The longest ever Swans coach Paul Roos tonight pledged his future to the Sydney club until the end of the 2011 season. Roos announced a two-year contract extension at the club’s best and fairest dinner in Sydney.

The popular coach, who replaced Rodney Eade halfway through the 2002 campaign, was under contract until the end of next season but has decided to extend his contract.

Roos, who also played for the club before becoming an assistant coach, has enjoyed an enviable record in one of the AFL’s most demanding markets.

He guided the club formerly known as South Melbourne to their first premiership in 72 years when they beat West Coast and carried off the 2005 flag.

They also lost another grand final to the Eagles the following year.

In the latter stages of the recently concluded season, Roos passed Eade’s club record of 152 games as head coach.

Through the season Roos had indicated he would sit down with the club at the end of the season to discuss his future, but had never indicated whether he would seek an extension.

With several of his senior players including Barry Hall, Brett Kirk, Michael O’Loughlin and Leo Barry all past 30 and in the latter stages of their career, some Sydney supporters feared Roos might leave when his contract expired after next season.

He has led the Swans to the finals in each of his six full seasons as head coach.

Roos has never considered himself a career coach, but has always enjoyed good relations with both the Sydney fans and media.

With an ageing list, his challenge over the next three seasons will be to regenerate the club as successfully as he did when he first took over and had to replace champions like Tony Lockett, Paul Kelly, Wayne Schwass and Andrew Dunkley.

© AAP 2012

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