There have been plenty of times Paul Roos has felt the love and been the people’s Mr Popular. It happened during his playing days with Roy Boys.
It happened when people power convinced Sydney to sign him as their coach at the end of 2002 instead of Terry Wallace, and again when he led the Swans out of their 72-year premiership drought in 2005.
And it just continues to happen.
One week it’s Brisbane, the next Melbourne, the one after he is headed to Perth. Any team that’s not going as well as they want to be, or with a coach whose contract is up, has become a candidate for a new place of residence to Roos.
Apart from helping out with his son’s junior team, and at the Swans Academy, Roos hasn’t coached since stepping aside from the Swans at the end of the 2010 season.
Yet what he was able to achieve with Sydney in his eight and half seasons at the helm, with results and particularly the club’s culture, still has him on speed dial of most chief executives around the AFL, especially those interested in making changes.
Wherever there is a vacancy, the name Roos is linked. Before this season’s trio of clubs, it had been Carlton as a replacement for Brett Ratten, the Gold Coast after Guy McKenna, and there was even speculation Roos would be the perfect man to take over from Kevin Sheedy at the GWS Giants.
No, no, and no back then, and again this year, no, no, and sorry, but no.
He handles the constant quizzing well, but sure he must be getting sick of being asked if he keen to coach (insert club here).
And who could blame him for saying no?
If Roos was only about coaching and nothing else – and one of his favourite phrases used to be, “I’m not a career coach” – then sure, he would be keen to take on the tough assignment and do his best to right a sinking ship.
If he was sitting around, doing little, looking to get back into the game, sure, give it a shot. If he was strapped for cash, why not have a go?
But he is none of those. He seems happy in the commentating roles he has with Fox Footy, and on their magazine shows, and certainly from the outside looking in, he doesn’t appear desperate to get back involved with the nuts and bolts – and grief – of day-to-day football coaching again.
And seriously, what is to gain, apart from obviously lots of dollars? If he was to turn a club – lets say Melbourne – around and bring them back to being a competitive club again, naturally it would delight their fans, but would it really enhance his reputation as a coach?
The way I see it is he did what nobody could do in 72 years. How do you top that?
And suppose he couldn’t perform miracles at that club. How much of a dent does that put in his reputation?
Roos has publicly said he has told the Demons he’s not interested, despite saying he thinks the Melbourne job is “an attractive proposition – if you wanted to coach,” and Melbourne have now said they have moved on.
Roos also has said that’s the way he feels now, and he doesn’t know what he will be doing next year or the year after.
It’s similar to what he said at the end of the 2010 season, “My intention is never to coach again. That’s as I sit here now.
“Will it change in three years time when the boys have finished school? I can’t answer that categorically. I don’t want to sound like a politician, but right now, I can’t see myself coaching again.”
At the end of this year his youngest son Tyler will complete his schooling – clearing the way for a comeback?
In playing and coaching, Roosy always did love a challenge. Will he accept one? It has to be soon though, as the more time away the harder is will be to return.
Only Roos knows whether he one day will, or will even contemplate it.
But, as we all know, life is pretty comfortable sitting on the couch talking about footy with your mates.
Why would you want to move if you didn’t have to? I know I wouldn’t.
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