Paul Roos has said he has "more interest" in coaching the struggling club. Picture: Michael Klein
SYDNEY'S drought-breaking premiership coach Paul Roos appears certain to be appointed coach of struggling Melbourne on a long-term deal.
Roos will command an annual salary of close to $2 million - the highest ever paid to an AFL coach - a figure he pitched to Melbourne several months ago, not long after the club's initial approach.
The cash-strapped Demons will be given financial support, up to $3 million, by the AFL to restructure their football department.
Melbourne, which plays its final game for the season tomorrow against the Western Bulldogs, is working towards announcing Roos at Thursday night's best-and-fairest award function.
Following vigorous approaches by Melbourne chief executive Peter Jackson, Roos' exact salary and terms are being discussed by the Demons over the weekend.
Roos, who this week turned down the vacant senior coaching position at Brisbane, has had a significant turnaround in position over the past fortnight.
Last night on Fox Footy, he said he had renewed interest in the Melbourne job and flagged his chances as 50-50.
"'In terms of the Melbourne job, there is some more interest there than there was 12 weeks ago. I have had some discussion with Peter and said you have got to work to your timeline, not mine. (But) if he calls me, I am happy to take his call," Roos said.
"He has continued to talk to me. When I started the process 12 weeks ago you go from zero per cent interest in coaching to 100 per cent, you can't do it in such a short space of time.
"There is more interest now. I am certainly not at the point where I can say, 'Yes I will do it', but you start thinking about it, you start picturing yourself doing it, what does it look like, and all those things.
"Where am I at? I have moved from zero to around that 50-50 mark, but at some point you have to say are you going to dip your toe in the water. You have got to be fair dinkum about it."
On August 17, in his New Limited column, Roos said: "As someone who has coached and happily finished with a view never to coach again, it is a massive decision to go back into it. But when weighing up whether or not to step back into the ring, my message to myself you must be ready'."
The Australian understands Roos has a package of former and present Sydney associates ready to head to the Demons, including highly respected assistant coach George Stone, who will head up a new Melbourne development program, which is a priority for the club.
As well, premiership defender Tadhg Kennelly is expected to join Roos as an assistant coach.
Roos' current contract with Fox Footy expires at the end of the current season.
He handed over the Sydney job to John Longmire at the end of 2010 after being the longest-serving coach in the club's history. The 2005 premiership coach had eight full seasons with the Swans after coaching the final 10 games of the 2002 season on an interim basis.
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