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Hastings: backing Geech

He must have the ability to adopt a kind of tactical approach that will benefit the whole team. Man management is very important, it is vital for the psychological bit of the tour and of course you have to have respect.

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A week before the 2009 Lions coach is announced, four of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous red jersey gave their ideas on what qualities the new coach will need to possess.

"He needs to be a good organiser, said Brian O'Driscoll.

"He needs to know what style he wants to play and he needs to be a likeable sort who will get on well with the players.

"He needs to put together a good training team who will click immediately. He needs to play a brand of rugby that in seven weeks is capable of winning three test matches against the World Champions, so not big an ask," joked O'Driscoll who was the captain on the tour to New Zealand in 2005.

"You have obviously got to be astute enough to know the tactics that will be required, added Gareth Edwards.

"He must have the ability to adopt a kind of tactical approach that will benefit the whole team. Man management is very important, it is vital for the psychological bit of the tour and of course you have to have respect."

And there were no prizes for guessing who they think the frontrunner is:

"Superman", laughed Gavin Hastings.

"There is just something about Ian McGeechan and the Lions that go hand in hand, particularly after what he achieved 11 years ago in South Africa.

"It is almost right that his name is pulled out of the hat."

Gareth Edwards who was an influential figure on the unbeaten British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 1974 agrees.

"In all probability Ian McGeechan should be the coach," said Edwards.

"He has been there and done it and has all that experience. He has achieved it as a Lions coach and indeed as a player so he knows what the requirements of the team are and how to mould them.

"That is probably the most important aspect of a Lions coach, getting all these different cultures, different backgrounds and different approaches to the game and making them click.

Jason Robinson also agrees that Geech is the man to lead the Lions back into battle.

"Time after time he has delivered, said Robinson. "For me I remember turning up in 2001 not really knowing what it was all about.

"I had been a Lion in rugby league, but this was different and just to hear the likes of him talk from experience and put that passion across -- I truly learnt then what it meant to be a Lion."