European Cup: Three years' work distilled into a single decision, a myriad considerations jostling for prominence. In early February Alan Solomons must decide whether his future remains in Belfast or a single argument that differentiates between several prominent suitors will hold sway and tempt him across the Irish Sea.

Northampton have been widely touted as serious rivals for his signature, the accepted premise that coach Wayne Smith is returning to his native New Zealand and a position within the new All Blacks coaching set-up at the end of the season implying the addition of substance to rumour. It hardly constitutes a surprise to learn that Ulster wants Solomons to stay.

The former Cape Town litigation specialist, who coached Super 12, Currie Cup and was an assistant coach to the Springboks (38 tests) during Nick Mallett's reign, is aware the time has come to push aside sentiment in favour of a practical and analytical mindset. Not that it will make the decision easier.

"There is so much that has to go into the pot. It's a decision that I ultimately have to make but it's so tough, very, very difficult.

"I have been very happy here and everyone has been very supportive from players, supporters to the Branch and the IRFU. I postponed any decision until after the World Cup because at that time I had 10 to 14 players missing through World Cup commitments or injury. I wanted to concentrate on integrating the young players and getting on with the basic job of coaching without distractions."

Solomons can no longer postpone the moment. By the end of the month either Ulster will have qualified for the knockout stages of the Heineken European Cup or their aspirations will have been confined to Celtic League. One senses that what the team manage to achieve over the next three matches in European competition might shape the coach's final decision.

There must also be the lure of remaining in situ to preside over Ulster's young tyros Roger Wilson, Neil Best, Matt McCullough, Scott Young, Andrew Maxwell, Séamus Mallon and Tommy Bowe as they vindicate his faith. Whatever his final decision, Solomons's achievements, including winning the inaugural Celtic Cup final, should be acknowledged.

Three years ago Solomons walked into an Ulster set-up that while not quite a shambles was a pale shadow of the heady days of 1999 and that marvellous European Cup triumph at Lansdowne Road; it was achieved under the baton of Harry Williams. Ulster's fortunes plummeted over the next two seasons, when they won just one European Cup match from a possible 12.

There was one codicil to the bleak outlook, the inception of the Celtic League.

"My arrival (the summer of 2001) coincided with the advent of the Celtic League. Prior to that Ulster's representative matches were down to the interprovincials and the Heineken Cup. The two years preceding my arrival, the same timeframe that followed the European Cup success, had not gone well for the province.

"When I came in first and assessed the situation I prepared a document that I called Vision Ulster. Things were rocky; there were no youngsters coming through and I was told that many of the good young players left the province to go to university. I found this totally unacceptable.

"There needed to be a talent-identification process to provide the proper pathway for young players to graduate to the senior team. I was very fortunate to have Allen Clarke (the former Ireland and Ulster hooker) as Elite Performance Manager and he provided the structures among the young and developing players (to bring them through).

"I had to look for players outside the squad to add stability, leadership and mentoring for the young players coming through."

The arrival of Robbie Kempson, Matt Sexton, Warren Brosnihan and Rowan Frost among others has proved extremely beneficial and helped in the development of players like Bryan Young, Paul Shields, Matt McCullough and Neil Best.

It hasn't always appeared like that to those outside the province who viewed the influx of foreign players as counterproductive to the development of young Irish ones - an easy position to take but an incorrect one.

Like any of the other Irish provinces, Ulster have contracted players who haven't quite delivered, but a cursory look at the number of young Irish players in the match squad reinforces the suggestion of positive discrimination.

On his arrival Solomons had to impart a few home truths. The poor basic skill levels dismayed him but the rot had seeped even deeper. "In one of the early games, against Cardiff, I couldn't get over the poor conditioning of the players. I looked at the body shapes and could see they lacked conditioning.

"In the first year I concentrated on that, setpiece play and defence. We won four out of six Heineken Cup matches, including beating Stade Francais and Wasps, and reached the semi-finals of the Celtic League. Munster beat us that day and deserved to do so. I picked out Neil McMillan from a training session and put Paddy Wallace straight into the team.

"I knew Paddy was a good rugby player who would have no problem moving from outhalf to full back. Paul Shields was promoted ahead of Richie Weir; they were the first steps to bringing on the younger players.

"In the second season there was a clearing out of the squad. It was another very good year, again losing to Munster in the semi-finals of the Celtic League (a match reduced to a farce when Ulster prop Justin Fitzpatrick was sent off) and then finishing joint top of Pool Six in the Heineken Cup but losing out to Northampton. If we'd had a TMO (television match official) in the 25-20 away defeat to Biarritz then one of their tries would not have counted.

"Having said that, I thought they deserved to win on the day and I don't want to carp about the result."

One thing Solomons is quite prepared to address is the anomaly of European Cup seeding. "I don't agree with the present format. There should be four pools of six teams with the top two in each going through to the quarter-finals.

"How we can be seeded 10th (in Europe) and finish up in the group of death for the third year in a row is a mystery."

The fact that Ulster have been hampered by ridiculously tough draws makes their performance during Solomons's tenure all the more laudable.

Personal satisfaction for the personable South African comes from the number of young players that have graduated to the senior panel and whose names trip off the tongue.

He is proud of the structures that have been put in place, citing the change in the age profile of the squad and his quest to ensure the squad becomes self-generating by tapping the underage talent.

"I will be shell-shocked if in 2007 several of the young players don't make the Irish team."

Solomons began his tenure by laying the foundation, underpinned by reinforcing the basics and then focusing on skill levels and sound decision making. The progress has been measured, and this season the careful nurturing of talent is especially visible.

To watch Solomons at a match is to be offered an inkling of his personality. Neat in stature, he almost seems lost in the voluminous folds of regulation Ulster garb, quietly opting for a corner of the Ravenhill committee box. He is perennially seeking to deflect praise, preferring to see it lavished on others.

Smart, articulate and courteous, he is extremely personable yet carries the unmistakeable glimmer of steel. His achievements over the three years at Ulster have guaranteed that the current system is in rude good health.

Whether he will be present to enjoy his labours over the next couple of years will be resolved shortly.

Ulster rugby has been enriched by his presence; it would be poorer for his absence.