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Inspired choice
By TIM MORRISSEY
August 30, 2003
IT'S exactly one year to the day since the "Choose Roos" campaign reached its zenith in Sydney.
And Paul Roos, the man hoisted as the people's champion, is still blown away by it all. Flash back to Telstra Stadium for the Swans final game of a tumultuous the 2002 season against Richmond.
What was meant to be an emotional farewell to Swans great Paul Kelly and Andrew Dunkley turned into an angry protest rally over claims the club had already done a secret deal with former Bulldogs coach Terry Wallace to coach Sydney.
The Choose Roos banners and the sight of all the Swans players rallying around Roos in the middle of the ground after the final siren created a powerful image.
It showed that both the fans and players identified Roos as one of their own and endorsed his exciting brand of footy.
As a result of people power and player support Roos became the first ever popularly elected coach in AFL history after Wallace was effectively run out of town.
"I certainly didn't expect all that, I think it surprised everyone in Sydney," said Roos.
"Sydney people and Swans fans are criticised for not being super passionate.
"There's a perception Sydney is not considered to be a real sporting city because there's so many other things to do.
"But I think it probably shocked a lot of people in Sydney the amount of passion that everyone showed.
"It really proved in a real sense that when Swans fans can be as passionate as any bunch of supporters in the AFL.
"It was really pleasing for the club to see that too."
Fast forward to the present and Roos has more than repaid the fans' vote of confidence in his first full year as coach by defying the critics to lead the Swans to the finals.
Before the season, not one of the 18 AFL experts in Melbourne's Herald Sun, picked Roos' Swans to finish in the top eight this year.
Eight of them, including football guru Mike Sheahan, tipped Sydney to win the wooden spoon.
The team has come a long way in a short time as they get ready to face Melbourne at the MCG today in the last round of the regular season.
While Roos is showered in accolades he credits the players for adopting his free flowing, fast running, edge-of-the-seat style of footy.
However, with the finals starting next Friday the journey is far from over for Roos.
"It has been a pretty amazing year," admitted Roos.
"I can't compliment the players enough up to this stage.
"The job is obviously unfinished but the players have been fantastic with the way they have gone about their footy."
The fans certainly love it with crowds at the SCG up 16 per cent this season and the Swans averaging 50,000 over three games at Telstra Stadium thanks to last Saturday's record attendance of 72,393 for the Collingwood blockbuster.
As for the whole Wallace affair Roos believes the club has emerged stronger for it and heading in the right direction.
"I look at the whole thing as a positive," said Roos. "The board was in a tough position and we still don't know exactly what happened but I think the board would've been pleased to see some real passion from the Swans fans, people up in arms, that sort of thing."
By TIM MORRISSEY
August 30, 2003
IT'S exactly one year to the day since the "Choose Roos" campaign reached its zenith in Sydney.
And Paul Roos, the man hoisted as the people's champion, is still blown away by it all. Flash back to Telstra Stadium for the Swans final game of a tumultuous the 2002 season against Richmond.
What was meant to be an emotional farewell to Swans great Paul Kelly and Andrew Dunkley turned into an angry protest rally over claims the club had already done a secret deal with former Bulldogs coach Terry Wallace to coach Sydney.
The Choose Roos banners and the sight of all the Swans players rallying around Roos in the middle of the ground after the final siren created a powerful image.
It showed that both the fans and players identified Roos as one of their own and endorsed his exciting brand of footy.
As a result of people power and player support Roos became the first ever popularly elected coach in AFL history after Wallace was effectively run out of town.
"I certainly didn't expect all that, I think it surprised everyone in Sydney," said Roos.
"Sydney people and Swans fans are criticised for not being super passionate.
"There's a perception Sydney is not considered to be a real sporting city because there's so many other things to do.
"But I think it probably shocked a lot of people in Sydney the amount of passion that everyone showed.
"It really proved in a real sense that when Swans fans can be as passionate as any bunch of supporters in the AFL.
"It was really pleasing for the club to see that too."
Fast forward to the present and Roos has more than repaid the fans' vote of confidence in his first full year as coach by defying the critics to lead the Swans to the finals.
Before the season, not one of the 18 AFL experts in Melbourne's Herald Sun, picked Roos' Swans to finish in the top eight this year.
Eight of them, including football guru Mike Sheahan, tipped Sydney to win the wooden spoon.
The team has come a long way in a short time as they get ready to face Melbourne at the MCG today in the last round of the regular season.
While Roos is showered in accolades he credits the players for adopting his free flowing, fast running, edge-of-the-seat style of footy.
However, with the finals starting next Friday the journey is far from over for Roos.
"It has been a pretty amazing year," admitted Roos.
"I can't compliment the players enough up to this stage.
"The job is obviously unfinished but the players have been fantastic with the way they have gone about their footy."
The fans certainly love it with crowds at the SCG up 16 per cent this season and the Swans averaging 50,000 over three games at Telstra Stadium thanks to last Saturday's record attendance of 72,393 for the Collingwood blockbuster.
As for the whole Wallace affair Roos believes the club has emerged stronger for it and heading in the right direction.
"I look at the whole thing as a positive," said Roos. "The board was in a tough position and we still don't know exactly what happened but I think the board would've been pleased to see some real passion from the Swans fans, people up in arms, that sort of thing."
