Dick, who oversaw a golden generation of athletics which included the eras of Sebastian Coe, Steve Ovett and Daley Thompson, is now the chairman of Scottish Athletics and has warned that only athletes who show they are capable of fulfilling their potential will be supported financially in the future.

He said: "We have been punching below our weight and it's time we addressed that.

"Anyone who can reach elite level will not be left high and dry for support.

"But not everyone can get funding.

"A country the size of Scotland will not have thousands of athletes fighting to be at the highest level.

"We will always have a manageable number.

"You always need to have that mentality of being second and trying to get into the position of number one - because there will always be someone trying to do that."

There is a fear that Scottish athletes will return home from next year's Commonwealth Games in the Indian capital without a medal for the first time since Cardiff hosted the event in 1958.

Scotland have failed to win more than two medals at a Games since Auckland in 1990 and have not won a gold since Yvonne Murray claimed victory in the 10,000 metres at Victoria in 1994.

Dick said: "My job is to come in here and try to pull things in the same direction.

"We have a good base but in any walk of life there's always a way to find improvements.

"I'm not going to be standing beside a track with a whistle.

"That's not what my role is.

"It's to make sure those at the cutting edge get the help they want to succeed.

"The key is for people to work together.

"That does not come naturally when you have different coaching groups trying to beat their competitors.

"But unless we share expertise we can't make up lost ground."

The situation needs to be addressed quickly with Glasgow due to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Dick has already had meetings with Laurier Primeau, Scotland's newly-appointed Canadian head coach, to try to come up with a plan to help develop talent like Stephanie Twell (pictured), the world junior 1500m champion.

Dick said: "I've had talks with Laurier.

"I'm confident he'll draw up a strategy that will move things forward including how we develop people who will create that next layer of talent.

"We can support the coaches below them through mentoring or providing pathways to realise their own ambitions.

"The standard coach education programme isn't enough - just as an athlete needs a custom-built programme to take them into the international arena and be successful.

"And we will provide that."


Related stories
November 2009: Top Scottish coaches to be given financial incentives
October 2009: Dick to be new chairman of Scottish Athletics
August 2009: Canada lose another coach to Britain