Roos open to Blues role

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 2019 themercury.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS 1300 696 397 PAUL Roos says he would be prepared to talk to Carlton about a left-field role in their coaching structure as he urged the Blues to consider a radical solution.

Sydney premiership coach Roos is not prepared to embark upon a long-term senior coaching role at a football club, but is fascinated by ideas of leadership and elite coaching.

He told News Corp yesterday he would be more than happy to discuss with Carlton what their structure looked like after they moved on Brendon Bolton.

It raises the question of whether Roos would consider a role as the Blues’ coaching director or a succession plan similar to his arrangement under Simon Goodwin at Melbourne.

He believes clubs such as Carlton will increasingly think outside the square, having failed with senior coaches like Mick Malthouse and first-timers including Brett Ratten and Bolton. A structure where a manager-type figure like Roos ran the club’s direction while another figure was the matchday coach would have massive appeal.

“I think clearly if you get a big fish it’s great, but if you don’t I would be bold and creative and see what you can come up with,” Roos said of Carlton’s search.

“I am a football person, I love the industry, I love being involved, so if someone said come and have a chat to us that wouldn’t worry me at all. I would urge clubs to now think outside the box.

“Now what that looks like, who knows? But it’s the next evolution of coaching structures. What are we going to come up with?”

Roos admired the former Blues model, which had legendary coach David Parkin as the official coach while Wayne Brittain actually had game-day responsibility for several seasons including 2000 before officially inheriting the title in 2001. He sees leadership structures across world sport that maximise the skill set of their coaches and allow them to thrive in roles suited to their strengths.

“It will change in the next 12 months to two years [in the AFL] because there are just not enough ready-made coaches you can plug into jobs where he can run the footy department too,” Roos said.

“You need to come up with something different and clubs will start to do that.”