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By Mark Stevens

Coach Paul Roos has put his hand up to lead the AFL's trailblazing efforts into the US once he winds up his career at the Sydney Swans at the end of the season.

Roos has had preliminary discussions with AFL officials, who are keen to tap into his talents when his 8 1/2-year reign at the Swans ends.

It is felt any role may include promoting the game in Sydney's east, as well as a role in the US.

Roos is a friend of former AFL player Tony Woods, the league's first international development manager.

"I know 'Woodsy' really well and have had a chat to him. They're things I'm really, really interested in," Roos said.

"I have noticed with interest the push to go overseas and my background is in America."

Roos's wife, Tammy, is American and he coached the US representative team before taking charge at the Swans.The AFL also value his impact in Sydney and David Matthews, now Sydney-based as general manager of new market development, is a strong believer in his potential.

"I've had some early discussions with Dave Matthews. I'd be keen to explore something," Roos said.

In a broad and comprehensive interview, Roos outlines his plans for the future while also addressing some key issues in his final season as coach of the Swans - notably the form of dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes.

COACHING

Roos has killed off rumours he will be lured to West Coast, stressing that for now he has no ambitions to coach again. "I'm giving it away knowing I'm not coaching again," Roos said last week.

But the door is ajar. "In three years' time does that change? No one really knows. Things can change dramatically," he said.

Roos will remain in football regardless next year, with a mix of AFL, Swans and media work a possibility.

"I'm really keen to stay involved in footy. I really enjoy it. It's a great industry to be involved in," he said. "It's healthy. My kids love it. My wife loves it. I've certainly got no intention of turning my back on the game itself.

"I'm discussing some things with the footy club as well. Hopefully, I'll be doing something for the Swans. I'm really passionate about footy in Sydney."

Roos also said there would be no issue with working in an AFL role, despite speaking his mind on all league issues in the past.

"I think the good thing about the relationship [with the AFL] is I think they know I'll say it," Roos said. "I don't think they've ever tried to restrict any of the coaches. I think I know the landscape really well in Sydney, so there is always going to be differences of opinion."

ADAM GOODES

The Swans coach believes his two-time Brownlow medallist needs to be cut some slack for being constantly reinvented as a player.

Roos has overseen a regular shuffling of roles for Goodes and is adamant no-one has the natural ability to immediately slot into new positions.

"With the great players, everyone thinks they're great players because they're just natural players," Roos said. "A lot of the great players I've played with and coached need a lot of coaching and Adam's no different.

"He's gone from being a ruckman, to a midfielder to a centre half-forward. There are not too many guys in AFL history who have had to deal with that sort of thing.

"We continually communicate with him and help him as much as we can. One thing I learned early as a coach is you can't just coach the players you think are less talented - you've got to coach all your players."

Goodes had one of the worst games of his career last Saturday night against Collingwood. Roos conceded Goodes had "probably" had his leanest season for several years on key indicators, but he backed him to respond today against Richmond at the MCG.

"Everyone goes through down patches of form. It doesn't matter who you are," Roos said. "The better players get held up to higher expectations - and rightly so, because they get well paid ... and he's captain of the footy club and all those sorts of things. I'm confident he'll play well this week."

SWAN SONG

His final weeks will be no feel-good farewell tour. That was underlined by Roos' animated spray at his players at quarter-time in last Saturday's loss to Collingwood.

"If you set a strategy and the players don't implement it, you start to question why," Roos said of the paper-throwing incident.

The cameras may have caught him chuckling in the dug-out after a loss to the Western Bulldogs in Canberra this year, but the fire still burns.

"Anyone who stays in footy for a long period of time has to have a competitive nature," Roos said. "It [losing] is always hard. I think you do get better at letting it go quicker as you go on. You also have the ability to not say too much [to players] after games and make sure you've watched the tapes.

"You can get less emotional as time wears on, because you're more experienced. But when you should win, and when we've done things we shouldn't do, I think I've been fairly honest with the players as well."

Heading into today's clash with Richmond, Roos said the Swans were in a "good spot" to challenge for a berth in the top eight.

Nobody would begrudge him for wanting to finish a famous Swans era by at least playing one final, but Roos stressed: "I don't really think about that. We've always had a good awareness of where we're at as a footy club - the blueprint's been set over the past seven or eight years.

"I've never really worried about this year and how it was going to finish."

The Sunday Telegraph, July 4, 2010