PAUL Roos says the role of the modern-day AFL coach has evolved greatly since he began in the job in 2002 as he is poised to equal the club's coaching record of 152 games against Geelong on Saturday night.
Speaking in Sydney on Friday, the Swans coach said the role was almost unrecognisable from that of head coaches in the 1980s or even 90s.
"Coaching has changed unbelievably in my time and I'd imagine if you sat down with Mick Malthouse (Collingwood) and Leigh Matthews (Brisbane Lions) and their time, there's just extraordinary change," Roos said.
"The game keeps developing. I've got John Longmire who is coaching coordinator who deals with a lot of the day to day stuff. Now you're more like a manager.
"You're managing staff, helping your medical staff, talking to recruiting guys. In a way, it's less about trying to get your club up on a weekly basis because you've got great assistant coaches to do that.
"So it has evolved. Let's see what happens in the next two, three to five years."
As for the milestone itself, Roos took his usual laid back attitude toward it.
"It feels good but it's something more you look back on when your career finishes. It does fly by.
"When I first took the job it was for ten weeks, then I got through that and was offered a three-year deal and then you get another deal."
Roos' predecessor Rodney Eade coached the Swans for 152 games between 1996 and 2002, when he was replaced by Roos with ten rounds to go in the season.
The current Swans coach has enjoyed unprecedented success. He is on track for a sixth consecutive finals appearance this September and the Roos era also includes two consecutive grand final appearances, including a flag in 2005 – the club’s first since 1933.
"Winning the premiership was the ultimate and that impacts not only on the coach but on the club in general. That was extraordinary."
Roos said he'd sit down with the club at the end of this year to discuss his future. He has a contract till the end of 2009 but has always maintained he doesn't see himself as a career coach.
Looking at the ladder-leading Cats, Roos says there will be very little cloak and dagger about his approach against the side which is 18-1 for the season.
"You know they are a good side. What you do have to do is play for 120 minutes.
"We've been pretty competitive against them in the past but we haven't been able to play 120 minutes."
The Swans played Geelong in round five and, although defeated by 42 points, the result wasn't in the bag until late in the final quarter when Geelong scored heavily.
"We know it's going to be difficult but the guys have a certain degree of confidence. Having said that, they blew us away kicking five goals in about ten minutes in the last game.
"Our focus is to try and play 120 minutes of footy."
