Demetriou backs Roos for Dees

Ex-Swans coach now Fox Footy expert Paul Roos says he will take a call from Melbourne about the coaching job. Picture: Michael Klein

ANDREW Demetriou will help choose Melbourne's next coach.

And the AFL boss has endorsed Paul Roos for the role.

Demetriou revealed this morning the league was effectively running the embattled Demons, hand-picking members of the new board and telling Jeff Kennett he is not wanted.

He said the league had spoken yesterday to Alan Stockdale - treasurer in Jeff Kennett's former State Government - about joining the board.

"When we agreed to support the club financially, and that's a significant amount of money, we said it would be highly conditional and one of those conditions is approving the composition of the board," Demetriou said on 3AW.

"We're talking to prospective board members ... we've got several people that we're looking at."

Nic Nat in team of Demon dreams

Asked if the AFL would choose the Demons' next coach, he said the coach would be appointed by CEO Peter Jackson and the board members backed by the league " ... and we will obviously be consulted on that.

"We would have a say in that, but we are not experts in coaches."

And Demetriou backed a plan to convince Paul Roos to return to coaching.

"We don't recruit players and we don't recruit coaches but Paul Roos, as a general comment, is an incredibly gifted and talented coach and as an industry we are the lesser for not having a person of Paul Roos' talent coaching in the AFL ranks."

Jeff Kennett at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast on Tuesday. Picture: Richard Gosling Source: Gold Coast Bulletin

Kennett last night received a letter from AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick yesterday advising him he was not required at the Demons.

"It was a very courteous letter but he indicated to me that the AFL has in place a strategy for the revival of the Melbourne Football Club," Kennett said.

"He thanked me for my offer. As far as I am concerned I have made my offer and the AFL has rejected it.

"My group are not interested in calling an EGM (extraordinary general meeting), which was an option."

Kennett wrote to Fitzpatrick this week seeking feedback from the league over his bid to take charge of the stricken Demons.

But the AFL is pleased with the progress being made by new chief executive Peter Jackson.

The club has removed its coach and president in the past week and sacked former chief executive Cameron Schwab in April.

"I'm disappointed. The support that I have been getting is extraordinary," Kennett said.

"I hope they (Melbourne) can pull it off, but I very much suspect this is not going to deliver what they want."

Demons board member Geoff Freeman is keen on the presidency, while Stockdale has also been linked to the position.

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