IT is almost 12 months since Simon Easterby took the helm at Parc y Scarlets.
And while it has been anything but serene progress through the choppy waters of regional rugby, the Scarlets head coach is positive about what lies on the horizon.
"The first year was always going to be about me learning how to manage things in a different way," said the former Ireland international.
"There have been more responsibilities and more things to deal with, not just from a rugby point of view, and there are certain elements to the role which I probably didn't see coming.
"But I have had great support from above me and below and that has given me the opportunity to do what I am paid to do, which is coach."
A former club captain, Easterby was handed the rudder following the departure of Nigel Davies to Gloucester last June.
What followed was a season of fluctuating fortunes on the field and headlines off it surrounding big-name player departures.
Whitewashed in Europe in a brutal pool containing arguably the best two sides in the tournament — Clermont and Leinster — the Scarlets dug deep to reach their goal of finishing in the top four in the RaboDirect Pro12.
On the face of it, after so much change within the coaching and playing staff, a play-off spot was an admirable achievement for Easterby and his new-look back-room team of Mark Jones and Danny Wilson.
But a hapless home defeat to Treviso and a bruising semi-final loss to Ulster in Belfast left a sour aftertaste to the campaign.
"Did those games take the shine off? It did and it didn't," added Easterby.
"If someone at the start of the season had said fourth place and a chance to play in a semi-final where anything can happen, I certainly would have set that as a goal for us.
"Obviously, when you get there you want to give the best account of yourself and I think the last two weeks against Treviso and Ulster, for 75 per cent of those games we were poor. We didn't play to anywhere near our potential.
"But the work that had got us there was what I was pleased about. We had a good start, a dip in the middle that coincided with us playing some of the best sides in Europe, and then we came through the other side and had a run of eight out of nine wins which got us into the top four.
"As for the Heineken, bearing in mind the group we had, if we had come out winning three out of six games that would have been a fair reflection on ourselves and the other teams in the group.
"But we didn't get a win, which was hugely disappointing. In that home game against Leinster and then home and away against Exeter we didn't do ourselves justice."
The last week or so since the Ravenhill defeat has seen Easterby putting players through individual reviews and setting goals for next term.
On Friday, term officially ends, but with 13 players heading out the door, another busy summer of recruitment awaits.
"We are going to have a smaller squad next year, whatever happens," he added.
"We are going to rely on some development players but we also want to bring two or three quality players in as well.
"You can take young players to a certain point, but to see the best of them you have got to keep them for five, six, seven years and you have got to add quality and experience into the group to bring up their performances.
"Ulster have shown that in their recruitment; the Ospreys did it with Marty Holah working with Justin Tipuric, and the same with Filo Tiatia who came in and would no doubt have had a massive impact on someone like Ryan Jones.
"I think someone like John Barclay will be that type of player. He will be fighting for his place with Dan Thomas, but Dan will also be able to learn a lot from John and the things he does on the field."
As for Easterby, having made his mark in Llanelli during an illustrious 11-year playing career, he is hoping to make a similar impact as head coach.
"There has been a lot written and said about Sir Alex Ferguson recently and how he started his career," he added.
"When he first went to Man Utd, there were times when he was on the brink of losing his job. He came through with the support of a lot of good people around him and has gone on and created a legacy.
"I am not saying I will be able to do that to that extent, but you have to start somewhere, and I am fortunate that I have had the opportunity to assist Nigel for a couple of years and now have the chance to put my stamp on things.
"It is not going to happen within a year, it might not happen for a couple of years, but slowly I am starting to understand that change can make a difference and hopefully change can make a difference for this club in the long term and not just in the next couple of years."
