Paul Roos says he's excited by the challenge after being named Melbourne coach

PAUL Roos signs on as Melbourne coach, taking on the task of setting the Dees on the path to success and grooming the next coach.

MELBOURNE got its man, but he might be gone after just two seasons.

Paul Roos ended weeks of speculation on Friday by agreeing to take charge of the stricken Demons until the end of 2015, with an option of a third year.

The 2005 Sydney Swans premiership coach will start work at AAMI Park on Monday.

"It's going to be a huge challenge, there's no doubt about that," Roos said.

Dees fans delighted at Roos signing

"They're certainly not sugar-coating it - I know what I'm coming into. I know it's going to be a very difficult job.

"I'm really looking forward to setting a direction for the players and the football club, and setting some really high standards."

Roos said the clincher was chief executive Peter Jackson's plan for succession, with a senior assistant coach to be groomed to take over.

"If there's success well and good but if there's not ... I'm very happy for someone else to take the glory after that," he said.

"I'm sold on it (succession). It's the way football is moving forward."

Former Geelong captain Cameron Ling has indicated he wants to coach but tweeted yesterday he was keen to continue media commitments for another year, adding: "I haven't caught the coaching bug just yet."

Roos, 50, said he would do the "hard yards" to turn Melbourne around.

"From a coaching point of view, I'm very excited about getting in and working with the players and setting a path and then handing it over," he said.

New Melbourne coach Paul Roos at the MCG today with Demons CEO Peter Jackson and president Glen Bartlett. Picture: Tim Carrafa

"They're a two-win team (this season) and 56 per cent - I think they're a better team than that. We need to get competitive - 56 per cent is an unacceptable percentage.

"I can see it as the last hurrah and then ride off into the sunset."

Melbourne has undergone a spectacular rebuild since the sacking of chief executive Cameron Schwab in April.

Why Roos is worth $1.5 million

Jackson replaced Schwab, Glen Bartlett has taken over from president Don McLardy and crucial back office and commercial operations staff were hired.

Melbourne's interim coach Neil Craig is expected to depart and has emerged as a candidate for the vacant Brisbane job.

Demons chief executive Peter Jackson and new coach Paul Roos. Picture: Tim Carrafa

A packed media conference at the MCG showed the pulling power of Roos.

Jackson said about 12,000 Demons members had been lost in recent years.

He said poor crowds against traditional rivals like Hawthorn and Richmond at the MCG this season had cost the club a fortune in gate receipts.

"We are a drag on the industry," Jackson said. "Roosy is going to make an impact beyond just the playing talent, I would hope."

Roos contacted his successor at the Swans, John Longmire, with his news early on Friday.

Sydney chairman Richard Colless welcomed the Melbourne appointment but made it clear his club would be disappointed if it lost "multiple" numbers of staff to a rival.

Roys to Swans to Demons

"If any club focused on a batch of our key employees, whether it be players or coaches, we probably wouldn't be amused about it," Colless said.

"But there are always going to be people that follow other people."

Roos said Colin Sylvia and Jack Watts were required players and hinted that Jack Grimes and Jack Trengove were not guaranteed to keep the captaincy.

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Melbourne is also in the market for a new head of football as part of its multi-million-dollar rebuild.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the league was not paying directly for Roos' salary, which has been reported as high as $1.5 million a season.

"The AFL's contribution and its financial package, which it is yet to finalise, will only be for the replacement value of the previous coach (Mark Neeld)," Demetriou said on 3AW.

"That's it. It is significantly less than what has been mooted.

"It is not the AFL's role to create hyper-inflation in coaching."