SYDNEY premiership coach Paul Roos appears set to sign a long-term deal as coach of Melbourne this week in a massive coup for the Demons.
It is reported that the Demons will look to fast-track talks with Roos, given his public intentions last night on Fox Footy, declaring that he would be a “50-50″ chance of coaching Melbourne next season, and may announce Roos as coach as early as Thursday night’s club best and fairest count.
“‘In terms of the Melbourne job, there is some more interest there than there was 12 weeks ago. I have had some discussion with Peter and said you have got to work to your timeline, not mine. (But) if he calls me, I am happy to take his call,” Roos said.
“He has continued to talk to me. When I started the process 12 weeks ago you go from zero per cent interest in coaching to 100 per cent, you can’t do it in such a short space of time.
“There is more interest now. I am certainly not at the point where I can say, ‘Yes I will do it’, but you start thinking about it, you start picturing yourself doing it, what does it look like, and all those things.
“Where am I at? I have moved from zero to around that 50-50 mark, but at some point you have to say are you going to dip your toe in the water. You have got to be fair dinkum about it.”
The Demons are expected to undergo a massive coaching overhaul with Roos as coach on a speculated $1.5 million deal – helped by funding from the AFL.
Highly-respected former Sydney and Hawthorn assistant coach George Stone is expected to be the new head of its development program, while former Swan Tadgh Kennelly and current Swans assistant Leigh Tudor are expected to join Roos as assistants.
It will leave many of the Demons current assistant coaches and development coaches without a job including current development coaches Paul Satterley and Aaron Greaves. There is also doubt whether Neil Craig will remain in any position at the club next season.
The breakthrough is a massive coup for the Demons, and comes as another candidate Rodney Eade on Friday was wiped out of the race after signing a new deal to remain as a football director at Collingwood.
Roos, who currently resides in Sydney, said he was happy to relocate his family to Melbourne but had no intention to re-locating to Brisbane, who had made an audacious, but perhaps embarrassing bid for Roos after sacking Michael Voss.
The coaching merry go round may continue post-season with speculation that West Coast and coach John Worsfold may depart ways by next week.
It will leave Brisbane and West Coast seeking new senior coaches – and Worsfold may well be linked to the Brisbane Lions position.
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