AND so Melbourne’s fifth worst season – since it became a foundation member of the VFL/AFL in 1897 – has come to a close.

Only 1919 (zero wins), 1906 (one), 1951 (one) and 1981 (one) have produced poorer results. It must be noted that Melbourne also had just two wins in 1914, but with just 18 matches for the season, there were slightly fewer opportunities than today’s season.

With 2013 done and dusted – from a home and away point of view – the attention now turns off field.

And that has been intense already.

Over the weekend, speculation mounted in the media that Paul Roos was set to coach the club.

It was also confirmed that Roos had met with the club’s leadership group.

The speculation surrounding Roos as Melbourne’s potential new coach has created plenty of buzz in the football fraternity. And he would be a massive coup for Melbourne under new chief executive Peter Jackson.

But it also created a fascinating post-match media conference, when, naturally, the media broached the subject with incumbent Neil Craig, who has handled the coaching position with aplomb in the second half of the season for Melbourne – in certainly trying circumstances.

Craig said he was aware Roos had spoken to the leadership group and that he understood why it had happened.

“I do understand why a prospective coach would want to talk to the players, if that was possible, so I understand that,” he said after Melbourne’s 20 point loss to the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

“What is more important, from what I saw [against the Bulldogs] was it certainly did not have a negative effect on the playing group. That would’ve been my greatest concern.”

Craig said there was a sense of urgency to appoint a new coach, given the off-season activities that are about to start.

“We have got exit interviews of our players, Tuesday and Wednesday – ideally your senior coach would want to be involved in that. Whether that’s myself … there is limited information I am going to be able to give to the players,” he said.

“Not to the extent of rushing the decision because the decision is too important, but as each day goes past now, it becomes more and more critical if that committee can make their decision as soon as they possibly can without making an error of judgment.

“I would certainly encourage them to do that because of the amount of work and planning and other appointments that are hinging on the coaching decision.”

Craig has done a commendable job, given he took over as coach midway through the season.

As for his plans next year, he will wait and see.

“[It] depends on what the club does in terms of the senior coaching role,” he said.

“I still have a year left on my initial contract. I know Peter Jackson and the board are still looking at a review of the football department. There are a lot of things that have got to happen, the senior coaching appointment obviously first. I am open minded about all that – I'm not one to hang around footy clubs.

“I'm not into that, so if there is not a meaningful role and the senior coach may not want certain people around the footy club depending on their expertise, which I understand, that will unfold once the senior coach is appointed.”

Craig said he had not received any feedback in relation to Melbourne’s coaching position for next year, but he was not perturbed by that.

“That’s not inappropriate. I don't sit there and wait for feedback about how it is all going, I'm sure they will talk to people they have interviewed to let them know what the situation is,” he said.

“I had the discussion 10 days ago … it was a thorough discussion, it was in-depth, there were some issues where I was asked my opinion of where the club was at, changes made and there were some things I put on the table of changes that I would require to get back into senior coaching again.

“It was a two way process – please understand, having coached for seven years at senior level, you get some experience about what is important as senior coach to go back into the job again, and that is all we spoke about.

“That will unfold, and I'm sure they will make a good decision.”