PAUL Roos has ruled out coaching the Demons beyond 2016, but says he wants to stay involved with the club in a different role.
Roos told the club’s website on Thursday he had yet to decide whether he would exercise an option to extend his two-year tenure at Melbourne into a third season, 2016.
But Roos said regardless of that decision he would like to remain involved with Melbourne “in some shape or form" beyond his coaching stint.
"I've really enjoyed the footy club and I've really enjoyed the players," Roos said.
"There may be some other different role that we come up with, (but) in terms of the pure coaching and the senior coaching, the three years will see me out."
Roos dismissed any suggestion the uncertainty over whether he would coach Melbourne in 2016 could destabilise the club.
"Part of the appeal – and part of when I spoke to (chief executive) Peter (Jackson) and (president) Glen (Bartlett) – was trying to set the path for the future and trying to get (the foundations) in place," Roos said.
"I think a bit has been said about the uncertainly about it, but if a coach signs on for three years, there's massive uncertainty during that three years.
"There’s always uncertainty with a coach."
Roos said the plan for him to groom a successor to take over in 2016 or 2017 would give Melbourne "greater certainty" about its coaching direction than most other clubs.
"Part of what I wanted to do was get a good group of coaches together, really set the path and hand it over to someone that's really well qualified, but knows what we're trying to do – and (then) the path is consistent," Roos said.
"I'm really wedded to that, because I've seen it work at Sydney and I tend to disagree when some people think, 'Oh well, it's a new coach, with new ideas'.
"I tend to disagree with that. They'll have some slightly different ideas, but it's a great way for the players to understand this is where we're going and we'll continue that under someone else."
Roos is yet to anoint his successor, but has said he hopes to at the end of this season.
The Demons raised $600,000 at their annual Foundation Heroes dinner on Wednesday night.
Twitter: @AFL_Nick
