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Roos is Mr Cool: Matthews
By Nikki Tugwell
May 28, 2004
LEIGH MATTHEWS believes that Paul Roos the coach reflects the evolution of the times.
The four-time premiership coach at Brisbane Lions and Collingwood, and four-time premiership player at Hawthorn, notes that the calm exterior of Roos provides a sign to Swans players that he is in control.
"Especially in the modern era where ranting and raving is no longer the coaching norm, I think it is important in a coach that he looks like he is always in control," Matthews says.
"Your players probably want to see the coach is composed and has his wits about him.
"Paul certainly looks that way. What we see on the outside isn't always what is happening on the inside but he has the control to appear and act composed.
"It's funny because he probably did that as a player too. He wasn't a player who was ever engaged in hysterics."
Similar to Matthews (690 games as player and coach) it is Roos' composure that Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy (805 games) finds most striking about the Swans coach ahead of his 400th game tomorrow night.
Sheedy concocted the Robert Redford nickname for Roos, partly because of his demeanour in the coaching box, and is baffled by the absence of grey hairs and crows feet on the "Sundance Kid".
"He has that calmness about him and you're not sure where the calmness stops and starts," Sheedy says. "He is pretty good at concentrating on the task at Sydney. He doesn't seem to get over the top, annoyed or frustrated."
Matthews subscribes to the theory that the personality of the coach is reflected in the team. Asked if that was why the Swans were such a good come-from-behind team and didn't panic under scoreboard pressure, he said: "I think there is an aspect of that.
"I think that because the coach is spending a lot of time talking and working with players at training. The theory that the attitude and personality of the coach rubs off on the team, I'd agree with that."
Among current trends in AFL coaching is the number of past defenders who are coaches (Sheedy and Roos, not Matthews) and the influx of younger coaches such as Roos, Chris Connolly, Peter Rohde, Mark Thompson, Peter Schwab and Danny Frawley.
"You get the passion and enthusiasm and new ideas [with young coaches] but the other side of the coin is that, as you do it for longer you learn on the job constantly," Matthews said. "It doesn't matter if you've been coaching for 20 years, you are kind of still in a sense learning or evolving all of the time."
So what does Sheedy see when he peers into his marshmallow-coloured crystal ball for Roos?
"He has a long time to get the other 400 and he could even possibly look like me by then, chubby with a red nose" Sheedy said.
"But considering I can't even see a stress line yet ... by 65 he will be dashing with his grey hair and he'll end up looking like Cary Grant."
The Daily Telegraph
By Nikki Tugwell
May 28, 2004
LEIGH MATTHEWS believes that Paul Roos the coach reflects the evolution of the times.
The four-time premiership coach at Brisbane Lions and Collingwood, and four-time premiership player at Hawthorn, notes that the calm exterior of Roos provides a sign to Swans players that he is in control.
"Especially in the modern era where ranting and raving is no longer the coaching norm, I think it is important in a coach that he looks like he is always in control," Matthews says.
"Your players probably want to see the coach is composed and has his wits about him.
"Paul certainly looks that way. What we see on the outside isn't always what is happening on the inside but he has the control to appear and act composed.
"It's funny because he probably did that as a player too. He wasn't a player who was ever engaged in hysterics."
Similar to Matthews (690 games as player and coach) it is Roos' composure that Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy (805 games) finds most striking about the Swans coach ahead of his 400th game tomorrow night.
Sheedy concocted the Robert Redford nickname for Roos, partly because of his demeanour in the coaching box, and is baffled by the absence of grey hairs and crows feet on the "Sundance Kid".
"He has that calmness about him and you're not sure where the calmness stops and starts," Sheedy says. "He is pretty good at concentrating on the task at Sydney. He doesn't seem to get over the top, annoyed or frustrated."
Matthews subscribes to the theory that the personality of the coach is reflected in the team. Asked if that was why the Swans were such a good come-from-behind team and didn't panic under scoreboard pressure, he said: "I think there is an aspect of that.
"I think that because the coach is spending a lot of time talking and working with players at training. The theory that the attitude and personality of the coach rubs off on the team, I'd agree with that."
Among current trends in AFL coaching is the number of past defenders who are coaches (Sheedy and Roos, not Matthews) and the influx of younger coaches such as Roos, Chris Connolly, Peter Rohde, Mark Thompson, Peter Schwab and Danny Frawley.
"You get the passion and enthusiasm and new ideas [with young coaches] but the other side of the coin is that, as you do it for longer you learn on the job constantly," Matthews said. "It doesn't matter if you've been coaching for 20 years, you are kind of still in a sense learning or evolving all of the time."
So what does Sheedy see when he peers into his marshmallow-coloured crystal ball for Roos?
"He has a long time to get the other 400 and he could even possibly look like me by then, chubby with a red nose" Sheedy said.
"But considering I can't even see a stress line yet ... by 65 he will be dashing with his grey hair and he'll end up looking like Cary Grant."
The Daily Telegraph
