Whilst I agree that Bomber is an excellent coach and leader of men, the style of game Roos and Bomber play are poles apart. To mentor and transition a developing coach with Roos was the idea not get an experienced gun who then hands to an experienced gun. I would also think more heavily leans to Roos only staying for two years which is not the desired outcome. I am open to Ratten being the handover as his job at Carlton with a crap list has been seriously under rated and he will be better second time around and outside of the Blues environment. Still I still prefer the idea of Ling or Kirk as I think they more instill the values that Roos is trying to embed and are both young proven leaders of men.

Die Hard Demon, on 02 Apr 2014 - 1:20 PM, said:

Melbourne has contacted Bomber Thompson for the top job post Paul Roos.

And they are very bullish at the chances of acquiring him if James Hird resumes coaching at the Bombers next year.

My source has an impeccable record on information thus far.

Make of it what you will.

If people can recall, I quoted precisely this in early April.

As a few of us who watch Monday nights AFL360 have noted how Thompson and Roos are in agreement over pretty much everything and how he would be a great replacement. Now they are reporting in the HUN that we are wanting to talk to him about taking over after Roos.

The other names are Ratten, Voss, Harvey and Ling, Ling seems to be second fav after Thompson of course after Roos staying on.

Interesting to see where this leads.

My 2 favourite choices back when, apart from Matthews.

would still like a 2IC, if/when Bomba took over.

This is exactly the sort of talk the club can't afford right now. Just finding our feet after 7 years in the wilderness and the talk is warming up on a Roos successor.

The only viable outcome here is for Roos to committ to the extra year, shut the talk up and remove any semblance of chatter from the airwaves (players' minds) for at least another 18 months while he locks in the culture and methods on the field and throughout the entire playing list/Casey etc.

Edited May 10, 201411 yr by Rusty Nails

According to some posters around here he also needs a face lift and plastic surgery.

I don't care. More than happy to "win ugly."

just what the 'f' do you mean by that then !

This is exactly the sort of talk the club can't afford right now. Just finding our feet after 7 years in the wilderness and the talk is warming up on a Roos successor.

The only viable outcome here is for Roos to committ to the extra year, shut the talk up and remove any semblance of chatter from the airwaves (players' minds) for at least another 18 months while he locks in the culture and methods on the field and throughout the entire playing list/Casey etc.

I feel that Roosy is doing his 3rd year now. with more to come after this one. ?

But if he was able to find a Premiership coach to step in, like the Bomba, a smooth & wise operator, he might step aside. But the main thing for Roosy is to Rid the club if its baggage & weak culture.

Once he achieves that, anything is possible, IMO.

Surprised Jude Bolton isn't being thrown around as a potential assistant. His article this week was fantastic, and having met the guy he's a ripping bloke too.

I feel that Roosy is doing his 3rd year now. with more to come after this one. ?

But if he was able to find a Premiership coach to step in, like the Bomba, a smooth & wise operator, he might step aside. But the main thing for Roosy is to Rid the club if its baggage & weak culture.

Once he achieves that, anything is possible, IMO.

Thats because DL many supporters are getting ahead of themselves. 2 wins and we feel like we've won a few finals or something. There is progress i agree but we're nowhere near a 3rd year in to a Roos tenure in a "like" sense at this early stage.

We've beaten an undermanned Blues at one of their lowest ebbs when they had Waite and Garland (one of their few regular goal kickers) ommitted.. Nice win but. And we've had a good solid win and broken a hoodoo in Adelaide against a team which was as young and inexperienced as us on the day. A great win on its own no doubt. Some good solid signs in other matches excluding the Eagles. But lets not do a Richmond and get way ahead of ourselves... not just yet.

Edited May 10, 201411 yr by Rusty Nails

Thats because DL many supporters are getting ahead of themselves. 2 wins and we feel like we've won a few finals or something. There is progress i agree but we're nowhere near a 3rd year in to a Roos tenure in a "like" sense at this early stage.

We've beaten an undermanned Blues at one of their lowest ebbs when they had Waite and Garland (one of their few regular goal kickers) ommitted.. Nice win but. And we've had a good solid win and broken a hoodoo in Adelaide against a team which was as young and inexperienced as us on the day. A great win on its own no doubt. Some good solid signs in other matches excluding the Eagles. But lets not do a Richmond and get way ahead of ourselves... not just yet.

nope, what I meant was that IMO the 2 + 1, is Roosy's get out clause, in case things don't matchup to his hopes.

