Melbourne's fairytale of Garry Lyon coaching the AFL club appears just that.

Demons president Jim Stynes has all but ruled out favourite son and media personality Lyon taking over as coach after Dean Bailey's sacking.

Lyon, a former Demons skipper who played 226 games between 1986 and 1999, has long been mooted as the man who can pull Melbourne out of the mire.

Yet he has always maintained he doesn't have the total commitment required to become a fulltime AFL coach or administrator.

But with James Hird and Michael Voss making the transition to coaching at clubs where they became playing legends - and Nathan Buckley to do the same next season at Collingwood - Lyon will never have a better opportunity to turn his hand to coaching.

Lyon is a close confidante of Stynes and clearly a powerful figure at the club though he holds no office.

The pair meet regularly to discuss Melbourne matters - and Stynes said he would speak to Lyon once more this week.

But Stynes says he has never asked his friend to consider coaching, and probably won't unless Lyon raises the subject himself.

"I don't think it's Garry's path at the moment," Stynes said of coaching.

"I've never got that sense that he's been interested in coaching ... he does what he can and there's no doubt this week I'll be speaking to Garry and asking him if there's anything there he'd want to do to support the club.

"He's a very busy guy and he's got a lot on his plate."

One of the sharpest analysts in football, Lyon has a swag of high-paying media commitments headed by compering The Nine Network's AFL Footy Show.

But Stynes was more evasive on the subject of chasing outgoing Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse, who clearly tops the list of best available talent that the Demons say they are seeking.

"We will look at every possibility. We will do what we believe is the right thing for our football club and we will chase the best option available," Stynes said whenasked about Malthouse.

"Different people will have different views on who would be the best coach of our football club.

"We'll get a (committee) together, and define what we believe would be the best coach for our group of players.

"We have a certain group that needs a certain type of direction."

Out-of-contract Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade has also been mentioned as a possible target.

Caretaker coach Todd Viney has an opportunity to show his credentials over the next few weeks, while West Coast assistant and former Collingwood star Scott Burns has also been linked with the role.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP