Former Sydney and Melbourne coach Paul Roos has anointed David Noble as the man to revive North Melbourne.
Roos was on the selection panel that hired Noble as Rhyce Shaw's replacement and the 2005 premiership coach said his former Fitzroy teammate was as ready as anyone as he has seen to take a senior coaching role.
“As he presented and as we heard from him and he articulated what he believed was his football philosophies and how he could get the Kangaroos back up the ladder, it became obvious that his experience definitely matched his ability to walk the walk rather than just talk the talk,” Roos told the Herald Sun's Rebecca Williams.
“I think the process showed us that (his) experience wasn’t just experience, it was learned experience and understanding exactly what needed to be done at the North Melbourne footy club."
Noble will become North's 37th coach in their 96-year history in the VFL/AFL and will aim to emulate the success of Ron Barassi and Denis Pagan, North's two premiership coaches.
Unlike Barassi and Pagan who took over when the club was on the precipice of success, Noble takes over the club a year after they finished second last and delisted 11 players and traded their key forward in Ben Brown.
The aim for the Roos in 2021 will be to get games into their young list, including their seven recruits in this year's national draft.
Despite what some might deem as a season of struggle, Roos believes North are on the right path towards future success.
“The thing that impressed me with the Kangas is, when I spoke to (chairman) Benny Buckley, they understood where they are at as a footy club and I can see my role as helping in all areas, with the board, the CEO, with the football manager and certainly with David," Roos told the Herald Sun.
“I just love where North Melbourne wants to take their footy club.”
