potential who may or may not have been pushed too quickly too soon when winning his five Test caps as a 20-year-old during the Six Nations Championship in 2004.

Taken to Australia that summer when far from fully fit, he sadly disappeared from the elite game even more dramatically than he had arrived when, along with Chris Cusiter and Ally Hogg, he was hauled into the international team from near obscurity by Matt Williams.

In sporting terms, what happened thereafter was a tragedy, with his physical ailments apparently exacerbated by psychological issues as obsessive compulsive disorder was diagnosed and only a few weeks ago he took part in a Radio Scotland programme warning against the dangers of over-training.

It seems that no-one has been more frustrated by his failure to achieve what he might have than Philip himself, an opportunity that Haddington have seized upon.

Having cut his coaching teeth at his own club, Edinburgh Accies, their officials apparently had no hesitation in recommending that the East Lothian club take what has to be seen as a calculated gamble. It could backfire, but they could also be appointing the rugby equivalent of Brian Clough, regarded as the greatest English manager of all time, who was driven throughout his career by the disappointment of his playing days having ended through injury when he was still in his twenties, his ambitions unfulfilled.

"I set in place the process of looking for a new coach but I was not on the selection panel," explained Keith Wallace, the former SRU board member who is a long-standing Haddington committee man. "The message that came back from them was that Tom feels he's got a real burning desire to achieve as a coach.

"He was a bit of a wildcard as a candidate but he came through the interview process very well and we just think he's going to bring something a bit different to the club.

"The panel saw in him a real drive from within that comes from frustration and that could be what makes him a great coach. We think Tom is very focused, has a point to prove and is a really driven guy, so we're delighted to have him on board."

Wallace also noted, however, that the club was partly encouraged to take the risk because of the stagnation they see within the Scottish coaching scene caused by the way the best of those at the top end of the club game are being blocked from progressing into the professional game.

"We got a lot of interest when we advertised the post including a number of good overseas applications," said Wallace. "Partly because it would be much more cost effective from our point of view, we wanted to look for someone local in the first instance, but we felt we were fishing in a fairly small pool.

"There seems to be a fair bit of reshuffling going on because of the glass ceiling that's in place which in turn makes it harder for those looking to break into club coaching, again making it harder to find new blood. So, one of the reasons we were impressed with Tom was that he is bringing something a bit different."

Haddington is a small-town club with a fine history, its founder members including Jock Wemyss, the pre and post-Great War internationalist who, along with Ron Glasgow, Derek White, Grant McKelvey and Cammy Murray, is among five internationalists they have produced.

While Haddington has had a couple of short spells in the top flight, all those players had to move to higher-ranked clubs to win international honours, just as is the case at the vast majority of Scotland's clubs.

However, the open era which has resulted in the best prospects heading almost directly into the professional game from age grade rugby has levelled the playing field substantially so that a club like Haddington with a thriving mini-rugby section containing some 250 members and close links to local high school Knox Academy has no reason not to aspire to the top of the club game. Which should mean that if the SRU finally start to co-ordinate the work of their well-staffed community rugby section effectively with the professional game, there can be opportunities in both directions.

Addressing the governing body's failure to create a clear route for leading club coaches into the pro game has to be a major part of that co-ordination. The community rugby section should also be actively seeking out opportunities for those with professional playing experience to get involved with clubs.

A shining example of that is Callum Forrester, the flanker who was extremely unlucky to be released by Glasgow Warriors at the end of the season having made a substantial contribution to the run that took them into the RaboDirect PRO12 play-offs.

Still only 25, Forrester is keen to remain in Scotland and has been contemplating returning to university. However, having at least begun to learn his trade as a coach with Hutchesons' Grammar School over the last few years, he would seem a perfect candidate for another ambitious club to bring in as a player/coach which could also allow him to continue to train with the Warriors with a view to reviving his professional career.

As with Haddington's decision, there might be some element of risk involved in such an appointment as compared with the relatively safe option of importing know-how, but the reward could be massive if it comes off.