I sense that the club is pulling its weight, & the AFL as well, to this point in time. so I'm viewing it that Roosy could be thinking,,, this is going to plan so far. and a 3rd year could be on. so I put it, as I did, in the previous post you responded to.

If However a Bomba type became interested, then Roosy may move the schedule forward to accommodate.

According to some posters around here he also needs a face lift and plastic surgery.

Some?

One.

Two if you count his significant other.

I wouldn't mind Bomba as coach, I think we need an experienced coach coming from a strong club/s; that's what worries me about Ratten, he may be a good coach but he's tarnished with the tanking and comes from the Carlton club which has dubious a history.

anyone considered that Bomber might get rubbed out in the Essendrug fiasco?

anyone considered that Bomber might get rubbed out in the Essendrug fiasco?

It has been mentioned.

A question for the perplexed: Why is it assumed Ling is an option for coach. Has he had any experience? Is he only considered because of his media appearnces and him saying he might some day?

Dunno, just asking.

It has been mentioned.

A question for the perplexed: Why is it assumed Ling is an option for coach. Has he had any experience? Is he only considered because of his media appearnces and him saying he might some day?

Dunno, just asking.

you have my vote. We need experience not another rookie

I has been mentioned.

A question for the perplexed: Why is it assumed Ling is an option for coach. Has he had any experience? Is he only considered because of his media appearnces and him saying he might some day?

Dunno, just asking.

Linger longer has been very well respected as a footy brain & midfield organiser. and a well liked & respected by his players. its thought he would make a very good coaching candidate.

you have my vote. We need experience not another rookie

we need both as Roos & Bomba are both getting long coaching teeth.

before last week i was slightly underwhelmed by what Roos has managed to do so far, but now it seems pretty clear that he really is the man for the job, he seems to have taken us further in 7 rounds than Bailey and Neeld combined did in 6 years.. the two key things we are seeing i the general increase in effort and the ability to turn these fringe, nothing players into something (see Pederson, Jetta, Bail etc) that said I don't want to talk about succession I just want Roosy as long as possible!

Thats because DL many supporters are getting ahead of themselves. 2 wins and we feel like we've won a few finals or something. There is progress i agree but we're nowhere near a 3rd year in to a Roos tenure in a "like" sense at this early stage.

We've beaten an undermanned Blues at one of their lowest ebbs when they had Waite and Garland (one of their few regular goal kickers) ommitted.. Nice win but. And we've had a good solid win and broken a hoodoo in Adelaide against a team which was as young and inexperienced as us on the day. A great win on its own no doubt. Some good solid signs in other matches excluding the Eagles. But lets not do a Richmond and get way ahead of ourselves... not just yet.

We just beat the Crows at the Adelaide Oval.

Even Geelong would be happy with that.

Have you actually watched any MFC games over the last eight or so years?! On any construction, that's a simply mammoth improvement.

before last week i was slightly underwhelmed by what Roos has managed to do so far, but now it seems pretty clear that he really is the man for the job, he seems to have taken us further in 7 rounds than Bailey and Neeld combined did in 6 years.. the two key things we are seeing i the general increase in effort and the ability to turn these fringe, nothing players into something (see Pederson, Jetta, Bail etc) that said I don't want to talk about succession I just want Roosy as long as possible!

don't forget the old players who had the old Melbourne DNA culture of the last 15+ years, were pulled like yanking a wisdom tooth.

this has had pain, but it has eased a problem moving forward, making it easier to influence the young heads that are on our list Now. the old baggage has been shipped off.

it could be said the last one was Slyvia.

now we are able to refocus the list & the Organisation,,, back onto the AFL Non-Negotiables... chasing hard, running down your opponent, tackling hard, splitting packs, leading opponent away for team, Running hard both ways, being an Honest footballer & not playing for self preservation, Not letting you teammates do your work.

all these things were let go over the last 15 years, & our young had games thrown at their feet, without expectation of doing the hard work required by AFL players. we became bruise free.

Thats because DL many supporters are getting ahead of themselves. 2 wins and we feel like we've won a few finals or something. There is progress i agree but we're nowhere near a 3rd year in to a Roos tenure in a "like" sense at this early stage.

We've beaten an undermanned Blues at one of their lowest ebbs when they had Waite and Garland (one of their few regular goal kickers) ommitted.. Nice win but. And we've had a good solid win and broken a hoodoo in Adelaide against a team which was as young and inexperienced as us on the day. A great win on its own no doubt. Some good solid signs in other matches excluding the Eagles. But lets not do a Richmond and get way ahead of ourselves... not just yet.

We just beat the Crows at the Adelaide Oval.

