These are blustery times for the AFL. Beachheads in western Sydney and on the Gold Coast, Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt jumping codes for untold money, established AFL stars bitter at these unprecedented contracts, old clubs terrified at the concessions granted these newcomers. Fear, loathing, greed and optimism in the AFL – these are things Paul Roos has seen before.

He’s lived the game in the suburban heartlands – 269 appearances for Fitzroy attest to that. And he’s lived the game on the barren frontier – 87 games for the Swans and eight years as head coach in Sydney attest to that. He’s experienced years of plenty and years of famine. As a player he’s finished at the foot of the table and he’s lost a grand final, as a coach he’s won a grand final and lost another. And at the end of this season, he’ll hand in his clipboard – leaving the AFL a poorer place. So while Roos is still here, pull it in tight and bend an ear to one of the most considered and articulate voices in football.

Perhaps a little premature, but congratulations on a fine stint at Sydney. Will you look back on your Swans years with fondness?
I will ­ when this season finishes. When I get a chance to reflect on things, I think I’ll see that what we’ve been able to achieve here has been a really special time in the club’s history.

You’ve always said you’re “not a career coach”. Why?
Well, as a player I always found it hard when a coach had been with the same group for a long time. I’ve always felt there was a lifespan for a coach at one club, and I’ve always seen myself as a one-club coach ­ so the only outcome when you put those two things together is that I won’t coach for 15 years. Not everyone’s Kevin Sheedy ­ he was extraordinary in his ability to reinvent himself with a group of players, to outlast one generation and take on another. That’s very, very rare for a coach; Kevin had a unique talent. I always thought seven to eight years was a good period for me, after that I might get tired, the players might get tired of me. As it’s turned out, this year’s been my eighth …

You don’t appear tired. And the players certainly don’t seem tired of you …
I guess that’s why I’m hoping to leave at the right time …

As a player you were coached by some big names – Barassi, Parkin, Wall, Eade. Any favourites?
I’ve enjoyed all of them to be honest. Personally, one of the most important things has been having a lot of coaches. They were all so different. Tactically, Rodney Eade was fascinating, how he used his players. Certainly Rodney and Robert Shaw were the most tactical coaches I played under. David Parkin was just so thorough in his preparation, so it was very instructive to watch him go about his business. Wallsy really changed the game with his kick-ins, so he had a very innovative mind. Not many coaches can say they actually changed the game, but Wallsy had the huddle going at centre halfback and then we’d kick wide ­ that’s why they brought in the zones. And then, of course, Barassi just had a great aura about him. Everything he said, you listened to – some of it was a bit left-field, but it was always interesting.

As a coach what do you see as your main strengths?
I think honesty. We’re very honest with our players here. They’re very comfortable coming to the coaching group – not necessarily to me, because I think the coach needs to maintain a certain aura – and I think we’ve set up a system where the players can have a real say in their footy club, from the oldest to the youngest. I think that empowerment, that ability to have a real impact on their club, is something they’ve enjoyed.

You’ve also spent time in America studying their sports. Learn anything there?
Yeah, I had a chance to go over there when I retired in ‘99 and I went to the Chicago Bulls, the Chicago Bears, the 49ers, the Denver Broncos. I was just struck by how professional they were, how specific their training was compared to what we were doing back here. It was real game state training, game-related stuff, whereas back here it was just a bit of kick-to-kick and circle work. That was a big thing I brought back.

With Greater Western Sydney setting up shop across town, do you worry this is a bad time to leave the Swans?
Look, hopefully the club sees a role for me in the future. I certainly don’t want to be seen to be abandoning the club. While I’m not senior coach, my allegiance is very much with this club. So I’ll definitely be discussing some sort of role with our CEO Andrew Ireland because I do think it’s a very important time for this footy club.

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