Even Geelong would be happy with that.

On any construction, from where we've been over the last eight or so years, that's a simply mammoth improvement.

I has been mentioned.

A question for the perplexed: Why is it assumed Ling is an option for coach. Has he had any experience? Is he only considered because of his media appearnces and him saying he might some day?

Dunno, just asking.

agree completely, there are plenty more qualified people we should be looking at I'd think.

Of the current assistants, Brett Kirk seems the obvious choice at the moment, and I'd prefer him over Ling. Midfield coach of Fremantle, worked under Lyon, played under Roos, was universally regarded as a great leader as a player.

agree completely, there are plenty more qualified people we should be looking at I'd think.

Of the current assistants, Brett Kirk seems the obvious choice at the moment, and I'd prefer him over Ling. Midfield coach of Fremantle, worked under Lyon, played under Roos, was universally regarded as a great leader as a player.

Mark Neeld and Dean Bailey both had impeccable credentials. They also both sucked big-time as senior coaches.

I'd like to see us keep Roos.

Both Roos and Bomber are much of a muchness.

There is a reason why all good assistants come from the Sydney and Geelong production lines.

My ideal coach would be Roos, if not Roos, Bomber.. If not Bomber, Ross Lyon... If not Ross Lyon, then maybe Brett Kirk.

Thompson would be an amazing get, to go from Roos to Bomba would be incredible but I'm not sure that it's realistic/practical. As many have said they have very different styles of playing and Roos is building a team based on that style, to then jump to the Bomba style could set us backwards while we adjust. Then again you could say that Roos is setting us up defensively, while Bomba could take us forward offensively.

Lingy is a media man for me, until he 100% commits doing an apprenticeship be it under Roosy or somewhere else he isn't going to be considered in my books. FWIW I don't think he would enter into be a senior coach without those preparations, especially after seeing how Voss has gone and even to a certain extent Buckley. Bucks was taken on too soon IMO, and his early years have shown that.

Kirk seems like a good candidate. He's doing his time as an assistant, he was an intelligent football when playing, highly respected in the AFL community, and he has history with Roos' game style and teaching methods. It would stand to reason that he would continue the Roos mantra after he has left coaching.

I'm hoping Roos will stay for the 3rd year minimum, I think he will given where we are at and that we still do not have the succession plan in place. The only way that would change is if we had someone internally already earmarked. Of course the dream is that he gets so ingrained with the club and it's direction that he can't help but stay for 5+ years!

Thompson would be an amazing get, to go from Roos to Bomba would be incredible but I'm not sure that it's realistic/practical. As many have said they have very different styles of playing and Roos is building a team based on that style, to then jump to the Bomba style could set us backwards while we adjust. Then again you could say that Roos is setting us up defensively, while Bomba could take us forward offensively.

Lingy is a media man for me, until he 100% commits doing an apprenticeship be it under Roosy or somewhere else he isn't going to be considered in my books. FWIW I don't think he would enter into be a senior coach without those preparations, especially after seeing how Voss has gone and even to a certain extent Buckley. Bucks was taken on too soon IMO, and his early years have shown that.

Kirk seems like a good candidate. He's doing his time as an assistant, he was an intelligent football when playing, highly respected in the AFL community, and he has history with Roos' game style and teaching methods. It would stand to reason that he would continue the Roos mantra after he has left coaching.

I'm hoping Roos will stay for the 3rd year minimum, I think he will given where we are at and that we still do not have the succession plan in place. The only way that would change is if we had someone internally already earmarked. Of course the dream is that he gets so ingrained with the club and it's direction that he can't help but stay for 5+ years!

Could be the most inspired combination in footy if they worked together with the team for a few years and focused on different things, while coming up with a conjoined game plan that suits both offence and defence.

Mark Neeld and Dean Bailey both had impeccable credentials. They also both sucked big-time as senior coaches.

I don't think Bailey sucked big time, I think he did a reasonable job, without being outstanding. Neeld did though.

But I couldn't see an article like this one by Jude Bolton, being written about Dean or Mark in their playing days.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/interchange/kirk-an-inspirational-leader-who-got-the-best-from-himself-and-his-swans-20100603-x70e.html

Off the field, you could say he is even more complete. He questions the process, reviewing the way we approach situations, butting heads with coach Paul Roos or the other leaders when required, purely to make the club a better place. It is his ability to empathise and connect with teammates that makes him such a powerful leader. You can see him on any training day, sitting next to one of the younger players, having a laugh and a chat, always building relationships and instilling confidence in others. They're the things that I believe will see him advance to coaching if he chooses.